The Grahamstown contingent of the inaugural Indlela yoBuntu pilgrimage returned home on Saturday 14 September. They left an epic journey of 13 days and 582 kilometres on foot behind them.
The Grahamstown contingent of the inaugural Indlela yoBuntu pilgrimage returned home on Saturday 14 September. They left an epic journey of 13 days and 582 kilometres on foot behind them.
The brainchild of local trail runner and academic Prof George Euvrard, it was truly an African pilgrimage, based on the concept of ancient religious journeys like the el Camino de Santiago de Compostella in Spain.
The small group of pilgrims comprised seasoned trail runners from Durban, East London and Cape Town.
It also included Grahamstonians Laura and Brian Bannatyne, George and Gwenda Euvrard, and student-teacher Peter Edwards who set off from the Mariya uMama weThemba Monastery outside town into a freezing headwind on 1 September.
Accompanied as far as St Cyprian's Church on the Highlands road by a small group of well-wishers on foot and on bikes, they enjoyed a picnic in the church grounds before taking their leave and jogging off on their journey together.
Staying overnight on farms and in church halls along the way, their route followed quiet dirt roads, farm tracks and hiking trails from Grahamstown to Knysna.
They crossed undulating hills to Alicedale, went up the Kromrivier Valley to Zuurberg, through the Addo Park to Kirkwood and along the dry, dramatic Noorsveldt to Mannetjies.
Then on to Pinnacle Gorge, over the Cockscomb Mountain and into the Gamtoos Valley, the entire length of the Baviaanskloof – clipping the Karoo at Vaalwater – and then heading for Uniondale before cruising down the Prince Alfred Pass to de Vlugt.
Finally they jogged through forests into Knysna.
Although temperatures were below zero at some early morning starts, there was no rain and the pilgrims enjoyed ideal running weather.
They averaged about 45km a day, with some big days of nearly 60km.
Laura described the traverse through the Baviaanskloof as perhaps the toughest yet most exhilarating part of her journey.
“It is an amazing place scenically, which many people pass through by vehicle or on mountain bikes,” she said.
“But to experience those mountains, switchbacks and numerous water crossings on foot, often knowing that buffalo could be just behind the reed beds, was a rare privilege, and never to be forgotten. And we got to see a leopard!”
Brian took a conservative approach to the huge mileage they covered, using the distance to prepare for the upcoming Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon in October.
“I took it easy, and had a succession of good, enjoyable days, becoming stronger as the journey went on,” said Brian, for whom the intriguing geology, changing veldt-types and rich bird life along the way provided continuing interest as the kilometres ticked by.
For George it was a dream come true.
“I’ve spent years planning for this, and it was an absolute joy to see others on the pilgrimage trail, opening themselves to the experience, and getting so much out of it.”
He managed almost 300km before a femur stress fracture forced him out of running.
“The trail is simply magnificent,” added Gwenda, who cycled a bit of the route every day, “and the participants are convinced that with the ongoing support of generous landowners and overnight hosts along the way, this has the potential to become one of the iconic walking, running and cycling experiences in the country.”
When fully realised, the Indlela yoBuntu pilgrimage will offer participants an opportunity to contemplate what it means to be fully human from a South African perspective, and to learn how to journey more mindfully and more soulfully.
The full trail will end at the humble prison cell of Nelson Mandela on Robben Island, challenging our notions of what constitutes greatness and forcibly bringing home the true meaning of ubuntu.
