Hiking the hills of Suikerbosrand

So with all the stresses of work, and the rushed lives that we live, we decided to take some time out and go and do a hike in the Suikerbosrand Nature reserve, south of Jhb. K and I decided that we'd give the 10km route a go - why not - the 17km sounded too long, and the 1 hour walk was just too short. Well, about 2 hours into the hike, and out of breath, we wondered how good an idea that was. It actually turned out to be perfect though - we managed the 10km in just over 3 hours - which I estimated would take at least 4-5 hours at one stage. It was great to get out into the hills, and work the lungs a bit. The vegetation was still pretty dry, with patches of green grass starting to sprout, but mostly dry and dusty. We enjoyed the walk so much, that we decided to do it again this past weekend, with a good mate of ours - Frankie. This time, we opted for the shorter, 1 hour route - where we got to spot a lone Eland, grazing in the hills. The walk was pleasant, and the vegetation was definitely a lot greener - given the recent rains. After completing the walk we then found a good spot under some trees, to just park off and enjoy a cold savannah. All in all, another great afternoon in the hills. We're hoping to find some other great hikes and trails in the Gauteng area, and get out at least once a month. Will keep you posted.