METHS
MULANJE EXPATRIATES THREEPEAKS SOCIETY
36th
Blantyre Three Peaks Walk, Malawi.
Saturday, 27th June 2020
Dedicated
to Martin Horrocks (1944-2020)
Martin Horrocks was a remarkable
teacher at SAIntS for 18 years. During
his time in Malawi he led the School Mountain Club for 18 years, was Chair of
the Mountain Club of Malawi for 10 years and led the Three Peaks Walk for
several years until I took over in 2001.
No
swimming but we had a ‘lifesaver’
This Three Peaks Walk was a
special one for me; my 22nd BUT the twentieth year I had led the
walk. As always I wondered if I would be
able to make it, carrying the mantra with me ‘If you can get to the top of
Ndirande you can make it.’
(‘Semi true’ conversation with
MCM Chair Maggie O’Toole some time before the 3 Peaks – the trip could not go
through as an official trip and the MCM consensus was that it should not be
advertised, and that numbers should as small as possible.)
“Don’t worry Maggie, I think 20
maximum this year. I haven’t advertised.” Arrived at BSC at 4.25.
Maggie arrives. “ Hi Maggie, Brian,
doubt we will get more than 20 this year.”
4.30 a.m. “Yeh about 17-18.”
4.35 a.m. “Wow – more than
expected – about 30.”
4.40 a.m. “40!”
4.45 a.m. “50! What is going
on? Wow”
We had over 60 when we set off at
5 a.m. on a day that the election results may have come out, with unknown
circumstances. Well what a brilliant day
we had, with no problems except a lack of water, and a twisted ankle. Read on….
Bang on 5 a.m. and off on the way
to Chilamoni, cool weather, phone torches on, and what a difference to the
normal empty streets. Lots of people walking and running in either direction,
something I had noticed recently when I went to check the path to Michiru Peak
– so many people getting fit. I was
walking reasonably fast, and I was 100 m behind Petal and Chinga. This time we did have a back marker in
Fanwell so that meant we could make tracks and hope that this time walkers did
NOT go the Way of the Cross. Marc
Henrion was running the TPW again so we have no idea where he is – only that he
makes it round in about 8 hours?
Moving into Forestry and up the
path to the short cut is one of my favourite bits of the 3 Peaks, sun coming
out, beautiful light, super views towards Chikwawa. The first walkers, Petal and Pilirani, made it
to the first summit at 6.45 and between 5 and 10 minutes later the main body of
walkers were at the summit, including three 12 year old children, Taron, Will
and Perfect.
We left the summit about 7 a.m.
and made it to the breakfast stop at 7.45 a.m. bang on schedule. Funny thing – we all seem to jog it down the
3.6 km and it still takes 45 minutes.
Maybe we do a ’slow’ jog. My
wonderful wife, Demelza, makes a good stand in for long time support Phil Pile,
who was kept indoors this time. The tea
was ready, biscuits chewable, and nartjies juicy.
The walk out of the conservation
area is always a good one for conversation whilst walking fast. Everyone was in high spirits and looking fit.
It was not long before we reached the
‘Swiya’ turning. The river appears as
polluted and smelly as always, the newly made bricks are still there but now we
have a new church that has ‘popped up’ since last year. I really enjoy, though find it hard to keep
the pace up, this part of the walk, past villagers of all descriptions; people
staring, saying hello, avoiding the motor bikes and now many cars that trundle
over the pitted tracks, past hair dressers, vegetable stalls, and many children
playing. Most of us also enjoy reaching
the main road and dog leg that takes us to Chirimba Market – packed full of
stalls of all descriptions from charcoal to shoes, and the throngs of people
who don’t seem to mind the fast walking people who slide past and round the
approaching cars.
More development is apparent as
we reach the old Chileka Road, now widened with more traffic and a more
desperate dash across the road to the railway line. The bridge is now a ‘pussycat’ for us; we can
walk across without the gaping holes of a few years back. I had a feeling we were fast and ahead of the
support and so we were. Demelza was
nowhere to be seen BUT we all needed an extra break. This year Dr. Maria was there, and our
grateful thanks for the water and use of her loo in her and Frank’s amazing
house. Can you believe they have allowed
us access since the TPW began?
It was great to have MCM chair
Maggie and spouse Brian (sponsored by brufen 😊)
with us and they seemed to be going strong unlike me, who had to literally lie
down.
I always say as we leave The
Johnson’s place “Stay together or …you WILL get lost” – from the way I was
originally shown I have my own way now that leads through a maize field to join
with a path that eventually joins the Ndirande road. Incredibly fast development here as house
sprout up; I wonder who sold these people the land and how long it will take
before there is a whole new village here complete with roads. This part of the walk is the hardest for me;
the slog uphill towards the foothills of Ndirande peak; the aching legs, the
slow onset of cramp, and knowing we have the uphill to the gorge to do. Once started on the gorge hike it is a case
of ‘keep your legs moving whatever the cost, you know you do Ndirande you can
do the rest’, always my mantra that has seen me do 22 consecutive TPW. The gully is ‘fun’ in a sadistic kind of way
and the break at the top is often taken by some as the lunch break as we have
no back up at the summit.
