September 2nd, 2010
DATE: 6 – 9 AUGUST 2010
TYPE: BACK PACKING
AREA: WITBANK
I wanted to make use of the long weekend and so we decided to revisit this hike, as we have very fond memories (this is the hike we met Nick and the gang on!), it is not too far to travel, and the area is lovely as you meander along the banks of the Wilge and Olifants Rivers.
As we knew what the terrain was like, I phoned beforehand to check on the level of the rivers and the state of the farm road. I was told the rivers were easily crossable, and the road was better suited to a 4 x 4, but if taken very slowly an ordinary car would be ok. Well we ended up having to swim and wade through chest high very strong flowing water. And this is most definitely not what we would all call easy. Years ago there were cables at the river crossings but these have either been washed away with the floods or just rusted through. The farm road was doable in an ordinary car, travelling almost the whole way in first gear!!
There has been almost no maintenance done on the trail as well as the camps. We periodically had to wander around looking for trail / foot prints, and the state of the hut at Grootdraai is horrendous. The gutters are all falling down, and they are supposed to be the water supply, as the rain water runs into a large tank for use. The reed walls around the toilet have all fallen over, and the toilet hasn’t been cleaned in forever. The braai area is exactly as it was years ago, except now there is no wood. A very sad looking overnight hut indeed.
This was a hike we readily recommended to other hikers / clubs, but we would rather tell them to ignore this one from now on. The whole farm actually looks in a bad state of repair.
Posted in Reports on Week End Hikes, What is happening | No Comments »
August 22nd, 2010
Tuesday 31 August
Golden Reef Road Runners Club, Andrew Street, Horizon
7 for 7.30 pm
Presentation on the Okavango
John Leroy will be giving us a presentation and talk on his and Astri’s “Okavango Experience”, which should prove very interesting. John is an excellent presenter and his photos are amazing. He is a member of our Club so please come along and support him – we hope to see a good turnout (there will be no admission charge). We will serve hot pies and drinks will be available to purchase as always.
Posted in What is happening | No Comments »
August 22nd, 2010
Date: Sunday 29 August 2010
Venue: Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, End of Malcolm Road, Poortview, Roodepoort
Time: 08:00
Cost: R25 for adults, R20 for Seniors and R10 for school children. Please pay your own admission fees and meet us just inside the entrance on the right hand side. The Garden opens at 08:00 and we will start working at 08:30 sharp.
We will walk along the ridge towards Krugersdorp and then come back via the waterfall. There is a picnic concert in the Botanical Garden which starts at 13:00. Make sure you keep your entrance receipt so that you can go out to the car park to collect your picnic baskets and chairs etc when we finish the hike. Joan cannot join us for the hike but she will be coming for the concert and will save us a space under a big tree which is about 50 metres beyond the entrance on the left hand side of the walkway going towards the waterfall. No braais are allowed – picnics only please.
You do not need you to book just pitch up and join us! Should you need a map and directions, just reply to this email and let me know.
The Johannesburg Youth Orchestra will be performing at the concert – a variety of music from classis to pop.
Posted in Report Day Hikes | No Comments »
