MAITLANDS FOREST WALK -- MAITLANDS RIVER MOUTH -- PORT ELIZABETH -- SEPTEMBER 2016

Peter Giddy is a qualified Tour Guide.  Should you be interested in a guided tour around Port Elizabeth;  Addo Elephant National Park; Wildlife reserves; Garden Route to Cape Town; R62 to Oudtshoorn and the Cango Caves; Tsitsikamma reserve.  OR if you would like to hike or walk the trails of the City -- Coastal, Forest, Mountain -- Contact Peter at peter.giddy@gmail.com


MAITLANDS FOREST WALK -- MAITLANDS RIVER MOUTH -- PORT ELIZABETH

LOOKING DOWN TOWARDS THE MAITLANDS DUNES.
Wednesday Hiking Group -- Wednesday 21st September 2016

This walk is open to the public and available to everyone.
It is best done with an experienced guide or person who has been on this walk at least once or twice on previous occasions.

The hike begins on the Maitlands River Mouth road which leads from the Draaifontein road or the Three Sisters Road which starts at the Cows Corner intersection.
It can also be approached from Seaview and along the coast line.

This morning we are 27 walkers:
Dave X 3; Robin X2; Val X 2;  Chandre with Elsa, Vanessa, Sheena and Di; Pat; Paul; Marjorie; John; Margaret; Keiko; Flo with Micaela & Charne; Brian; Debbie; Helena; Jenny and Julia; Peter.

Micaela and Charne are Students who are with us as a result of protest action at the University.
Vanessa Langner is an old friend of ours -- we were in a Christian Cell group together many years ago. She had been invited to the group by Chandre.

We start the walk at 8.30am.  There is an immediate climb of a few hundred meters. When a walk starts with a climb it is best to take it slowly as you have not yet established a rhythm and your breathing may be laboured. Those who have jackets have to stop after just a few meters to take off layers.
We regroup at the top of the hill and here we turn left off the jeep track and into the forest where it is single track.  Here we walk in single file for most of the rest of the hike.
Hikers love to talk. This morning I find Debbie, Paul, Brian, Dave and others are around my pace. I have had some issues with muscular pains in my legs. I took some anti inflammatory on the previous day so the pain is lessened.  But I must tread carefully over the stepped trail.

Debbie is a botanist and Paul is particularly knowledgeable regarding the flora on the trail. We find some Buchu which I take and try to replant when I get home. I am actually not at all hopeful as I don't have green fingers.

 I WILL HAVE TO TRY TO IDENTIFY THIS UNUSUAL LOOKING PLANT

 SNACK BREAK.  AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE HIKE -- GIVES EVERYONE AN OPPORTUNITY TO REGROUP AND RE ENERGISE.

A FUN GROUP OF PEOPLE ENJOYING THE OUTDOORS AND A BIT OF EXERCISE

So we proceed in an Easterly direction and at one stage look across the valley to the Lady's Slipper. We know that there is an abandoned Silver mine in this area but I have never been there and would need to be guided there.
Shortly thereafter we see the Maitlands Dunes below us. Here we spot a Bushbuck running along the river bed below.
There is a great deal of chat amoungst us regarding all the plant life we see on the pathway.  Debbie picks up some bits and pieces to try to promulgate them at home. We realise that we have fallen behind the main group and I know that Robin likes to keep moving; particularly on a longer hike like this one as he must get back in time for his bridge appointment after lunch.

So we press on and are soon regrouping with the rest of the walkers for a snack break. Every one loves this short break -- a time to go to the toilet for some and a time to connect with friends for others.  While on the trail you tend to chat to those around you and may never even greet someone who is either in the front or the back of the group.
Personally I tend to bring up the rear -- I wear something bright so that Robin can see me and knows when the last of the walkers has reached the main group.

EVERYONE LOVES A STOP TO ENJOY VIEWS.
After the snack break there is quite a bit of deep forest walking. Lots of overhead branches and many of the hikers bump their heads on overhanging trees. I find the walking over roots and steps to be a little tough today. But this is due to my knee and leg injuries. There is still quite a way to go even when we look down below to where our cars should be parked.  I know that we are not nearly at the end of our hike.
After the snack break there is still a bit of ups and downs to work on. But eventually we reach the clearing which I know is now near to the end of our hike.

