The 'winter face' of the Rondebosch Common

The Rondebosch Common, Vibrant green.

Back in Cape Town. It seems fitting to be starting my last week of walking preparation here in Cape Town, where it all started 7 months ago.

The Common was beautiful this morning, a vibrant green and the spring flowers are starting to pop out too. This 'winter face' of the Common is so special and I am pleased I am here to see it again as I do my walking laps.

• Walking log: 7th August

5km speed walk around the Rondebosch Common.

Total kilometres to date: 1364

Final quick walk in Johannesburg

So here I am, seven months after making the decision to do the Ultra Walk in Namaqualand, getting ready to drive down to the Cape tomorrow.

This morning as we headed out for a quick final lap of Munro Drive and our golf course I am both nervous and excited to get going.

There is no answer about whether I have done enough preparation but I have put my heart and soul into the venture, done the work, done the planning and all that is left is to have the determination.

Fred and I celebrated with a good cuppa at our new local here in Norwood, the Coffee Exchange.

• Walking log: 4th August

8km power walk up Munro Drive

Total kilometres to date: 1359

The park in winter

Wow it was a particularly cold start to our Saturday morning walk, about 3 degrees and the wind was icy.

It warmed up though as we covered the kilometres, up and over Munro Drive and through the central suburbs as we made our way to Voodoo Lily Cafe in Birdhaven for our usual of poached eggs on rye and a large cappuccino, so welcome after the 10 kilometres and the cold.

We are certainly still in the grip of winter, our grass in the city parks is gold and trees still bare with no hint of buds as yet.

The landscaped 'erratics' looked marvellous today.

• Walking log: 1st August

14.5 kilometres.

Total kilometres to date: 1346.5

• Walking log: 2nd August

4.5km easy sunday morning walk around the golf course.

Walking companions: Ian and Julie Wedderburn

Total kilometres to date: 1351

David Whyte's "Learning to Walk"

LEARNING TO WALK

Walked out this morning

into a broad green garden

with the rising sun in my eyes 

and the first hint of the day’s heat 

touching my face,

feeling as broad as the garden

and young as the day

and soaking up the heat

in my black tee-shirt,

walked straight forward

out of the gate,

through the wood,

along the river,

toward the mountain

and thought of the future

I could make in the world

if I walked toward it

like this,

with my face toward the hills

and my eyes full of light

and the earth sure

and solid beneath me,

walking on

with a fierce anticipation,

and a faithful expectation,

with the sun and the rain

and the wind on my skin…

...

LEARNING TO WALK

From RIVER FLOW: New and Selected Poems

© David Whyte and Many Rivers Press

Leaving a desk behind

My desk bathed in sunlight

I have been holed up in a vacant office at the University of Johannesburg doing a block of work, drinking awful coffee, eating poorly and certainly not walking. And I have not done so for 4 days.

It makes me really appreciate my freedom to walk this morning, to be in the fresh air, to feel strong and well. And to have my own rhythm back.

I do appreciate when work comes my way but I am also aware of how I love my life without it.

• Walking log: 30th July

8.5km mid week walk, and a great cappuccino at the Oaklands Centre on our way back.

Total kilometres to date: 1332

Westcliff: 'Stairway to Heaven"

My lungs were burning, I was breathing hard, my legs felt like lead but I loved it all, our Jo'burg 'Stairway to Heaven, the Westcliff Stairs. They are fiercely steep and surrounded by high stone walls which make for an interesting experience.

It has been on the agenda for a while to find the start point along Crescent Drive in Westcliff and to navigate the many hundreds of stairs, which we did this morning and we did it twice.

Dog-walkers, serious runners, strollers and the Kersten's!

It was a cold winter morning, rather hazy too from the unseasonable rain so the legendary views were mostly obscured but I could get a sense of what it must be like on a clear day.

Reading the story of the stairs, they were carved by unemployed miners in 1922 from the base rock here in this quite beautiful Johannesburg suburb.

From Crescent Drive we crossed to Wexford Avenue and from there the stairs take you to Pallinghurst Drive. We then walked along Woolston Drive to the narrow road and stairs that took us back to Westcliff Drive.

Our glorious morning walk took us from Norwood, through Killarney, past the Jo'burg Zoo before getting to the Westcliff Stairs, we then continued along Jan Smuts to Park Cafe for loads of coffee and treats before heading home through Saxonwold. 

• Walking log: 25th July

19.5km stamina walk with some serious cardio on the Westcliff Stairs.

