Bekker Trail - A Muddy Adventure

This was a trail with a personality—mostly charming, slightly mischievous, and the MUDDIEST trail I’ve ever done… and IT WAS AWESOME!

Cinnamon, my work colleague, and I joined a group at Bekker Trails. Pepper (my son) and I had done this trail before, in winter, and I had always wanted to see it in summer—fond memories and all that.

Winter trails are crisp, pristine, and magical. Summer? Summer is where the trail shows its true, unfiltered self. And let’s just say, Bekker Trails in summer is one sassy, mud-slinging diva.

It was a big group—the largest I’d ever hiked with. But our fearless leaders, "L squared" (who I’d hiked with a few times before), as always, had things so under control they wrapped this whole hike up like a perfectly packed trail snack.

Honestly, I might as well have never been on this trail before. Besides some vague déjà vu, we took a completely different route. Or, to be more accurate, they took the correct route. Pepper and I? Well… let’s just say we took the scenic route last time.

The first part of the hike? Exactly as I recall - Pure enchantment. A tree-lined valley—cool, quiet, and wrapped in a canopy of towering trees and twisting vines. It felt like stepping into a secret world, the kind of place that makes you want to whisper, lest you offend the woodland spirits.

This section was deceivingly normal. A little dirt here, a slight squish there. But then, oh boy, then came the mud. Every step was a gamble—would I sink ankle-deep or knee-deep? Would I emerge with both shoes? Would Cinnamon decide to fully embrace her inner swamp monster? Yes to all of the above, but it is what took it from a 5 star to a 6 star hike for me.

Well… I say this. Maybe not the part where I confidently waded straight through a deep mud pit, only to realize—mid-sink—that everyone else had wisely walked around it. No matter. One of the L’s, ever the gracious trail hero, casually handed me her stick while I attempted to reclaim my dignity and escape what I was pretty sure was quicksand.

Then there was my spectacularly unintentional graceful bum slide into the softest, squishiest mud imaginable. Were there ropes available to hold onto? Yes. Did I still manage to land squarely on my butt? You bet. And honestly, it was fantastic.

Because it was a big group, we had a few deputy leaders, and we organically splintered into smaller hiking squads here and there. But you can bet your muddy ass that every little group had each other’s backs. We even had a couple of hiking dogs join us—who, I must admit, were at all times better behaved than me… and almost as adorable.

Just as I was mentally composing my blog, noting how this trail didn’t have any serious inclines, the other L gleefully announced an incline. Oh, fantastic. This was the part Pepper and I had blissfully skipped last time. When it hit, it got the legs burning, lungs protesting and dignity crumbling. But after dying a couple of times, we made it… like absolute bosses. Crawling counts as making it, right?

Despite the chaos, it was fantastic. There’s something weirdly exhilarating about surrendering to the mess—embracing the dirt, the struggle, the ridiculousness of it all.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Bekker Trails, you muddy, mischievous masterpiece—you win this round.

RATING

AREA – Magaliesburg

COST – R50

TIME 

4.5 hours. (Look, it was a big group, there was mud, and we were living our best lives—don’t judge.)

LENGTH 

3 to 15 km, we chose 8 km

DIFFICULTY 

With mud = technical. Without it? Moderate..

ELEVATION –

Not sure, but felt high at times (emotionally and physically).

MARKERS – Yes… ish.

HIGHLIGHTS:

Lush, overgrown forests that made me feel like I was a daring explorer hacking through the Amazon, minus the machete and imminent threat of getting lost forever. Plus, some mountain scenery thrown in for good measure

ABLUTIONS – Yes.

SAFE, FREE PARKING

AMENITIES – There’s a farm stall.

NOTE TO SELF:

When you can walk around the mud rather than through it… maybe do that.

ON A FINAL NOTE:

L squared, you nailed it, as always. You've got your eyes on every future adventurer in the making, making sure we are absolutely ready for whatever else nature throws our way.

(TO)SOLO OR (NO)SOLO?

Definitely NOSOLO.