Blyde River Canyon - Suggestions Please!

Well hello there! For those who don’t know me, I’m the new old hag in town—new to hiking but seasoned in life!

My mission? To provide a public service to all the other old hags and new hikers out there. I’m here to give you the lowdown on how hard hard is... you know, for us geriatrics. How hard "hard" is, how easy "easy" is and how exhilarating my weekly trails are.

Yes, I will test the trails for you lot. It's a pleasure! No frills, no bows, just the raw, unvarnished truth... even if it is a tad snarky at times.

And for the rest I am here to remind you how fortunate you are to be young or seasoned hikers.

In a few weeks, my son, Salt, and I are heading to Blyde River Canyon for a week of hiking. As part of my obsessive research on where our next hike will take us, I usually end up creating spreadsheets... and then more spreadsheets to manage my spreadsheets... until it’s death by spreadsheets!

Seriously, if I see one more cell of data, I might just hike myself off a cliff.

I’ve delved into the depths of Blyde River Canyon research over the past few weeks, and now I’m drowning in data. I’ve got spreadsheets so detailed that NASA would be jealous. But guess what? I’m overwhelmed!

So, I’m putting out a call for help: I need smart suggestions from anyone and everyone on the must-do hikes in the area.

And just so you know, I’m not looking for those “Instagram-worthy” strolls where you can wear flip-flops and a smile. No, I’m after the real deal.

If you know me, you know I do not love the kind of hikes that will leave my legs shaking and my lungs questioning all my life choices. The ones that will make me curse every step but leave me begging for more, although I know we can't avoid them.

I love me some technical hikes. You know... the ones that make me feel like I am a seasoned parkour professional.

So, dear readers, if you’ve got the inside scoop on Blyde River Canyon’s top trails, spill the beans. Help a new old hag out! I promise to report back with all the gory details: the ups and the downs....literally, and how much fun I had along the way (probably a lot, if my track record is anything to go by).

And remember, no hike is too daunting, no trail too tough. I’ve got my trusted Salt by my side, and together, we’ll tackle whatever Blyde River Canyon throws at us.

So, let’s hear those recommendations!

Give me 7 days of the best hikes Blyde River Canyon has to offer. And go!

Mind you, suggestions on hikes in ANY area would be welcome. It would give me more time for hiking, and less time on spreadsheets!!