Total kilometres to date: 1323.5

A Johannesburg treasure - the Westcliff Stairways

A perfect white camelia

Winter is a fine time in Johannesburg. The white camellia in my garden is the first to flower and I so love these perfect white, waxy blooms.

Inspired by nature and loving my early morning walk.

• Walking log: 21st July

4.5km speed walking around the golf course.

Total kilometres to date: 1290.5

• Walking log: 22nd July

6km mid week admin walk to Killarney Mall.

Total kilometres to date: 1296.5

• Walking log: 24th July

7.5km admin walk to Pick n Pay.

Total kilometres to date: 1304

All weather readiness

My K-way.

The walk this morning was to Killarney Mall for my birthday gift, fully rain and wind proof jacket for walking and for the hiking we are going to be doing in New Zealand early next year.

Such a treat, thanks Fred.

• Walking log: 19th July

10km, up Munro Drive again for some hill work, into Killarney and home.

Total kilometres to date: 1286

A taxi home....wtf....

Today I am officially starting two years of celebrating my special milestone - the road to 60 next year, with a birthday breakfast voucher from Moemas, one of our little treat spots in Johannesburg.

The morning started off as a serious walk, the steep switchback of Munro Drive, the long route through Saxonwold to get to Moemas. The first 10 km with no problem. We were just getting going from Rosebank when Fred realised he had not checked when the South Africa vs Australia rugby test was due to start. Total panic when he was told it was about to start.

Bit of lateral thinking - he hailed a taxi for us.
A first!
What a start to my "Marvelous Year"........

• Walking log: 18th July

11km 'stamina' walk cut a bit short! I had a visit to the podiatrist yesterday to get my feet done and ready for the walk, so they did feel a little tender today, so perhaps a good thing to have a slightly shorter walk.

Total kilometres to date: 1276

Time for some beach walks.

There is nothing better than a well timed low tide, a mild winter day and a good beach to walk along.

Both are happening for us here in Amanzimtoti this week. We were on the beach just before 7am and it was so good to be walking, the beach was flat and firm, the sunrise was leaving a pink flush on the clouds, the air was both cool and warming.

So nice.

• Walking log: 12th July

5km beach walk.

Walking companion: Doreen Phillip

Total kilometres to date: 1245

So today, tide was good, beach perfect however what a change in the weather, so much colder and blustery. But still a great way to start our day.

• Walking log: 13th July

Another quick 5km beach walk.

Total kilometres to date: 1250

Another perfect, cool, overcast morning with the beach firm and flat. The tide was low so we could a longer walk to the Illovo River mouth which is a real treat.

• Walking log: 14th July

10km stamina walk.

Total kilometres to date: 1260

And a final beach walk before we head back to Joburg, a quite perfect day too.

• Walking log: 15th July

5km beach walk.

Total kilometres to date: 1265

From above and from below

A fast walk and a very steep return up Gordon Road to start the day. Our Loft floats above the river with a lovely view, the walk took us down to the low level bridge and back.

• Walking log: 11th July

4km combo of speed and power walking to start the day.

Total kilometres to date: 1240

Durban, the warmest place to be

Warm indeed.

The midday temperatures here along the Durban Promenade were in the mid 20's during our walk today.

Fred flew into King Shaka and we drove straight through to park at Blue Lagoon. Such a nice day to be out. It has been a long time since I have felt hot walking though, I had forgotten what summer feels like. The promenade was festive, its peak season and Circus Circus was packed to capacity, but we enjoyed the rest up at the 10km mark as well as the cool down.

• Walking log: 8th July

14km stamina walk. Fine, although I find my back is getting achy on the longer walks.

Total kilometres to date:1236

Wattled Crane walk, Karkloof

Peaceful scene, Mark's Dam, Gilboa Estate, Karkloof

There is something quite special about walking and not seeing another person, of being in a pristine place and taking deep breaths of fresh air and the scenery of the Gilboa Estate.

Barry, my brother-in-law, is trout fishing and we were out early in the Karkloof high altitude grasslands, it's dusty, dry and the landscape a warm gold colour.

Our walk was one way from Mark's Dam down to Bosse's Dam.

As we started the walk a pair of Wattled Cranes flew into the shallow wetland on the edge of the dam. We had excellent views of these special birds, they stand out with their white and grey plumage against the gold grass, we could pick out the red facial markings and the long white facial wattles. Not the first time Doreen has seen them but the first time since she has been listing over the last 6 years. So a notch for her bird list.

• Walking log: 5th July

7km walk along forestry roads of Karkloof. It was warm and dusty but the isolation very special.

Walking companion: Doreen Phillip

Total kilometres to date: 1222