Introduction
The Elsieskraal Power Walk Series of geocaches has been prepared as an educational initiative to introduce young people to two things: types of geocache hides that they will encounter in an urban environment as they start geocache activity; and to some interesting facets of Pineland history encountered along the walk. It may assist Scouts and Cubs in obtaining their geocaching badge and may be suitable as a small-group youth activity: either school of faith based.
The Power Walk is a circular trail of just under 6 km along the walkway that goes along both sides of the canal. For its entire length the walk is in a proclaimed green recreational zone. The walk can be started at any point and the caches don't need to be found in any particular order. There are many convenient parking spots on the roads that run adjacent to the canal.
Scouting in Pinelands
The 1st Pinelands scout troop was started during the 1920s. It was felt that the boys of Pinelands needed scouting, and the Garden City was rapidly growing in the area of what used to be the Uitvlugt Forest. Much of the troop’s early scouting was done in this forest which has subsequently become the western edge of Pinelands. The troop started off with about a dozen boys but was not registered with scout headquarters. The troop faded from existence in about 1926 but restarted a few years later becoming a registered troop in 1928. It has its headquarters in St Stephens Road so is not seen on this Elsieskraal walk.
2nd Pinelands Scout Group
Thanks to feedback from an active geocacher who was formerly Group Scouter for the 1st Pinelands Scout Group, it is now known that the 2nd Pinelands Group was started by a King Scout from 1st Pinelands group. It was for a time an Air Scout Group but seems to have disbanded in the late 1980s. The founder of 2nd Pinelands went on to become Chief Scout of South Africa and addressed the 1st Pinelands Group AGM in 1985. A chance meeting with the Regional Commissioner for Scouting in the Western Cape providwed the information that when 2nd Pinelands was disbanded its club house became the Gilpine Scout Training Centre.
3rd Pinelands Scout Group
The 3rd Pinelands Troop is active and the walk passes close to its club house. The members are active in the Renew Elsieskraal River Initiative.
Scouting activity along the Elsieskraal Power Walk
Pinelands Scouts have been active in the initiative to renew the Elsieskraal river as it flows through Pinelands.
They have been involved with both river clean-up campaigns and with tree planting initiatives.