 DEBBIE ENJOYS THE VIEWS ACROSS THE VALLEY

 EVERLASTINGS IN FLOWER AT THIS TIME OF YEAR.

AS WE APPROACH THIS CLEARING WE NOW KNOW THAT THE END OF THE TRAIL IS CLOSE.
This hike is not the easiest but is definitely scenic and interesting with a huge variety of flowers to enjoy, especially at this time of year. Also there are plenty of views -- which always means that there is a bit of climbing to be done.

After the hike Robin, Dave and I make our way home (to a welcome cup of tea and a Chelsea bun for me)

 DONT MISS THE "SWITCHBACK" ON THE TRAIL. HERE ROBIN, JULIA AND JENNY WATCH AS WE FOLLOW FROM BEHIND

THE GROUP IN THE FOREST.

YVONNE ENA GIDDY -- BORN 29 JUNE 1916 DUMFRIES; SCOTLAND; DIED SUNDAY 14TH AUGUST 2016 PLETTENBERG BAY; SOUTH AFRICA

YVONNE ENA GIDDY -- BORN 29 JUNE 1916 DUMFRIES; SCOTLAND;   DIED SUNDAY 14TH AUGUST 2016 PLETTENBERG BAY; SOUTH AFRICA


ANNE THOMAS WRITES AS FOLLOWS:

Ena Giddy, a feisty and courageous woman died on the 14th August 2016 having reached her centuary. Whatever I write cannot convey her  vibrant personality. I would have loved to have known her as a younger woman. She must have been quite a bombshell. She was small and petite with beautiful eyes. These she enhanced with mascara and eyeliner well into her last days.

 

Ena was a well recognised figure running around town always searching for the best buy. She could make a penny go further than any one I have ever known.

 

Nearly blind Ena Giddy, well into her 90's would walk from Hill House down to Market Square and  then hitch a ride home with her heavy parcels. These antics caused consternation  from the public and often I would be asked "where are her children? How can any one let an old lady like this live on her own?"   However they did not know Ena Giddy. Ena truly lived and died on her terms. She did not wish to have help nor did she like FGV  where she could be cared for. She definitely did not wish to live with her children. Few people who came to serve, pleased her, except for Violet who arrived in the very last years of her life. How we all blessed Violet, Violetta van Heerden to be correct. She truly was "Heaven Sent" and an "Angel" from God.

 

Ena's family and friends could get frustrated and cross with her, but we loved and respected her for her uncomplaining tenacity in the face of  many adversities .In her later years she really did have a tough time. She grieved deeply over the death of her eldest son and then the murder of a a grandson who was at UCT in the prime of his life and then the death of another grandson to Cancer.

 

 She progressively lost her sight and hearing. Eventually being almost totally blind. This handicap curtailed many activities which she had enjoyed like reading  and playing bridge. But......... she could still cook and entertain and this she loved to do  -organising parties small and large - right up until she died. The last being her 100th Birthday parties that she organised with dear Violetta. She did not wish to have one grand affair at a lovely restaurant as her brother had done for his 100th. Hers were  to be intimate, simple, home cooked curry and rice meals in familiar surroundings with those people she loved.

 

She was a survivor of note. As a teenager she broke her ankle while skiing which was inadequately set. This  caused her discomfort all her life.

 

She had cancer and survived those horrible radium needles, treatment used at the time. She supported the Cancer Association by having Bridge drives in her home. The prizes always being bottles of Marmalade!

 

 After her husband died, while packing up and moving homes she fell and broke her neck. She was in her 80's. The doctors felt she was too old to lie in bed for 6 months so they fitted her with a metal harness from her neck to her thighs. The metal dug into flesh her and caused septic sores, but she never complained. She just continued to pack and unpack.

 

 She broke both hips at different times once lying on the floor the whole night.

 

She broke her arm while we were on her sons farm but she continued to make marmalade and wash dishes with the good arm. Well there was a whole tree of oranges outside the kitchen needing to be turned int marmalade!

 

She had Pneumonia and needed oxygen up until the end but she still marvelled at the beauty of the day and would sit on her balcony saying how  blessed she was to be in Plettenberg Bay and what a glorious winter we were having.

