A walk in suburban Bloemfontein

So we start a new month of walking.

A return to Bloemfontein after our two month summer road trip between Cape Town and Amanzintoti and a quick visit with my cousins.

We shared a sunday morning walk with Ian and Julie, Bloem is green and fresh after the summer rains.

• Walking log: 1 February

4.5 km walk around Baywaters in Bloemfontein.

Walking companions: Ian and Julie Wedderburn

Total kilometers to date: 180.5

How true my little birdie card message on my desk this morning here in Johannesburg.

It was easy to be single minded in Cape Town, the walks are wonderful, gorgeous summer days, so the walking was a treat.

Home has distractions and conflicting commitments. So I am going to have to find the resolve to stick with my plan and believe that 30 km a day for 10 days is possible.

I am off to pilates now and I will be having a rest day.

Transition walks - from a seascape to the Karoo

• Walking log: 30 January

A walk to close out our summer in Cape Town. 11km along Seapoint to Bantry Bay and return.

Total kilometres to date: 166km

Summer Road Trip:
We are on the road, driving back to Johannesburg, having been away for 2 months and we stopped in the Karoo to overnight at Steenbokkie Nature Reserve.

The humid heat has been replaced by the dry crisp but dusty Karoo air.  The only greenery on the walk was the cactus plants and the odd vividly green tree. Our walking route took us parallel to the mountains around Beaufort West. Lovely setting for a walk before heading to Bloemfontein.

Karoo scenery around Beaufort West.

• Walking log: 31 January

Early morning walk along the dirt tracks of Steenbokkie Nature Reserve.

10 km, noticed the soles of my feet are sensitive, must take care not to get my blisters under the calluses.

Total kilometres to date: 176

"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." 
John Muir

To walk: to withdraw

'We withdraw not to disappear, but to find another ground from which to see; a solid ground from which to step, and from which to speak again, in a different way, a clear, rested, embodied voice, our life as a sudden, emphatic statement, one we can recognize as our own and one from which now, we have absolutely no wish to withdraw.'

‘WITHDRAWAL’ From CONSOLATIONS:
The Solace, Nourishment and Underlying Meaning of Everyday Words. © David Whyte and Many Rivers Press 2015

I felt a moment of clarity reading David Whyte's thoughts on withdrawal, I have been experiencing this withdrawal and I love the sentiment of finding another ground from which to see.

I am using the daily discipline of walking as my solid ground and this finding of another ground will no doubt evolve in ways I cannot predict.

• Walking log: 29th January

Muizenberg - Kalk Bay return.

A return to a gentle place to walk, to ease the muscles from yesterdays power walk. 

Did some speed walking between light poles too.

Total kilometres to date: 155

Post Script: Evening yoga class that Natalie organised at the Sufi Temple, Claremont. Teacher was Brigitta, Yogapoise, I felt taught for the first time. I am slowly been drawn in to practice yoga.

Newlands Forest to Rhodes Memorial hike

Another clear, warm summer morning in Cape Town and we spent it hiking from Newlands Forest to Rhodes Memorial for breakfast before walking on down and back to our car.

It's almost 3km from the car park up to the Contour Path, I felt fine on the way up, did not need to stop either, so it was a good power walk.

The boardwalk along the contour path, mostly in the shade is always a highlight and stopping for water at the picnic spot a treat.

The Pink Hairy Heath (Erica hirtiflora) are in full bloom on the mountain and a highlight along the way.

• Walking log: 27th January

Morning stroll while birding at Rondevlei Nature Reserve.

Load shedding evening walk for salads at Michael's. 

Total kilometres to date: 140

• Walking log: 28th January

9.5 km round hike through Newlands Forest, along the Contour Path and boardwalk, down to Rhodes Memorial for breakfast before walking down to the car.

Felt the impact of this walk, awareness of knees from the downhill, overall weariness all day. Can still not imagine 30 km in one day.

Total kilometres to date: 149.5

Farm walk: Swallow Hill Farm

Beauty of the Overberg in summer, walking the fields.

The week started with a much cooler morning in Greyton, slightly overcast and a relief from the 40
degrees we had experienced over the weekend.

After the usual huge
mug of plunger coffee and a rusk we walked the perimeter farm path and the short sharp incline which kicks off the walk certainly got me going.

My thighs were still feeling the effect of the Loerkop Trail and they felt heavy.

