Commemorative Walk from Uitenhage to Grahamstown
4 - 9 August 2005
Merriman Walk Journal
4 August – Thursday
A chilly morning and before sunrise 70 Grade 11 learners board buses to Uitenhage
At 7am we arrive at St Katharine’s church and attend a service led by Bishop Bethlehem
Bishop Bethlehem hands a letter written by himself for the attention of Bishop Thabo to Koketso Pelle to take with him on the six-day journey. We hope that it doesn’t get lost!
We start the pilgrimage and head towards Addo – a 30 kilometre journey
We rest our heads at Stables
The ten teams of boys compete in a few activities including a quiz – the winning team is ‘Smith Dorm’
Small blisters are setting in
There is an exciting buzz in the air as everyone is determined to tackle the rest of the journey 
5 August – Friday
We wake early at commence the next leg to Zuurberg which is 32 kilometres - including tackling the Zuurberg pass
The weather is wonderful and we are grateful for no wind or rain
The Headmaster, David Wylde, joins us
It is a flat start and later very hilly
Luckily the sun is shining – the vegetation changes from citrus orchards to mountain forest
Generous farmers give us a crate of export oranges which quenches our thirst
We notice lots of birdlife
We get slightly lost on the way to Sir Percy Fitzpatrick’s lookout – luckily we find our way 
Unfortunately the flu has struck eight learners – they take the bus and might have to drop out of the walk tomorrow
Adult participants Paul and Karen Davies and Old Andrean Ian Maclarty – lead the pack and leave the schoolboys in their dust!
We celebrate the birthdays of teacher René Schalker and walker and Old Andrean Dave Hogdson
At about 3pm we arrive in Zuurberg and have a chance to rest our feet
Morale is still very high and the groups are extremely motivated even though the blisters are increasing!
In the evening we enjoy a talk on the history of the area and the Addo Elephant Park and their plans for the future expansion
6 August – Saturday
The stretch extends from Zuurberg to Ntloko – around 30 kilometres
The landscape can be described as tangled hills and valleys
It is extremely windy but we persevere
We enter the Toetoebie Forest 
We leave the road and follow a track through a private farm
We are thankful to the owner for reducing today’s walk by allowing us to walk through his farm.
We walk quickly to ensure we reach Ntloko before the rugby test match!
We are joined by Rose Clarke who is also a descant of Merriman and her husband Peter
The boys sleep on their own in the veldt in a solitary exercise
It is an opportunity to reflect away from the group
7 August – Sunday 
Today we head for Alicedale about 35 kilometres
The school chaplain Rev Gary Griffith-Smith conducts an open air service at 7 am
We are nearing Grahamstown
We walk along a farm road, then take a hiking trail through the Toetoebee forest, and approach a farm owned by Charles and Jenny Fisher
We braai, and are entertained by Mr Mullins and sleep in a field, close to the Shamwari game reserve
8 August – Monday
We rise at 6am and accept a little help from the train and depart Alicedale for Atherstone
Generations of Andreans caught this train from Johannesburg to Grahamstown to attend school
A cold front has set in
We are still determined and motivated as the end of the journey is just around the corner
From Atherstone we hike 18km to Mountain Drive and set up camp for the night
We spend our last night under the stars
9 August – Tuesday
We wake early on our journey for the last time and dress in period attire for the home stretch
We walk in our teams down the hill
Passing the Monument, with the statue of the Settlers on our right,
we will proceed down Lucas Avenue to the Drostdy Arch where the Pipe Band will be waiting at 8.30am to pipe us down
the High Street to reserved seats in the Cathedral.
Koketso hands the letter from Bishop Bethlehem to Bishop Thabo and our journey is complete
The 
will mark the progress of the travellers on the map below as they make their way from Uitenhage to Grahamstown
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