A walk on the muddy side

I think I can safely say it's been the wettest August for years, and today's walk through Tokai forest was the perfect place for us to see the results. The first time I walked there, in 2017, an old oak tree stood on the bank of a small pond, with a weir waiting patiently for water to flow over it.

Today

July 2017

Today, a river ran through it, the weir bubbled joyously and the oak tree had burst into leaf. The years in between had seen a steady parching of the land, with the horse track a sandy desert, and the wooden walkways from the road to the forest standing clear of the ground. Now sections are submerged and the track is a procession of muddy puddles. A recent flood has gouged a waterway along it, with small logs lying higgledy-piggledy, a testament to the power of water. Fearless hikers rush in where angels fear to tread, and many a muddy boot and wet shoe was the result.
A very welcome surprise was the little coffee shop that has appeared in the wall at the back of the field, where the enterprising owner offers cappuccino and pastries, as well as complimentary dog biscuits for four-legged hikers. I'll be sure to fill up my flask there next time. It serves a very pleasant purpose for the many people who use this trail.
A fine haze dimmed the blueness of the sky, and creeping fingers of cloud in the crags of the mountains again warned that winter is not done. Our usual climb up to Lone Tree Hill, with its sweeping views of the freeway to the left and the Constantia Valley to the right, was thwarted by the depth of the river, covering two of the stepping stones, and while some of us were keen to cross, discretion proved to be the better part of valour. The thought of us helping sopping septuagenarians back to the car was enough.
A stroll back beneath the tall pines, our footsteps masked by a thick layer of pine needles, saw us completing the 6km walk in record time, with the minimum of effort and maximum enjoyment of a morning out in the fresh air and sunshine. Balm for the soul.