The path also took us into the indigenous renosterveld on the hill behind the house, which is small leaved evergreen shrubland only found here in the Cape.

I joined Bri and Di at the Under the Mountain Yoga Studio in Greyton, a cottage with a restful yoga space. It was a class with Jonathan Blumberg.

What a pleasure to work on the floor, my feet loved me, it was a class within the Iyengar system and I found it harnessed my breath and relaxed me.
A gentle but tough one and a half hours.

• Walking log: 26th January

4.5 km walk around Swallow Hill wine farm. 

And stepping into the maze between the rows of tempranillo and viognier grapes.

Yoga class.

Total kilometres to date: 134

It is not easy to walk alone in the country without musing upon something. ~Charles Dickens

Loerkop Trail, Greyton

'Walk some hills' is an instruction from our Ultra Walk guide, so we did. 

And what a hill.

Loerkop. 
A 3km circular trail.


It was a 1.6 km steep climb to the top of Loerkop which was marked with a cairn. 

The 360-degree view makes the steep hike worthwhile: the whole chain of the Riviersonderend mountains is spread from east to west, with Greyton and Genadendal in sheltered positions. 

The Overberg wheat belt a gentle dull brown wherever you look and to the south the massive Swartberg. 


We could also see Bri and Di's home along the Krige Road from the cairn.

• Walking log: 25th January

Some power walking to get the heart rate up and build strength. And my steepest walk to date, I had to stop a couple of times to catch my breath. We then walked the remaining 4km from Loerkop into Greyton for stamina.

The heat was draining along the last part of the walk, not ideal at all. 

Welcome swimming afterwards.

Walking companions: Brian and Dianne Dawes.

Total kilometres to date: 129.5

A Greyton farm road

Summer in the Overberg.

Hot and dry with a wind rolling down the mountainside that dries eyes and clothes instantly.

A morning walk into Greyton for coffee and the Saturday Market.

Long dusty farm roads, the golden hues of the lands lying fallow until the fall rains start.

Pretty cows and small herds of Grey Rhebuck entertain along the walk.

Watching a pair of Blue Cranes raising their chick on the farm is quite wonderful as is seeing Denham's Bustards flying on the lands.

All the time the mountains a magnificent backdrop.

• Walking log: 24th January

8 km walk along the Krige farm road from Swallow Hill wine farm to Greyton.
Swimming to relieve a tired, hot body.

Walking companions: Brian and Dianne Dawes

Total kilometres to date: 122.5

A walking meditation

"Each step a step towards and equally its own step"

from Sharon Wakeford

I can step out of our garden flat and walk around Rondebosch Common with it's grand views of Table Mountain.

And that is what I did this morning. 

I notice that I motivate a walk to Fred and then he sets the pace and I follow. Today he left early to so some work so I stepped out solo.

I did 3 rotations around the Common paying attention to my posture and my breathing.

As best I could I approached the walk as a walking meditation with deliberate steps and soft eyes.

• Walking log: 22nd January

3 laps of the Common, 8km. 

Total kilometres to date: 114.5

First 100 kilometres of preparation...

A small milestone reached on our Seapoint Promenade walk this morning, the first 100 kilometres of preparation completed.

Yet another perfect early morning in Cape Town, walking along the shoreline with mountain and sea views makes walking a joy.

I am thinking of a message from my friend Sharon and say thanks for the encouragement:

" Traveller there is no path, the path is made by walking" 

You my good friend know how to make the path.

• Walking log: 21st January

Notched up the walk to 12km this morning at a nice steady pace. Can feel my stamina improving, feet did start to feel 'burny' towards the end.

Total kilometres to date: 106.5

Rest and a brisk warm up walk.

I start my week with another David Whyte poem:

REST AS READINESS

It was rest then, felt as sheer readiness, and the place 

you went to find it, impossible to say, some artful way 

the body looks for just repose after days of walking, …

your body dedicated to anticipation, and to going on,

as if the way ahead had been made only for your feet,

and the breeze as a hand on your back all along, 

the path inside you a parallel that was not a parallel, 

some internal invisible way you had to follow; 

and always with you, a listening in:

an echo in the dark to take along the lighted road.

Excerpted from ‘REST’  

From PILGRIM: Poems by David Whyte

©2012 David Whyte revised Jan: 2015

Registration forms are in and the deposit has been paid.