 

 Ena, was born of Scottish and French parentage in Dumfries Scotland  on the 29th June, 1916 in the middle of WW1 and  in the middle of summer. She  died  on the 14th August 2016 one hundred years later in the middle of winter in sunny Plettenberg Bay. How did she come to be here?  Well, Ena had a brother  Ian Spence, only 18 months older than she was. They were very good friends all their lives - so it was no surprise that she and her mother followed him when he brought his expertise to the mining industry shortly before the beginning of the second World War.

 

The Spences  embraced SA as theirs from the beginning and then Ena consolidated this  when she married Allan Giddy an accountant from the Eastern Cape. They had three sons, Ian, Patrick and Peter. They lived in Fish Hoek, Johannesburg,  Port Elizabeth, and finally Allan and Ena retired to Plettenberg Bay in about 1980. The Giddy family had had many a happy holiday previously and so fitted into their new environment quickly and painlessly.

 

 I doubt that I would have attempted to walk the Camino had I not seen Ena and Allan with rock filled  packs on their backs striding down Robberg Beach training to hike in the Wye Valley in Wales. If they could walk with back packs so could I.

 

Beach, Books, Bowls and Bridge took up a lot of her time in those early days, but cooking and caring  were very important too. Her home and family were always a priority. With no servants she stocked her pantry with bottles and bottles of preserves and jams. At least 6 bags of oranges were turned into marmalade each July and come October/ November Apricots would become Chutney and Jam. Any little service to Ena  was rewarded with a packet of home made rusks or a jar of marmalade. One really feels that Ena oversaw the cooking of this years Marmalade because Violet finished bottling the last of the 6 bags of oranges on Friday and she died on the Sunday after Violet arrived and had given her breakfast. Her two surviving sons Peter and Patrick, their wives and four grand children kept vigil those last few days and Ena on a blessed Sunday morning left this world for the one to come.

 

Ena started her life by being baptised in both the Catholic and Protestant Faith ( Her mother was French Catholic and her father Scottish Protestant) and died in a similar manner. Good Doctor Nel and Violetta prayed with her in her last days (this I think would have pleased her father) and Patrick arranged for Father from the Catholic Church to give her the last rites. Ena's memorial service was conducted by the Rev. Yvonne Smith in the Anglican Church. Father was present at the service (this I think would have pleased her mother).

 

Dear, delightful, funny, exasperating, frustrating Ena, may your good soul rest in peace and rise in glory.

 

 

 

 

 

SEPTEMBER 2016 -- CATHY MOVES TO THEIR OWN HOUSE; WEDNESDAY WALKS; TOURS AND GUIDING;

Peter Giddy Guided Tours offers you a variety of active and vehicle tours from the Beautiful Cape Peninsular; the Garden Route and Tsitsikamma to the spectacular Wild Life reserves of Port Elizabeth. Addo; Kragga Kamma; Schotia
peter.giddy@gmail.com


SEPTEMBER 2016
Wednesday Hikes
Various Tours
Nippers season starts
Injury stops me from running. doing a bit of cycling.

SACRAMENTO TRAIL -- THURSDAY HIKING GROUP -- 2 - 3 HOUR EASY WALKING.

WEDNESDAY HIKING GROUP -- CANON AND FYNBOS TRAIL AT SCHOENMAKERSKOP

Great Are You Lord"
You give life, You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope, You restore
Every heart that is broken
Great are you Lord.

It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
To You only

 

All the earth will shout
Your praise
Our hearts will cry
These bones will sing
Great are You, Lord


 It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It's Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
To You only

CLARENDON BOYS -- DANIEL AND JOSHUA -- GRADE 5 & 6.  SCHOOL UNIFORM AND SPORTS CLOTHING. JOSH HAD AN OUTING TO A WIND TURBINE FARM TODAY.

Spring day. 
I am not feeling that well and definitely not a spring in my step.  Meeting with Craig and then Tourism Month Meeting at the Tramways building.

Maura and Sean (Mary and John) from Ireland with Ongezwa at Human Dignity Centre

My group on Saturday Addo Tour... Henrick; Shanar; Manuel; Mathias; Greetje.
Start the month with a few tours -- Township and Addo.
Nippers season opens with a bang --- over 100 Nippers join in for fun and a bit of practice getting used to the beach.

