Midlands Hospice (Howick) is about to launch a big walk circumnavigating the areas in which we serve. Undeniably one of the most beautiful regions in South Africa, we have a well-known ultra trail runner who is going to test the course for us, in a non-stop running challenge.
Matt Dove will navigate his way from Howick through the forests of the Karkloof and Curry's Post districts, the green rolling hills around Nottingham Road and past the eclectic mix of arts and crafts and restaurants to Rosetta. The trail will then take him into the most beautiful Kamberg valley, past stud farms and sheep farms dating back to pioneering days, all this set against the backdrop of the Drakensberg Mountains. He will forge his way across the Kamberg Nature Reserve, and through rarely seen beautiful dairy farms into the very wee village, Fort Nottingham. The iconic 1976m Inhlosane will entice Matt through some of the darling Dargle Valley region of blue streams, forests opening up to grasslands with beautiful wildflowers, drawing him up to drink in 360 degrees of most beautiful views! This will give him the strength needed to finish the final stretch - down through the Dargle Forests alongside cascading rivers and up over Mount Ashley near Midmar Dam. He will experience the vibrance of the Mpophomeni community that Midlands Hospice has closely worked with, past the country escapes of the Birnamwood district and across the misty Hilton planes to the edge of the uMngeni Valley Gorge. The last stretch will be the ultimate challenge as he navigates the steep slopes and impressive cliffs of the Umngeni Valley and Gwen's Gorge, across the Umngeni River hauling himself up out of the valley, back to Midlands Hospice from where he started.
Matt will start his challenge on the 23rd of February, launching the massive fund-raising initiative 2 months before we walk for Hospice – our ultimate 12-day, Hospice Trail.
We would love for the Midlands Community to journey with us on this venture – our dream would be to have daily coverage of how the journey for hope is going and motivate people and businesses and corporates to challenge each other and pledge to a worthy cause where we offer hope, provide support, and honour life in the face of life threatening illness.
The Big Walk will be open to the public and will be launching soon. We will have a 12-day option, 4-day option and a chance to join us for the day up Inhlosane and again on our last day through the Umgeni Valley and back to Hospice House.
To support Matt on his Run for Hospice donate now https://sites.google.com/view/mattdoverunforhospice/home
