OD11 digital HR - Flipbook - Page 54
LEFT Team “Tafelberg” setting off
from Kromrivier. Theo Forsyth is
back row third from right. BELOW
Exiting Sanddrif to the Cracks.
solo challenge, in which boys
spend a full day on their own.
Notably, this edition of the Epic
placed greater emphasis on
cultural and service elements,
with boys engaging more deeply
in local initiatives.
As always, the Epic was more
than just a physical journey; it was
a test of resilience, self-discovery
and camaraderie, culminating
in unforgettable memories and
a well-earned reunion – and braai
– with dads at the end.
This year, our boy’s report comes
from Theo Forsyth, son of Rob
Forsyth (1989K), who tramped the
Adventure Course, as we used to
know it then, back in 1987.
“T
he 16 days I spent in
the Cederberg last year
were some of the best
of my life. I enjoyed every part
of the journey, from the first aid
course to the training week. And
the actual time in the Cederberg
was unforgettable – something
I regret that I cannot experience
again in the same way.
“The first aid course was the
first major part of Epic. It was a
three-day course for two people
from each hiking group, covering
all the essentials, from treating
small cuts to handling spinal
injuries. The course was thorough
and very enjoyable, and I highly
recommend it to anyone with even
the slightest interest in the subject.
52 | THE OLD DIOCESAN
“Next on the agenda was
training week, which took place
a week before the actual event.
This covered everything we needed
to know and finished off the many
talks we had throughout the term.
We learnt essential camp crafts,
such as how to light a fire safely
and how to erect a tent. We also
participated in activities like biking
and high ropes, which tested our
endurance, resilience and trust in
our fellow students. Additionally,
we had a brief first aid course on
dealing with exposure, snake bites
and bleeding, which was a useful
refresher for those of us who
had completed the full course,
and gave the rest of the grade
a practical opportunity to know
what to do and what to watch
out for. The week ended with a
practice hike, a great way to set
the tone for Epic and give everyone
a taste of what was to come.
“We were now ready to head
off to the Cederberg. Following a
long bus ride, my group, ‘Tafelberg’,
thought we had arrived at our
destination, only to discover
that we had been dropped off
about 8km from Sanddrif, our first
base camp. Completely unprepared
for this extra stretch, we set off in
the 38°C heat. It felt like the worst
hike ever, and I still believe it was.
But upon arrival, we were greeted
by a cold, running river and dorm
beds – comforts I would come to
miss in the following days.
“Sanddrif was a great site.
During our time there, we went
abseiling, climbing, cliff-jumping
into a deep pool, and cycling. But
then came our first real hike. We
had heard horror stories from
those who had already been
on their hikes, so none of us
was particularly excited.
“The first day of the hike with
staff was scenic but tough on the
body. Many of us struggled to find
our rhythm, and none of us was
used to the foot pain or relentless
heat. However, our group was fast,
and we finished the day’s hike by
1pm. In true adventurous fashion,
we then spent two hours bundubashing to a stunning waterfall
– Hanley Falls, named after Mark
Hanley, who started the Epic – only
to trek another two hours back to
our campsite at Flat Rock.
“Over the next two days, we
woke up early to escape the cold
nights and continued hiking. One
of the highlights was summiting
Sneeuberg, the tallest peak in
the Cederberg. The ascent had
two parts: a steep power climb
followed by a technical scramble
through rocks, caves and cliff
edges. The view from the top
made it worthwhile. But when we
returned to camp, we discovered
crows had raided our belongings,
and a couple of boys had lost
some of their food.
“The final stretch of our third
day turned out to be unexpectedly