 TODAY WE HAD GOOD ELEPHANT SIGHTINGS. ALSO TWO SIGHTINGS OF LIONS AND BUFFALO PLUS LOTS OF KUDU ETC.

SEBASTIAN AND JONAS AT MAIN CAMP. ELEPHANT IN THE BACKGROUND.
Monday 5th. I have an Addo Tour with Jonas and Sebastian from Germany.

 BARBARA WORKS WITH TWO STRAY BIRDS -- FEEDING TIME

CYNTHIA AND DONALD ON A TOWNSHIP TOUR. .

SCHOENMAKERS KOP -- BEHIND THE HOUSES IS RETHA'S TRAIL.
Tuesday I have a Township Tour with Donald and Cynthia from New Zealand.
Wednesday -- Schoenmakerskop / fynbos trail hike. 

SACRAMENTO TRAIL WITH SAARP -- 51 WALKERS.  14 TOOK THE LONGER ROUTE AND THE REST OPTED FOR A SHORT WALK WITH NO HILLS. HERE ARE SOME OF THE SHORT WALKERS ON THE BEACH BELOW US. MEANWHILE THE SARDINIA BAY CLUBHOUSE IS BEING DEMOLISHED AS IT IS RUSTING AND CRUMBLING.

TOP SECTION OF THE SACRAMENTO TRAIL

HYOBANCHE ROBUSTA

LEAVING THE PICNIC SPOT WITH ALAN IN LEAD.

 DROSANTHEMUM

 HEATH-LEAF STRAWFLOWER

RANKMAGRIET

MOTSHABI & THABANGA -- CITY TOUR
Thursday -- Sacramento hike with SAARP then City and then Township Tour

Friday -- Full day Addo Tour with Maxime and Marie.
Saturday -- No running.  I have had such pain the past week in my knee that I was unable to walk or run.  Barbara tries Ally's knee guard and it seems to work immediately. 
Sunday 11th; morning -- Nippers with over 100 Nippers on the beach.
Monday -- Bank; Dole; Rubbish

CARLOS AND DENISE (FROM BRAZIL) AT DOMKRAG -- FROM THERE WE WENT TO KRAGGA KAMMA TO END OFF A GREAT SAFARI
Tuesday 13th.  Full day tour -- Addo and then Kragga Kamma.
Wednesday -- Township tour with Anna and Theresa -- students at NMMU -- they loved HDC and will apply to volunteer here in preference to Maranatha.

CHRIS AND STEFF CYCLING -- RECIFE AND BACK -- MY FIRST CYCLE IN AGES AS I AM BATTLING WITH SORE KNEES AND LEGS. TODAY WAS FINE.

 SCOTT WAS OUR GUIDE IN SCHOTIA THIS EVENING

 MY GUESTS -- CAROLINE AND ILIJA

 SCOTT LIKES TO TAKE THE GUESTS WALKABOUT. HERE WE WERE LOOKING FOR THE GIRAFFE WITH THE OPEN VEHICLE IN THE BACKGROUND. IT WAS A CHILLY EVENING AND EVERYONE WAS USING THEIR PONCHO'S.

SCHOTIA HAS THREE LIONS: MALE, FEMALE AND THEIR SON. HERE IS THE MALE OF THE SMALL PRIDE WITH HIS KILL OF A WATERBUCK.

Saturday -- Schotia tour with Ilija and Caroline. Scott Rollo is our guide.
Sunday -- Township Tour with Lisanne; Imi and Malena. Nippers.

A GREAT AFTERNOON TOWNSHIP TOUR. THIS IS AT KWAMAGAXI WITH THE TOWNSHIP SWEEPING BELOW.
Monday -- Car in for service. Township tour with Louisa. Vicky and Leanna join us for the Walmer Township section of the tour. It is Leanna's 21 birthday. She is staying at the Summerstrand Hotel while studying Psychology at NMMU.

 ISHMAEL AND CHANA AT ST GEORGES CRICKET GROUNDS -- CITY TOUR.

RABI AND USCHI -- TOWNSHIP TOUR OVER LOOKING THE SPREAD OF HOMES BELOW
Tuesday -- City and Township tours.
Some family matters.

 JACQUI IS NOW AN ISRAELI CITIZEN -- WHOOOO HOOO.

