The Hiking Hag

My hiking buddy for the day was Cinnamon - a work colleague I hadn’t hiked with in a while. Which felt right, because this hike had also been living on " the list"  for ages. Google had refused to explain it properly. Was it a trail, a mystical land, or a figment of imagination? Unclear. So I did what I do best. Saved, edited and second-guessed. But luckily, never deleted. It lived under my personal sub-heading of "Cullinan", which I absolutely love. Small town. Character. Fr

“ Too Old to Hike?” Said Absolutely No Hiker Ever When I first started hiking, I was certain I’d single-handedly raise the average age on every trail. I thought I was truly, an inspiration. A trailblazer. A brave, aging icon marching heroically among the youths, graciously elevating the demographic curve with my mere presence. And honestly? Part of the reason I started documenting my hikes - so people my age could witness this "miracle" in real time, and realise that if I  co

Recently, I shared links to my Discord channel and my website so people could search my hikes  instead of scrolling endlessly through the digital abyss. I am kind like that. Yes, yes. Not all heroes wear capes. Some of us make a few clickable links and then quietly bask in our own brilliance. The feedback was warm. Fuzzy. Affirming. I felt organised. I felt capable. I briefly considered buying linen pants. The Confusing Part Now let me proceed with the confusing part - before

Before we even get to the trail, I need to clarify something. My chaos is not a storytelling device If you think I exaggerate for dramatic effect, I assure you my real life is significantly more confusing than anything I could ever make up. This is well… me. A Sensible Plan (Immediately Undermined) On that note… a few weeks ago, Carol and I saved a date for Kloofendal so she could scout it as a possible future trail for her group hikes. Despite the fact that I was convinced I

This hike was led by none other than Esti from Saunterers. For context, we attempted this hike late last year, but the weather rained us straight back to our cars. When Esti said, “We’ll reschedule,”  I assumed that meant sometime in the vague future. Possibly 2027. Or never. But if you know Esti, you’ll know she does not believe in “eventually.” Yes it was rescheduled. Yes it was soon. And yes, I hang my head in shame for doubting her. What to Expect on an Esti-Organised Hik

I’ve always been THAT person. You know, the one who doesn’t blindly inhale opinions and instead makes up my own mind. Naturally, this has earned me ridicule. Consistently. But here we are. That said, it’s becoming increasingly hard to tell the difference between an actual threat and premium, fear-mongering hysteria. So, after my last post (the one about Segwati Safari Quad Bike Trails), I did the unthinkable.… I Googled to get more on these elusive zama zamas. I know. Growth.