Join walk to celebrate beauty of KZN coastline
This year's Philocaly Trail will see participants walk over three days from Zinkwazi to Salmon Bay, Ballito.
CELEBRATING our picturesque KZN coastline while also championing the environment and marine conservation is something organisers of The Philocaly Trail are all about.
Nikki Williamson, who started the fundraising event more than four years ago, has seen the initiative raise more than R300 000 for various environmental organisations.
This year’s Philocaly Trail will see participants walk over three days from Zinkwazi on the KZN North Coast to Salmon Bay, Ballito, from Friday, September 15 to Sunday, September 17.
“Philocaly means the ‘love of beauty’. It is the love of nature, animals and the ocean that inspired us as organisers of the Philocaly Trail. As a non-profit organisation (NPO), our focus is on the KZN coastline right now. Our beneficiaries for this year’s event are Adopt-a-River, Oceans Alive and Breathe Conservation. We chose spring as it is a magic time of the year in Durban with golden sunrises and great weather.
Also read: Glenashley Beach gets it first Pink Buoy
“We urge residents to get involved and join our walk. While it is tough walking on the sands, we see this three-day trail walk as something for everyone, from nature enthusiasts to environmentalists, from athletes to school children and corporate teams. Anyone who wants to stretch their legs, breathe and enjoy the sound of the waves, the feeling of connectedness and the love of beauty, can join in,” she explained.
Williamson said participants walk an average of 13km a day between destinations, starting every morning at 07:30 sharp.
“We have a wonderful trail guide, Mike Gahagan, and a super team of volunteers and environmentalists walking with you and highlighting the magnificence of our ocean and quiet beaches. The best thing is participants can choose to walk on all three days or on a particular day – it’s their choice,” she said.
Event details
The Philocaly Trail three-day walk starts on Friday, September 15 and ends on Sunday, September 17. Participants can choose to walk all three days or on individual days. Day 1 sees participants walk from Zinkwazi to Blythedale. On Day 2, participants walk from Blythedale to Tinley Manor and on Day 3 from Tinley Manor to Salmon Bay, Ballito. The donation is R250 per walker per day. The funds raised will be distributed to several ocean-related charities and clean-up initiatives. To enter, simply visit the Philocaly Trail Facebook Page and book on the Google forms link that is provided. You can also email philocaly@gmail.com to find out more.
For more from Northglen News, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram. You can also check out our videos on our YouTube channel or follow us on TikTok.
