June 2020. Peter Giddy Guided Tours. Hiking the Lady Slipper. An adventure enjoyed by everyone.

June 2020.   Peter Giddy Guided Tours.   Hiking the Lady Slipper.

 Views from the top of the Lady Slipper Mountian.

Carin; Alethia and Bennie relaxing in the wind.

Peter is a qualified Tourist Guide and takes great delight in leading small groups on trails such as this one.  Today walkers would have needed a fair amount of fitness. Carol was on her first hike ever and yet was able to walk well until the very last section leading to the peak of the mountain where the uneven rocky trail combined with an uphill section caused her some difficulty.

Contact Peter to be part of this or one of the many hiking opportunities in and around Port Elizabeth and the Tsitsikamma area.  Peter will arrange a walk to suite you and your group.
Options  include easy trails suitable for all ages and levels of fitness.

• Forest and Nature walks
• Mountain and Valley trails
• Coastal walks 
• Historical and City walks
• Beach trails

peter.giddy@gmail.com
0027 82 550 3174

 Wednesday 10th June 2020.   I take a group of 15 people for a hike up the Lady Slipper Mountain which is 45 minutes drive from Port Elizabeth.   We take the North (Rocklands) route.   The hike starts off with a two km climb up a tar access road for the people who have to work on the Radio and communication towers situated on the top of this mountain.  It seems that it is also called the v Stadens Mountain.
The skies were clear; not too hot on the climb.  Later in the morning the wind started to blow.  At one stage the wind was gusting so strongly that we were being blown off our balance.   My opinion was that the wind was not at all a Nasty Wind.  It added to the adventure. 

 

This reads:  SA Natural Heritage Programme.  Van Stadensberg 211  1994.  To get here you take the Culturama turn off from the Rocklands Road. 

On the way up we see some lovely everlastings

I am at the back of the group and the leading walkers stop here thinking that this is the peak.  

Our walking group of 15

In front is Julia in Red and Jenny Barwood.  Behind in blue is their friend Lynette. These three came with me. 

A clear view of the peak. 

I am at the back with Trevor at this stage.   He loves taking pics.  In the background you can see the heel of the Lady Slipper. 

Loving the outing. 

On the road back down we see there which I think are Strawberry Protea.  Should be Button Sewejartjie. 

Button Sewejaartjie. 

Trevor taking pics and sitting next to him is Elsa. 

Van Stadens Sceptre. 

The van Stadens Sceptre has thin leaves on the lower part and larger leaves towards the top. 

Views across looking in a South West direction.  We see the Windfarm -- Nine turbines -- I once ran a trail run event at this windfarm. 

Following a successful first attempt at taking a group of walkers on the v Stadens Trail, today I took a group of 15 on the Lady Slipper Trail.  With me today -- Jenny Barwood and her two friends Julia (Anne Thomas's niece; Julia's Mother, Margaret, was on the Flower Tour with me in 2019) and Lynette.  Following the v Stadens walk, Shan joined again with her Daughter in law, Pippa, with her friends Ingrid and Carol Gerber who walked her first hike ever. Neale and Chad Emslie; And then from our Thursday hiking group we had Bennie and his friend Elsa; Alethia and sister Carin with Trevor.
We began the morning at 8.30 meeting up for the convoy drive out to the mountain.  We started walking at about 9.30 and were back at the cars by 12.30.   Walkers should allow for the whole morning for this outing.