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Where Our Journey Began: The Story of ComeHike


Our roots

A long, long time ago before online shopping, AllTrails, and even before Table Mountain was declared as one of the new 7 Wonders of Nature… a very keen hiker named Theo Blaauw frequently popped into the Cape Union Mart (CUM) store in N1 City to talk to the store manager, Maritjie Odendaal, about, well... hiking!

Soon, other customers noticed their shared love for the outdoors, and also started asking about hidden waterfalls, mountain peaks, and beautiful trails. Realising that hiking was truly about sharing the journey, Maritjie and Theo decided it was time to move the conversation from the shop counter directly to the mountain slopes.

The first step

The big moment finally arrived on Sunday, 1 September 1991. A group of eager adventurers gathered at the base of Cape Town's iconic Lion's Head. Leading the pack that morning was none other than the legendary, late Mike Lundy, a famous hiking guide and author in the Cape. Mike went ahead and led the first six hikes for the newly born CUM Hiking club.

The trailblazers who led the way

Our community grew quickly thanks to an incredible group of founding hike leaders:

  • Mike Lundy: The renowned guide and author who led our very first hike.
  • Peter Toms and Julien Pels: Expert trail leaders from the Wildlife Society of SA (known today as WESSA).
  • Pine Pienaar: A hike leader from the well-known SAPSTAP group.
  • Sakkie Viviers: An experienced hiker and the very first club member to be appointed as a hike leader.
  • Mark Hawthorne: A nature conservationist and our longest-serving hike leader.

The legacy continues

Together through the decades, a true community of friends walked the most beautiful trails, and in 2017 we officially changed our name to ComeHike Hiking Club.

Reaching the summit of Lion's Head started everything. A crowd who did not know each other instantly became an inseparable family of adventurers. Today, that very same passion sparks lifelong friendships and connects people to the great outdoors. Together, we’ve shaped lives, crossed rivers, and conquered peaks. 

ComeHike. We’ve been broadening horizons since 1991.


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