The Pineland's Runner

Running the canal

Each day, dozens of Pinelands residents - and visitors from neighbouring areas - lace up their shoes and head out for a run through one of the most beautiful suburbs in the country. Pinelands was established in 1919 as the first "Garden City" in South Africa (and second in the world) and continues to attract both young and old to its tranquil surrounds.

Pinelands is split roughly through its centre by the Elsieskraal River which was canalised during the 1960s. Whether by design or simply a fortuitous stroke of luck, the length of the canal between the furtherest  bridges is 2.5km - or 5km as a circuit.

A number of years ago, distance markers were placed along the canal and various different routes identified to cater for all exercise requirements. Over time, these have been damaged, or simply disappeared. In 2009, the markers were re-established with an additional two routes included for those who wanted to run up to 10km.

The routes

The following measured routes have been included:

• 500m, 800m, 2km, 3km, 5km, 7km, and 10km
  

These routes were measured using a Garmin GPSmap 60CS. The device indicated an error of about 5m, so the positioning of the markers should be fairly accurate. From the GPS, data were extracted that allows the routes to be overlayed on Google Earth - as well as uploaded to a GPS unit should you so desire.

• Download:  Google Earth data, GPS Data
  

Note: Should you wish to convert the GPS data (xxx file) to your particular unit, the site http://www.gpsies.com is particularly useful.

Note: On the 10km route, the distance from the 3km to 4km marker is about 30m short. On the 7km route, the distance from the 5km to 6km marker in about 60m short. Thus the 10km run is about 100m short in total.

Click here to download a pdf of an aerial photo with the routes indicated thereon. The red route is the 5km loop. If you add the yellow route to the red, you get 7km and if you then add the green route you get 10km. The yellow section is thus 2km and the green is 3km.

• Click here to download Google Earth

Using the routes

The routes all begin at the bridge at the intersection of Howard Drive and the Elsieskraal River. The routes are colour coded and have marker-boards indicating direction.