CWC Three Falls

On Tuesday I joined my fellow hikers on a walk to the Three Falls. Grant stayed home to do a few things and also to be with five of the six grandchildren. Their mom and dad had gone down south on an overnight business trip taking three-year-old Keren with them. 

This week there were 16 people walking compared the the five intrepid hikers on last week's walk. 

 Setting off from the hotel car park 

 It's a beautiful drive exiting from a beautiful hotel: Champagne Castle Hotel

 I spotted a mischievous-looking monkey sitting on a fence pole 

 Price (holding the dog) brought Buddy along as we weren't hiking in a Parks Board area that day. Everyone loves Buddy and he's normally spoiled and petted excessively when he joins the hike 

Fellow hiker and friend, Lynette and I are normally the only people who take photos on a hike. This week I managed to find several photos of myself on the walk. Below Lynette caught me and Jenny on camera as we walked along the tarred road. 

I'm not sure whether Jenny was blowing me a kiss or a raspberry here! LOL! 

The walk, although not physically taxing, was over the grasslands and down across streams and up along the side of the Matterhorn (which we'd hike last week) 

 Essy doesn't enjoy going downhill and was taking it real slow here 

 On this route, we always pass one of the beautiful homes in the area. Here I stopped to photograph the reflections in the dam in front of the house

 You can just spy Buddy's tail while he runs ahead of Essy

 We stopped at this point and started taking off the warmer outer garments! 

 Buddy kept running up and down the file of people. I think he was trying to herd us! 

 With such a diverse age range in the group...(Alan 87 to 19 year-old Josh) ...

  

 ...in the beginning, we stopped often...

 ... to wait for the others to catch up

I wanted to capture the incline of this hill (we didn't climb this, no) and afterwards saw that I had Josh in the photo as well. At first I was disappointed, but with his thoughtful expression I think it's enhanced the picture 

Buddy, enjoying the hike as much as any human! 

Once again, Lynette caught me on camera as I crossed a small stream

 Sharyn, Buddy and Price wait for us to catch up

 Off we went again, across the grasslands  

 Betty,  one of older hikers (in pink)  had just tripped and fallen here, but she picked herself up pretty quickly and said she was fine! 

 Downwards through the grass 

 There was lots of time to stop and smell the roses  chat to the hiker behind you 

 Here we walk up a slight hill again! 

 Tree ferns abound in this part of the Berg

 And then we headed steeply downhill again

 The last few meters before our tea stop, was walking along the grassy slope of the hill

 Entering a shady glade 

 You cannot imagine that such a beautiful place would be nestled in the valley below the hills 

 

 Truly magical!  

Ant and Price chat while enjoying their picnic. Buddy is sniffing at the interesting smells in the grass 

 My dear friend, Trish sitting on a log with Denise and Bill Carter. These two people are in their 80's and have hiked most places in the mountains 

 Lynette and Essy enjoy their picnic on a rock near the water 

 A hidden jewel which we were privileged to enjoy on Tuesday 

Lynette captured the waterfall at a different angle from under an overhanging rock 

Lynette warned us as she took this photo that the sun was shining brightly on our features. When I downloaded the photos, I realized that she was right. Anyway, you get the idea: his is me and friend, Trish at the waterfall! 

An ideal place to stop for tea

 Then we had to climb up the side of the hill again... 

 I photographed Lynette standing on the edge of a rock overhang

 She took my camera and photographed the water cascading down this fall 

 Climbing up and up

 Josh turns to see if his mother, Essy is coping

 Here again, Josh helps his mum up the incline 

 Quite a drop down the mountain if you should slip!  

 Here you can see how narrow the path is. You had to keep your eyes on your feet and lean towards the left to prevent yourself slipping down the steep bank on your right 

 I, who was second to last in the group, turned to photograph Neil, our hike leader 

 Then we stepped onto the road - flat and wide!  

 The mountain peaks rose up ahead of us

  I had fun snapping the dead trees with the mountains behind them

 Three of our older hikers, Denise, Ant and Bill stop and catch their breaths, and to have a chat. Ant loves to chat! 

 An upwards view of the Matterhorn which we hiked last week  

 Instead of a tree, this time I liked the effect of a telephone pole against the backdrop of the mountains 

 As always, I stopped to photograph the flowers ...

 ...and the grasses 

 My arty take on the grasses with the mountains in the background

 A lily whose name has eluded me!  

At the end, Betty and I were walking together. Here we traverse the last few hundred meters to the hotel car park

As always, Jenny gives me the specs of the hike: the hike was 8.2km long; we climbed the equivalent of 19 storeys and walked 12, 500 steps. 

Another wonderful walk, enjoying nature and the company of good friends.

I was on my way home, when my phone rang; it was Grant. He wanted to know what to feed the children. I told him I'd be home in about three minutes which I was. I made a loaf into French toast which the children devoured! 

HAPPY THURSDAY TO YOU ALL !