FEEDBACK: Sat 19 July, Sunbird Centre into Silvermine Reserve

We were pleasantly surprised at how many people turned up to this run.  The weather held for the duration of the run, only needing to put rain jackets on once, but the rain from the previous day meant that there were times we couldn't avoid puddles so did end up running in wet shoes.

The route worked well, as we don't often start and finish on a downhill.  All groups started at Sunbird Centre, then a gradual zig-zag up the valley before reaching the nature reserve where we crossed Ou Kaapse Weg to the start of the Old Wagon Road. The the main group did two extra loops to give a distance of 14 km and the recovery ran 11 km.

Recovery group at the top of the Old Wagon road

FEEDBACK: Sat 12 July Table Mountain reservoirs

18 runners turned out on what ended up as a sunny and warm winter Saturday. The main and recovery groups set off from the Constantia Nek parking lot to the reservoirs. The run started with a climb to the ‘Bailiff cottage’ along the short cuts and jeep track. After the Bailiff cottage, the route turned right onto the Smuts track that lead to the top of Skeleton gorge, where it turned left to the Hely-Hutchinson reservoir and back to the jeep track. Here, the lead group headed around the Woodhead reservoir, while the recovery group followed headed back to the start along the jeep track and short cuts.  The main group followed the same route down.

View to the south from the top of the first short cut.

The main group ran 13.2 km and the recovery group ran 11 km in the same time of just under 3 hours.  The team's wishes go out to our runner who was injured in a fall and a special thank you to those who helped carry her to the car.

Main group on the 'beach' at the top of Skeleton Gorge with Hely-Hutchinson dam in the back

Recovery group at the signpost

The main and recover groups met at Woodhead dam

FEEDBACK: 5 July, SE Silvermine

A total of 14 runners pitched up at Kalk Bay station on a very cold Saturday morning. The weather was crisp and cool, but otherwise really good for running with only the occasional smattering of rain (and some light hail on the top).

Clouds coming in and a rainbow towards the south (L) and the other side of False Bay on the horizon (just under the clouds, R)

The main group led the way up the Oukraal path on the orther side of Boyes drive. The route carried on straight up Echo valley through a small strip of forest, and veering right towards the Amphitheater. At the Amphitheater, we turned left onto the Crassula path to the first jeep track. Here the recovery group turned right back up to Kalk Bay peak. The main group proceeded on the 'old Fisherman’s Path' to the next jeep track and on all the way to Junction Pool and Nellie’s Pool. From there the main group followed the recovery group path up to Kalk Bay peak, past Tartarus cave and down into Spes Bona valley. All groups then turned-off at Weary Willy’s down through a bigger strip of forest.

The recovery group covered 8.3 km in 2h 30 and the main group covered +/-11, coming in at 2h 45.

The main group poses for a some pictures

The recovery group, a little wet and tired, before the decent

Congratulations to Margaret who ran her 25th sortie, and both Dawn and Richard who ran their 50th sortie.

Richard

FEEDBACK: Sat 28 June King's Blockhouse

22 runners took advantage of the glorious weather and pitched up at Rhodes Mem. A bit of a lung-busting climb to the turnstile just below Blockhouse and then glorious single track through the forest, over streams, along boardwalks, past waterfalls accompanied by all the foresty clichés – birdsong, dappled sunlight through the trees. 

The Recovery group turned back a little earlier than Skeleton Gorge and covered 11kms in a two and half hours and the Main Group ran 13.6kms in 3 hours. A splinter group decided to avoid the big climbs on the way back and came via Newlands forest, they covered 13.9kms and were back before Recovery. 

Thank you to Richard for leading and Gaeleen for sweeping and taking photos. A beautiful forest run.

Allison

FEEDBACK: Sat 21 June, Kleinplaas dam circuit

A great start on midwinters day with a strong turn out of runners. The weather was surprisingly warm with no wind and full sunshine. The circular route went around the koppies behind Glencairn and Red Hill to the Kleinplaas dam and back.




Route and elevation




Much of the trail was on sand through through shallow, wide valleys and open fynbos veld. The trail was waterlogged in many places, which made for wet and muddy shoes the whole run.

The main group and recovery group covered 13.8 km and 10 km, respectively, in just under two hours.

Thanks to Piero for organising this run.


Main group in front of the dam




Quick stop on the path




Looking west towards the sea

FEEDBACK:14 June 2014 Tokai

A number of brave runners (14 in total) turned up at the Tokai arboretum for a run.  Randolph, our run manager, gave a brief description of the route and we were soon off up the shortcuts. The main group climbed the shortcuts to Level 5 in just under an hour and continued north towards mast road and back down to the parking lot.  The wind and rain were no match for these weather-hardened trail runners as they never thought of turning back or cutting the run short.

