Walkhaven Dog Park - When the Universe Decides You're Going Alone

I don't know whether the universe works in mysterious ways for everyone, or whether I am the designated vessel through which it runs experiments.

Either way, it had plans for me - again.

While writing about solo hiking trails recently, I realised that of all the hikes on my “solo hikes” list, I’d only actually done three solo.

Which got me thinking about how different my hiking life has become since my traitorous children abandoned me for the selfish pursuit of having lives.

Not long ago, solo hiking wasn't so much of a choice as a backup plan after a last-minute cancellation.

These days, thankfully, I've accumulated enough hiking buds that I can almost always find someone willing to join me.

Also, my little hiking tribe has the distinct advantage of not melting in the rain, which has dramatically reduced weather-related cancellations - mostly.

Then, a few days later, the universe arrived to prove a point - a last-minute change of plans left me without a hiking buddy.

I briefly considered finding a replacement human but eventually had a conversation with myself - which, to be fair, is now a well-established practice.

“You haven’t left your comfort zone in a while. Go alone.”

So I did.

The Dilemma

I looked at the list I'd been saving for Boris, (hiking bud Basil's resident fluff king.)

Although he has outgrown such pedestrian walks as “dog parks” and now considers mountains as a reasonable recreational activity - something about Walkhaven Dog Park refused to leave my list.

I faced another dilemma - did I really want to drive nearly an hour .... in this economy ...... to a dog park .... without a dog?

Then I remembered my current life structure consists primarily of working or spending money on petrol and cappuccinos in exchange for walking long distances and being tired.

Driving an hour to a dog park without a dog suddenly seemed perfectly reasonable.

Besides, at my age, things I’ll do “one day” are starting to outnumber the actual "one days" left.

If not now, then when?

First Impressions

The positive energy started immediately from the

the gentleman at the entrance.

I was mildly surprised by the entrance fee but understood why within minutes.

The first person I met was charming Rosemary, setting up a biltong stand for both humans and dogs.

Nearby was another stall selling enough dog-related merchandise to financially ruin any pet owner.

Then I passed by a charming little coffee shop which was a nice surprise.

The Magic of Hiking Alone

While taking my usual several thousand photographs of water that looked almost identical to the previous several thousand photographs of water, I was intercepted by two ladies and a dog sitting beside the dam.

We chatted for a while - and thankfully they took a photograph of me - because otherwise, did it even happen?

The photos become breadcrumbs - small pieces of evidence that you were there, that you did the thing, that the version of yourself you became on that trail actually existed.

That's the thing about solo hiking - it's liberating - you meet yourself without all the usual noise.

Without conversation.

Without distraction.

Without anyone else's pace, expectations or opinions.

And every time I've done it, I've come back with something - sometimes confidence - sometimes perspective - and occasionally, despite my best efforts - people.

One of my earliest solo hikes introduced me to someone who remains an important part of my life today - which is mildly inconvenient, considering I don’t particularly like people.

Officially though, I still maintain that I simply collect hiking buddies for practical purposes - logistics, mostly. Shared water, emergency chocolate, someone to confirm I’m not, in fact, walking in circles again.

The fact that some of them accidentally become important is merely a clerical error.

Before anyone worries, I did still manage a brief navigational error - for approximately two minutes - just enough to stay humble.

Final Thoughts

I arrived expecting little more than a pleasant walk around a lake.

What I found was an unexpected little gem.

It was absolutely worth it - I spent a morning there walking, drinking coffee, and watching dogs with better social lives than me.

I left reminded of something I keep forgetting - confidence rarely arrives first.

It usually shows up halfway through the thing you didn’t feel ready for.

RATINGS

Trail Information

AREA

Zwartkop (Muldersdrift Side)

COST

R 50

Trail Details

TRAIL DIFFICULTY

Easy

TRAIL LENGTH

I went around once and did 3 km

TRAIL MARKERS

Who needs them?

WEATHER CONDITIONS TO CONSIDER

Open

ABLUTIONS

SAFE FREE PARKING

AMENITIES

Braai facilities, picnic areas, kiddies' play equipment, kiddie's party venue, dog play equipment and a charming little coffee shop.

WILDLIFE & BIRD LIFE

Some ducks and plenty of bird life.

NOTE TO SELF

Never forget the magic that happens when you leave your comfort zone.

FAMILY FRIENDLY

Definitely

PET FRIENDLY

It’s a compulsory off-lead dog park, which is a polite way of saying: if your dog cannot be trusted off lead, this is not the place for you.

(TO)SOLO OR (NO)SOLO

Okay - scroll up.

Please.