Reclaiming the mountain
Vredehoek Walkers: Code of Conduct & Guidelines
Vredehoek Walkers was established in 2023 as a WhatsApp group after a number of muggings in the Devil’s Peak and Deer Park areas of the Table Mountain National Park. Started by a few local walkers as a way of bringing people together for safety reasons, Vredehoek Walkers has grown into a thriving community of people with a shared love of walking in the glorious national park that frames our suburbs.
Vredehoek Walkers aims to foster a sense of community, promote safety on the mountain, appreciate and protect our beautiful natural surroundings and have fun while staying active.
By joining a walk, individuals agree to adhere to the group’s guidelines, which are designed to ensure a positive experience for all.
Vredehoek Walkers operates through five WhatsApp channels:
Early Birds: Updates on morning walks.
Vredehoek Walkers: Updates on afternoon events.
Slow Walks: Updates on walks that are suitable for all fitness levels, especially beginners, Mums with prams, those recuperating from injuries, and the like.
Trail Runs: Updates on trail runs.
Social Club: For event photos and social moments. This channel is open for members to post their photos of the walks. Please only post photos or notes that are relevant to the group, and never post promos or any other advertising, or personal content. If you have a photo of anyone looking especially awkward, rather keep it to yourself.
How does it work?
A core team of volunteers plans walks for the week ahead each weekend. The schedule is posted on all groups by whomever is admin for the week, usually on a Sunday. This is a guideline. Walks are subject to change if, for example, the weather changes or not enough people have signalled they are joining a walk. We will always put safety first.
In advance of each walk (we aim for a minimum of 24 hours), details of the walk will be posted on the relevant groups with: Who is joining [leader’s name] tomorrow? Group members are asked to indicate that they are planning to join a walk by adding the relevant emoticon on the ‘Who is joining’ WhatsApp message:
👍You are joining
👫 You and a friend are joining
🐾means you are joining with a dog/dogs
🚫No other emojis count as replies🚫 (Please use the agreed emoticons, as it makes it easy to do a quick tally)
Please reply if you are joining as this means we can see if there are enough people and dogs to make it a reasonably safe walk on that route at that time. Members of our team are involved with local neighbourhood watch groups and in contact with law enforcement teams, and will alert us to any concerns about safety on any of the routes.
For safety reasons, our rule of thumbs is a minimum of 4 walkers with at least one dog, or 5 without dog/s. This may vary depending on the route, the time and the season. Organisers reserve the right to cancel walks at any time if they believe walkers’ security is at risk.
✍️Please RSVP. If people don’t respond and just turn up, they might find that the walk has been cancelled due to low attendance. We recommend that you do not set off on your own in this case.
Please update your response if your plans change. Remove your emoticon the same way you added it. Please be thoughtful. If you forget to remove it and don’t turn up you will delay the other walkers.
We endeavour to communicate any change well in advance, at least two hours before the start time. Please try to keep an eye on your phone, especially if the weather is changing. If you get to the starting point and no one is there, please do not set off on your own thinking you will catch up with the group. Phone someone else on the group, either the leader on the walk or someone else who has signalled they are joining the walk.
If you need to check anything about a specific walk please try to send a WhatsApp query to the lead on that walk in good time. The team lead (not the admin who posted the walk the day before) is your contact. Please bear in mind that at the time the walk is due to start the team lead may be busy with others, standing in the wind, not able to hear your call/WhatsApp for another reason. Try to ask any questions a good while before the walk is due to start.
How hard are the walks?
To help members choose walks suited to their abilities, we use the following scale:
🚶♂️➡️Easy: Gentle terrain, easy pace, suitable for all fitness levels.
🏃♀️➡️Moderate: Some inclines, a steady pace, suitable for regular walkers.
🏃♀️➡️🧗Challenging: Steeper climbs, faster pace, requiring good fitness.
🧟♀️Very Challenging: Steep inclines, technical terrain, for experienced hikers only.
Please choose a walk that matches your fitness level to help maintain the group pace.