The main group ran 10.3 km and the recovery group ran 10.5 km in just under 2hrs.

Thanks to Randolph for planning the route and to Geoff and Pete for leading the recovery and main groups, respectively. Well done to everyone who came and enjoyed the wet run.

Congratulations to Allison who ran her 50^th sortie and is eligible to wear a green tee shirt.

The main group at the start of our descent

Some sunny areas over the vineyards (looking east) 

 

Clouds blocking the top of the mountain and threatening us with more rain

FEEDBACK Sat 7 June: Atlantic Seaboard.

25 turned up in the dark on the promenade before Green Point Light House to find a chill breeze blowing with a temperature of about 5 degrees.    Our run manager Dave gave us a short brief on this new route and we were off , glad to be moving.   
Once on Signal Hill the air was a tad warmer and the long uphill slog did help warm us up.   As the sun rose it revealled a beautiful day in the offing.    The view of the mountain was crystal clear rising above the mist shrouded suburbs sprawling around its feet.

The Main Group ran 14.5 kms in 2hrs 15min and the Recovery Group did 11kms in 2hrs 20min

 Thanks to Dave and Tissa who recced this new route and set the sortie up and congratulations to Tissa who completed her 25th sortie so becoming eligible to don  a red tee shirt.

Thanks to Gae and Chantal for the photos.

Main Group Photo

Recovery Group photo

FEEDBACK: Silvermine NW 31 May and OFTC hike Sunday 1 June

Feedback Sat 31 May Silvermine NW

We had 25 turn up for part of the OFTC recce on a slightly blustery winter’s morning. It felt very odd to be heading out for a run when the sun was already up but we all enjoyed the slightly later start time due to Silvermine gates only opening at 8am. Apologies to those who were expecting a R20 entrance fee, it is now R40! Best get those Green cards, they are great value at R105 for 12 entries.

The Main group did a 12km loop up the river walk through the zig zag shortcuts to Blackburn, down to Elephants Eye lookout and along Steenberg Ridge and back through the river walk. The Recovery group cut out the lookout and had a lovely relaxed 10km ramble along the same route. Nicole says it’s not a proper trail run unless you get your feet wet so we had a little splash through the river to make her happy.

Both groups arrived back at exactly the same time due to precision planning (i.e. Theresa, Lorraine and Gae spotting the Main group on the ridge and putting foot). Thank you to Richard and Julian for leading the Main Group, Gae and Peter for leading and sweeping the Recovery group and Lorraine for the photos. It was another lovely morning out.

Allison

Sunday sequel

To complete the Old Fisherman's Trail Challenge recce on Sunday we hiked over the section from Boyes Drive to Ou Kaapseweg.    This section can be navigationally challenging 
especially in poor visibility. 

Natalie, Peter Allison and Lorraine

Lorraine making sure of the route

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FEEDBACK: Saturday 24th May: East Fort, Hout Bay

After listening to the torrential rain, rolling thunder and watching the sky flash with lightening all night, most TMT-ers decided to pull the duvet back up over their heads and sleep in this morning. Only the most intrepid amongst us (or the nuttiest!) met at Hout Bay beach this morning at 7am.

 

Believe it or not, Hout Bay was bone dry, 18C and not a breath of wind. We had a long discussion about the likelihood of low clouds higher up on the mountain and the type of lightening prevalent in Cape Town (compared to Joburg lightening) and finally decided to divert our run to Constantia Nek and along the contour path beyond Skeleton Gorge.

 

The main group are pictured (all three of us!) and Faye and Mary-Anne were the two unstoppable walkers. Gregg put in an appearance at the car park just to make sure I wasn't there alone in the dark! What a gentleman!

Lorraine

FEEDBACK Sat 17th May: Cape Point-Olifantsbos

Saturday 17^th May 2013: Cape Point- Olifantsbos route

15 made it all the way down to the Cape Point Nature Reserve on a crisp winter's morning with a gentle sea breeze, blue skies, fluffy clouds and the subdued hum of the breakers rolling ashore.  Soon we were  off along the beach past numerous wreck sites and skirting around an assortment of flotsam and jetsam washed in by the seas.

It was a magnificent run through the pristine unspoilt fynbos and from the satisfied grins at the end enjoyed by all.   One mishap in that Annalise fell and sprained her finger but she assures me that it has not put her off trail running.

Thanks to Neil and Felicity for a well organised sortie.

Mary-Anne a keen walker, on her first run!

Sirkelvlei

Geoff, Mary-Anne, Felicity and Megan of the Recovery group

Koggelman Arch