PETER GIDDY.: TSITSIKAMMA HIKING TRAIL WITH WALMER METHODIST CONFIRMATION GROUP

SWIMMING IN THE LOTTERING RIVER ON DAY ONE

JUSTIN IN COLD WATER -- FIRST STOP ON THE ROAD TO KEURBOS HUT

THIS IS THE HIKING GROUP. JUSTIN AND HIS CONFIRMANDS AND A COUPLE OF DADS

KEURBOS HUT -- BOMA AREA AND FIRE ON THE GO

BOYS AT KEURBOS HUT

THE HUT SOON BECOMES QUITE CHILLY AS THE SHADE FALLS OVER THE AREA

STARTING THE FIRE FOR OUR EVENING BRAAI. RELAX WITH A COUPLE OF BEVERAGES FIRST THOUGH

MUCH TO THE SHAME OF KEITH'S SON -- KEITH IN UNDERPANTS

KEURBOS HUT

DAY TWO. ROB; JASON AND I BRING UP THE REAR GUARD. CROSSING THE BRIDGE OVER THE LOTTERING RIVER

CROSSING THE STREAM ON DAY TWO

AFTER THE FIRST WATER BREAK ROB; JASON AND PETER FOLLOW THE MAIN GROUP

ROB CROSSES THE STREAM JUST BEFORE A LONG CLIMB UP THE FIRST VALLEY

THE HEUNING BOS HUT IS STILL A VERY LONG WAY OFF.

STREAMS WHERE WE CONTINUALLY FILL OUR WATER BOTTLES

TSITSIKAMMA HIKING TRAIL WITH WALMER METHODIST CONFIRMATION GROUP
OCTOBER 2014
KEURBOS AND HEUNINGBOS HUTS

The planning of this hike started when John and I were on the Alexandria trail and we spoke about his hike that he had done with his confirmation group.
We approached Justin Wools who was Bradleys Leader and he agreed to arrange the hike.

We made the booking and obtained commitment from both the boys and the dads who would be coming with us.
On the hike:
Justin
John and Bradley Nelson
Keith and Steven Vosloo
Kevin and Jordan McMaan
Rob and Jason Ermes
Gary, Joshua and Matthew Strydom
Kei Hodgkinson
Malusi
Jonathan Cherrington
and myself
Graham Richards was booked to come on the hike but had to pull out at the last minute due to work pressures.

Friday 3rd October 2014
We had obtained permission from the school for the boys to be off for the morning. It was the last day of term. The dads had arranged a day off from work.

I had been for my morning beach run and John had also run this morning (16k) with his group.

I dropped Ally off at school -- she had one more exam to write -- Maths which I later heard was a really tough test which she was not able to finish.
I then collected John and Brad and we all met at the church and left at about 9.30.
We had a collective stop at the Storms river shops where a last bit of snacks and provisions were bought.
From there we drove to the Forest station near to Coldstream on the old N2 which takes you to the Blaukrans Pass which has been closed for many years.

Rob did the signing in while Keith and I took my car to Standers Transport depot. I had met Riaan Stander earlier in the week and asked him if we could park a car there while hiking and he was quite happy with the arrangement.

Back at the forest station we were able to start our walk at around 12.30. today's walk would be entirely on a forest road. After about an hour we reached the Lottering River where we had our first swim and a bit of a snack. I did not know it but Rob was already suffering with blisters on both feet. From this point it is 7k to the hut. The following 5k was uphill. A long and slow grind to the top with many "false tops" to the walk. I had dropped my cup at one of the stops up the hill.

At the top of the hill Rob took his boots off and put some elastoplast over the blisters which he would leave there for the rest of the hike. We made our way slowly down to the Keurbos Hut where the rest of the group were waiting. We allocated ourselves bunk beds and unpacked the essentials.
Matthew had brought some throwing knives and the boys tried their hand at stabbing trees. One of the knives was lost in the long grass never to be recovered.

Jason and a group of boys pulled out some playing cards while the rest of us started a fire and began to prepare supper.
There were a variety of menus as prepared variously by the men, the boys and the women of the house. For myself I had brought the same menu for the two nights: some Filet steak; Onions; A vegetable pack in tin foil and a precooked potato. This all went onto the fire and made a simply delicious supper. I had two beers for each evening and so by 8pm I could hardly keep my eyes open and fell asleep the instant my head hit the pillow.

Saturday morning 4.10.2014
It was a beautiful morning with the sun coming up over the mountains just in time to warm us up as we prepared a fire and coffee. I had brought two packets of instant oats; some fruit; coffee and a few crunchies for each morning breakfast. After this filling morning meal I was ready to take on the 14k of trail ahead. Rob and I brought up the rear of the group.

Today the First section is down to the stream and then up to the far side of this magnificent valley. We were able to look back and enjoy the splendor of this country. We could see where the Baboons were taking advantage of the Protea. I understand that they strip the flower to find the bugs and beetles which feed on the nectar of the flower and it is this that they enjoy. We also see that they enjoy the Nuts found in the Pine cones.

Once over the first neck and into the second valley there is a long and arduous descent to the river where the rest of the group were waiting for us. Rob was battling with the Blisters and in a lot of pain. After a short break we pressed on along the river bed. Jason joined us for the second half of the day's walk. From the river stop we crossed the bridge and then climbed up and into the forest area. This led to the jeep track where we turned right and then immediately left back into the Heuningbos forest.