Inviting others
Members wanting to invite others to the group please use this WhatsApp link:
. Please do this rather than asking an admin to admit new members. Once someone has applied to join the group using this link they will receive a question or two from an admin. A reasonable reply sees them admitted. This human interaction is an attempt to block marketing/other bots.
General guidelines
Walkers
We ask everyone to be respectful and considerate of others in the group and on the mountain to maintain a positive and inclusive environment.
When communicating with admins or walk leads please bear in mind that there are hundreds of members in the group and your number will probably not be in their phone. Identify yourself by name and say your query is related to Vredehoek Walkers.
There are no paid admin staff so it might take a while to receive a response. Your message might also slip through the cracks on a day that person is busy with work, family etc. Please send a gentle reminder after a reasonable time has passed.
Arrive at least 5 minutes before the scheduled start. Walks begin promptly.
If you don’t want to be in photos, please let the group leader know at the beginning of a walk.
Everyone is responsible for their own well-being on the walks. Please ensure your needs will be met throughout the walk, using basic common sense: bring plenty of water (including for your dog/s), wear weather-appropriate clothing, bring a head-torch for evening, or early morning walks especially in winter, bring snacks, apply sunscreen, wear a hat. Also consider the needs of your dog, such as water and a bowl for longer walks.
For longer walks (anything over an hour), especially on hot days, please consider packing a piece of fruit, an energy drink, a small bag of sweets, or something else to give you an energy boost should the walk take a higher toll on you than expected.
If something unexpected happens or you are experiencing any challenges, please let the group leader know immediately. Please don’t leave it until you are in a crisis.
Children are welcome but must be accompanied by a responsible adult. Children should be warned not to approach a dog without checking with the dog’s owner that it will be welcome. Be aware that some dogs become defensive when approached by children.
Stay with the group; don’t overtake the leader or fall behind the designated sweeper unless agreed with the leader.
Be mindful on narrow paths: give way to descending hikers and cyclists.
Alert the group if you see runners or cyclists approaching, or any potential hazards.
Report any concerns at all to the group leader promptly. We can work almost anything out as a group.
Treat all members, participants, and other trail users with kindness and respect.
Discriminatory or harmful language and behaviour is not acceptable. We have a zero-tolerance policy for this, and anyone who breaks this rule will be asked to leave the group.
Follow the leader’s instructions and stay aware of your surroundings at all times. You are responsible for your own safety.
In case of an emergency, prioritise personal safety and the safety of the group. Alert the leader immediately when any danger becomes apparent, whether it be that you feel dizzy, or have seen a snake or otherwise dodgy character lurking.
Please take the utmost care of the environment. Leave no trace: carry out all litter and avoid disturbing both fauna and flora. We sometimes bring a bag to collect litter; you are encouraged to do this, too.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome but must be under control at all times. Owners are responsible for their dogs. If your dog has not been socialised or exhibits potential problem behaviour please consider professional support before joining. Be aware that walking in a group can exacerbate problem behaviour in certain dogs.
If you see other walkers, especially with dogs, approaching let the group know. Dog owners may prefer to move their dogs out of the way and let others pass to prevent any unexpected excitement.
The onus is on dog owners to prevent their dogs from scaring anyone else in the park, or making anyone feel uncomfortable. Remember not all people are dog lovers, or even comfortable around them.
By attending any event hosted by Vredehoek Walkers, you acknowledge that Vredehoek Walkers bears no responsibility for any injuries, damages, or losses that may occur during the event. Participants are responsible for their own safety and well-being, as well as the safety of their dogs and children, throughout the duration of the event. By attending, you do so at your own risk and are fully responsible for yourself and any dependents or pets in your care.
Our group thrives on mutual respect and collaboration. If you have any suggestions or concerns, please share them with the group leaders. Together, we can ensure that our walks remain safe, enjoyable and welcoming for everyone.
By participating in our WhatsApp group and walks, you agree to abide by these guidelines.
We look forward to seeing you soon!
The Vredehoek Walkers team.