At this point I was surprised
that so many people dropped out; an injured ankle, lost, way behind; I can see
the reasons are sound but if only they had dropped off and kept going to
Nkolokosi the way is long but clear and doable.
I had told Demelza to meet at
Soche school but had not realized that so many of us would be out of water. Hence the title – we had a lifesaver. Mudassir Anjum, with his distinctive long
beard and no moustache, was our lifesaver. Having heard so many were short of water he
arranged for a car to meet us. WE did
not know this only that as we walked out of Nkolokosi and up to the Hynde Dam a
car was there with his boot open, and a man asking us if we needed water. He had maybe 50 litres of water and filled
all our bottles up. A lifesaver
indeed! Many thanks Mudassir for your
quick thinking and generosity.
Hydrated again we pushed hot
tired feet to Soche for our last tea stop; a slightly different route to Soche
and happy that the election results were still not out (when they were out it
was a peaceful and happy time anyway).
The housing estate before Soche continues with large middle and upper
class housing making us change the route each year as we find our way with the
locals.
On our way up – as we turn from
the high path and make our way across towards the summit we are stopped by a
bush fire. It reached the path and,
watching the wind, we raced across the gap.
Duncan Peake slightly mistimed it as a gust of wind blew the flames
right past his eyebrows. A lucky escape. Accompanied by our usual ‘kids’ from Soche
village we clamber up to the summit beacon for well-deserved wonderful 3600
views, and a super-fast hike down
to Chimwankunda and fast walk back to the club for my usual beer and ¼ chicken
and rice.
What a day! Wonderful views this year, an amazing big
friendly group of walkers, a lifesaver and forest fire to boot. Many thanks to Fanwell (the fittest man I
know) for being backmarker, and to Frank Seven, a porter/guide who joined us
from Likhubula. Will this 65 year old in
2021 be able to lead again. Of course,
or fail in the attempt.
SIXTY FOUR PARTICIPANTS 37 completed the whole walk – well done to
all who took part
Gordon Benbow
Three Peaks Walk walking distances
The ultimate walk around Blantyre and its peaks – ‘has to be
done’ –
2015
-71 walkers - 52 completed full walk
2016
-72 walkers - 33 completed full walk
2017
-46 walkers - 26 completed full walk
2018
-41 walkers - 22 completed full walk
2019
- 53 walkers - 35 completed full walk
Distance:
48.5 Kilometres Approx. Time: 13.5
hours Walking time 10-12 hours
Meeting place: Blantyre Sports Club: Reception Area 4.30
a.m. for a 5.00 a.m. start
|
Place
|
Time
|
km GPS
|
Height m
|
Height
|
Total ascent
|
Total up
|
Total down
|
|
|
|
|
|
difference
|
GPS m
|
per stage
|
per stage
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Start BSC
|
05:00
|
0.0
|
1030
|
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
Michiru summit
|
06:50
|
10.0
|
1473
|
443
|
564
|
564
|
121
|
|
Conservation office
|
07:45
|
13.6
|
878
|
-595
|
611
|
47
|
642
|
|
Breakfast 20 minutes – change your socks and go
to the loo – vehicle support
|
|
Chileka road
|
09:15
|
19.1
|
950
|
72
|
786
|
175
|
103
|
|
Johnston House
|
09:45
|
21.9
|
1010
|
60
|
875
|
89
|
29
|
|
Johnston's House. 15 mins stop for tea – change
‘feet’ – use their loo – vehicle support
|
|
Ndirande summit
|
11:45
|
26.6
|
1610
|
600
|
1491
|
616
|
16
|
|
10 minute
break on summit for views – NO vehicle support
|
|
Kamuzu view - lunch
|
12:40
|
28.6
|
1451
|
-159
|
1564
|
73
|
232
|
|
LUNCH – 20 minutes – change your legs – NO
vehicle support
|
|
Nkolokoti
|
13:40
|
31.2
|
1200
|
-251
|
1590
|
26
|
277
|
|
Soche school
|
15:10
|
38.5
|
1298
|
98
|
1692
|
102
|
4
|
|
Soche Sec.
School. FINAL STOP 10 – 15 minutes – Possible wait for
stragglers
|
|
Mt Soche summit
|
16:20
|
40.8
|
1530
|
232
|
2042
|
350
|
118
|
|
Finish BSC
|
18:20
|
48.6
|
1030
|
-500
|
2110
|
68
|
568
|
|
Soche Sec. School. FINAL STOP 10 –
15 minutes – Possible wait for stragglers
|
|
From GPS:
|
Moving time
|
10h40
|
|
Max height
|
1610 m
|
|
|
© WDYFO, 2020