From the river stop it had been reasonably easy going but once we started to follow the river bed in the indigenous forest we found the going really difficult. The trail has not been well maintained and there are many short sharp ascents and descents. Later talking to the rest of the group we found that we were not the only ones who had battled over this section. Rob and I were drenched in sweat in the windless jungle like forest.

Finally the trail took us to the neck of the mountains and from here we could see the Heuningbos huts. But it would still be a long pull to the huts. We could see that the rest of the group were already unpacked and enjoying the rest. We still had a steep and long down hill to negotiate before reaching the stream and then still had two more ups and downs to climb before finally reaching the huts at about 4pm that afternoon.

For us it had been a long hike and we were grateful to be able to shower and recover some of our good humour.

After a bit of a rest we put the fire on for afternoon tea. The boys pulled out the cards and played games of Sevens and of "Bull". Sevens is a game where all the cards are dealt. The player with the 7of diamonds starts. One card at a time is played face up and you must play or pass. You may only play the higher or lower of the series or if you have a seven you can play that card which opens the next suite. The idea is to rid yourself of the last card.

Bull is played with the card face down. You announce the card you are playing and the person after you has to play the upper card; the lower card or the same card. For example-- I play a 10 then the next player must play Jack; Nine or 10. He announces the card he has played (Jokers are in the deck and are wild cards). You may also play 2 or more of the same card so if there are two Jokers it is possible for you to play 6 of a number. As the cards are played face down you are not sure if the player is being honest. If you think that he is playing an "illegal" card you can call the word "Bull" at which time you check the validity of his call. If the call was valid then the accuser takes the pack. If the call was invalid then the player takes the pack. The object of this game is to clear your hand.

Our braai was again most successful that evening. The temperature drops as soon as the sun sets so jackets and warm clothing is essential. Kevin dishes out his excess tins of beans and relish. John hands out chocolate to the group of boys. Keith and Steven have a meal of Meat, meat and little else.

It is not that easy to sleep with sore muscles, a makeshift pillow, a narrow bunk bed and a noisy room. But we manage to have sufficient sleep to wake up; make our breakfast and pack up for the walk back to where we have parked the cars. This morning is an easy walk of about 6km and just over an hour along a forest road. I enjoy a chat with Steven who has his career planned out as an Gunsmith. He tells me that he is a "crack shot" with a rifle and a pellet gun. He plans to train as a Gunsmith in the US and in the long term open his own business.

We are all happy to have enjoyed a few days out with good company; magnificent weather; amazing mountain climbs and scrumptious meals. After a short stop at the Storms River Village we all head off home to wash the clothes and bags of the smokey smells and ourselves of the accumulated sweat and grime of the trail.

BOYS PREPARED AND SET FOR THE FINAL STRETCH

THIS WAS A WONDERFUL GROUP OF BOYS WHO BANTERED AND TEASED BUT EACH HAD THEIR OWN DIGNITY AND RESPECT

JUSTIN' BRADLEY; MATTHEW; JORDAN AND KEVIN AROUND THE FIRE

JASON READY WITH TONGS WHILE MALUSI WARMS HIS HANDS AS A MATTER OF HABIT

KEVIN LEADS THE GROUP FROM HEUNINGBOS WITH THE MAGNIFICENT MOUNTAIN RANGE IN THE BACKGROUND.

MY GRANDSON; BLAKE SILBERSTEIN, IN CAPE TOWN IS STARTING TO TRAIN FOR HIKING

JOHN IS DEEP IN THOUGHT AS HE DECIDES TO \\\\\\\BULL OR NOT TO BULL

ROB CROSSING THE LOTTERING RIVER ON DAY TWO. ROB HAD SOME SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH BLISTERS AND EACH STEP WAS PAIN

KEURBOS HUT

LOTTERING RIVER STOP NUMBER ONE. EVERYONE WAS, AT THIS STAGE, HAPPY TO SWIM AND RELAX.

JOHN WEARS THE HOGSBACK T-SHIRT. HE AND I WILL TAKE PART IN THIS EVENT AGAIN THIS YEAR EXCEPT THAT \I WILL TAKE THE SHORTER OPTION

A BEAUTIFUL STOPPING AREA AND WAS GIVEN THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME BEFORE THE VERY LONG CLIMB OF ABOUT 6KM ON THE FOREST ROAD LEADING TO KEURBOS HUT.

HEUNING BOS HUT BOMA. PETER RELAXING BEFORE THE FINAL SHORT WALK OUT OF THE HIKE

THIS HAS BEEN A GREAT HIKE WITH SOME REALLY FUN PEOPLE. WE ARE ABOUT TO START WALKING BACK TO THE N2 WHERE WE WILL COLLECT OUR CARS

EARLY MORNING BEFORE STARTING THE MORNING HIKE

OUR EVENINGS WERE SPENT IN THE BRAAI LAPA

THE HEUNINGBOS HUT OVERLOOKING THE VALLEY AND A TRIBUTARY OF THE LOTTERING RIVER. THE HUT CONSISTS OF TWO ROOMS WITH TRIPLE BUNKS. EACH ROOM SLEEPING A POSSIBLE 18 BODIES. FORTUNATELY WE WERE NOT OVER CROWDED AND HAD PLACE FOR OUR BEDS AND KIT