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Surveying the wonders of Kirstenbosch
Grade Eleven Geography Outing

After some confusion about which gate to meet at, we marvelled at the majesty of Kirstenbosch as we headed up the mountain. With hot sunny weather behind us, we seemed to be walking closer and closer towards the cold cloudy weather. However, locked in the crisp stillness of the forest by the overhanging canopy of trees, a number of us were eager to get to the top and look out over the vista.

We had several stops along the way, partly for those at the back to catch their breaths, but also for Ms Wilding to tell us a little more about the mysteries of Kirstenbosch. While many stood attentively as she spoke and filled in the empty spaces in their worksheets, others adopted the customary ritual of copying the brightest person's work!

Along the way, the girls brought shame to their fellow hikers on the mountain, as they tripped, stumbled and were 'attacked' by tree branches. They clearly emerged from the trip fortunate that they hadn't fallen off the cliff edge! Mrs Bristow wondered how often (or how rarely) we exercise.

Nevertheless, whether you enjoyed hiking or lounging, the sights of the cascading waterfalls as we proceeded along our trail won everyone over. We stopped to take in the heavenly views. After the downpour the night before, the water was flowing rapidly down the mountain. The free fall of the white waters reminded me of pictures of the Augrabies, or the Victoria Falls even. We snapped some pictures, ooh-ing and aah-ing as we did.

At the end of our trail, we were asked why we thought our mountains are worth conserving. Inspired by the wonder of Kirstenbosch, I believe that our mountains are a part of our national heritage, and that it is our responsibility to protect the habitat of our animals, and to prevent any man-made disasters. We have been blessed, as Capetonians, with beautiful mountains and need to honour such blessings.

Thank you to Ms Wilding and Ms Bristrow for helping us see this, for teaching us about the Afromontane forests, as well as for lagging at the back to look after and encourage the 'strays'. The sights of the waterfalls and what our land has to offer was indeed an incredible experience. We certainly don't need to leave our country to encounter the wonders of the world!

Tamlin Wightman

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This page was last updated on 20 October 2003 06:38