301 Namaquland Eco Ultra Walk here we come.

I received an outline of a training program from Eco Ventures and I like their sentiment - enjoy the training it is part of your journey.

I had a delicious rest day yesterday, I was even in heals and a skirt, having lunch with special people. My body loved the break and also loved the Dom Pedro.

So this evening we started the weeks training with a brisk power walk over 4 kilometres around the Common and the neighbouring suburb. 

I will need to pay attention to their three components - stamina, power and speed and build it into our preparation

Stamina:   Distance 3 times per week	One to one and a half hours of brisk walking
Power: Walk some hills twice a week	Short 50m stretches of walking uphill
Speed: To enjoy your trip and the scenery	Do fast power walking between alternate telephone poles once a week

• Walking log: 20th January

Short 4km walk at a brisk pace of 10.1 minutes per km.

Total kilometres to date: 94.5

       Example of one week’s training:

Day	Training	Time - min	km
Mon	Stamina: Distance - brisk walking at one speed	60 -75	6 - 8
Tues	Power: 15 min easy walking before and after power training. 4-6 X 50-75m hills or 6-8 X 30m stairs	50 -60	4 - 6
Wed	Stamina: Distance - brisk walking at one speed	60 - 90	7 - 10
Thurs	Speed: 15 min easy walking before and after power training. X2 50m ; X2 100m ; X2 200m X2 400m ; X1 600m	60 – 75	6 - 8
Fri	Short easy walk	50 - 60	7
Sat	Stamina: Distance - brisk walking at one speed	120 - 150	14 - 18
Son	Rest

Footprints on the Noordhoek Beach

A beach with attitude and history.

The story of a shipwreck, the Kakapo, May 1900, en route to New Zealand, the captain took a sharp left thinking he was already around Cape Point! An interesting landmark along Long Beach, an iconic beach walk, I have yet to find a better one anywhere on my travels.

Glorious flat firm white sand at low tide, Kommetjie Lighthouse coming into view as one walks, the sweep of the shallow bay and the mountains rising straight from the sea on the Hout Bay side of the walk.

The sunday morning craziness  at the Noordhoek Farm Village did not detract from a memorable breakfast of salmon, goat's cheese, perfectly poached soft eggs at the Foodbarn Restaurant.

• Walking Log: 18th January

Early morning beach walking does not come better, 8.5 km return from the Noordhoek Beach
parking.

Perfect conditions, light breeze.
Felt good, even though I had a restless night with achy legs.

Walking companions: Brian and Dianne Dawes, Greyton

Total kilometres to date: 90.5

Social Walking

A day to walk with special friends. Bri and Di drove from Greyton to spend the weekend here in Cape Town, we parked our cars and spent the day walking. A visit to the Old Biscuit Mill, fresh produce for a vegetarian meal and just generally pottering around the shops and stalls.

A beautiful stroll - not unlike the Italian tradition of 'fare una passeggiata', around our Common with a sunset behind Table Mountain and lively conversation with friends to end the day.

• Walking log: 17th January

11 km of urban strolling with friends. Day 5 of non-stop walking, I was feeling the impact of the 5 days in a row, rather heavy sluggish legs, knees tired too.

Walking companions: Brian and Dianne Dawes, Greyton.

Total kilometres to date: 82

From Fodor's: As day softens into dusk in Italy, something in the air seems to tug people from their homes and workplaces to participate in one of the enduring traditions of Italian life: la passeggiata. This evening promenade, generally between 5 and 8 PM, occurs in virtually every town, village, or big city in Italy.

Mountain trails: Pipe Track

What has taken us so long to walk Pipe Track, one of the best known hikes in Cape Town? According to Mike Lundy's book, "Easy Walks in the Cape Peninsula" its also one of the oldest with work starting on laying the pipeline in 1887.

The rain last night refreshed the mountain air, the Orange-breasted Sunbirds were out in numbers among the yellow proteas still in bloom along the path and we were serenaded by boubou's too. The path is undulating, at times rocky underfoot and has wonderful views of the Atlantic Coastline and the Twelve Apostles. 

• Walking log: 16th January 

An 11 kilometer return mountain path above Camps Bay, starting from the parking at Kloof Nek to the steps ascending Slangolie Ravine. Privilege to be out and about, lovely walk.

Total kilometres to date: 71