 SOLDIERS SEARCHING (NOT SURE WHAT FOR) IN THE VALLEY BELOW JACQUI

SPOT NICKY -- A HOLIDAY CAMP PHOTO -- CHURCH GROUP PROBABLY ABOUT 20 OR MORE YEARS AGO.

Wednesday hiking group -- Maitlands forest walk

 DEBBIE ENJOYS VIEWS ACROSS THE VALLEY

 EVERLASTINGS ON THE TRAIL TODAY

 THE TRAIL EMERGES INTO A BIT OF A CLEARING JUST BEFORE THE END

 ROBIN; JULIA AND JENNY AT THE SWITCHBACK

THE TRAIL BECOMES QUITE TRICKY AFTER THE BREAK.

The Maitlands forest walk is not the easiest of the Wednesday walks. But it is certainly worthwhile with amazing views and some stunning plant life to be seen on the trail. Today we saw a bushbuck in the valley below next to the dunes.
Thursday 22nd.  This is my first run in over three weeks.  The pain in my legs and knee has been too much for me to walk let alone run. So this morning I was happy to be able to be out. Anti Inflammatory helped.
Friday morning -- Adrienne has this walking group with Gay; Angela; Almarie; Michelle and Liesl. So I join them. But I must jog otherwise I will not be able to keep up and I will get chin Splints. Just 5k but a great morning.

OUR GROUP -- FRANCISCO - BICYCLE MECHANIC (COLOMBIA); RACHEL CONFLICT RESOLUTION RESEARCHER (CANADA); KIRSTIN PEADIATRIC NURSE AND FLO - SURGEON (GERMANY). WHAT AN AMAZING COMBINATION OF PEOPLE.

I have a full day Addo Tour with Francisco; Rachel; Flo and Kirstin.  A great tour with amazing sightings of Elephant.

COFFEE AND HOT CHOC AT JACKS WITH KATHERINE; THYS; TINA AND BASTIEN.
Saturday.. another successful day.  Lions; Elephant; Buffalo; Jackal; Bush Buck and another unidentified buck in Mbala Loop.

 GOLF COURSE CYCLE TRACK THIS MORNING

TOWNSHIP TOUR WITH YANA; PHYLLIS; WIPKE; KIARA & LIZANNE.
Sunday --  Golf Course cycle in the morning and Township tour for 5 in the afternoon.

MORNING CYCLE AROUND THE GOLF COURSE.
Monday.  I am starting to enjoy the Golf Course Cycles.  At this stage I do twice around which is probably about 10k. Afternoon cycle with Chris and Alwyn.

No running or cycling this week.  Just rest -- trying to get my knees and legs back into condition.

 MONDAY CYCLE WITH CHRIS AND ALWYN

 ALWYN AND I AT RECIFE

 JOSHUA ON HIS WAY TO HIS KIRKWOOD CAMP OUT. HE REPORTS BACK LATER THAT THERE WERE SOME REALLY TOUGH ACTIVITIES -- OVERALL HE LOVED IT.

 IRENE AND DAVID -- CANADA... ADDO TOUR.

 BEST EVER SIGHTINGS TODAY

 CROSSING THE ROAD IN FRONT OF THE CAR

 SAME ANIMAL -- JUST DIFFERENT LIGHTING

 ANJA AND ROWLAND AT THE START OF OUR ADDO TOUR. HE IS HERE FOR AN INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON TROPICAL DISEASES.

 UP CLOSE WITH AN ADDO ELEPHANT

ALEX; LEONI AND LUKA AT DOMKRAG DURING THE ADDO TOUR TODAY
Three Addo tours this week.

 JACQUI AT A VARIETY CONCERT

 CAMPSIDE FIRE IN RIEBEEK KASTEEL

 

DANIEL CLASS ON A BUSH CAMP OUTING
Joshua and Daniel are both on overnight outings with the school this week. 

 JOSHUA -- CLASS CAMP OUT IN KIRKWOOD

 EMILY HAS GLASSES... AFTER YEARS OF BATTLING WITH READING

 MIA HAS A RECITAL AT THE KULTUURAAND IN RIEBEEK KASTEEL

MIA -- MY LITTLE HEN.... AND SHE GAVE A BEAUTIFUL RECITAL.