Hiking in the Highlands

“Everybody needs beauty...places to play in and pray in where nature 

may heal and cheer and give strength to the body and soul alike.” 

― John Muir

Every September I seem to find myself on a trail. The last few years those trails were along the west coast on Vancouver Island. This year i still found myself on a train, in Northern Ethiopia summiting a mountain at 4 200m, breathless and sweating from the scorching sun. 

Hiking is always a push, a shove over the next hill, a break to catch my breath again and again. I love spending days hiking. Seeing what my body can accomplish, going to bed with feet that throb only to awake at hideous hours to do it all again. 

In July, while visiting Lalibela with Kaylin, we met a wonderful hiking guide, Kanu. His excitement and love of the surrounding mountains had me quickly organizing another trip to Lalibela with friends to embark on a 4 day hike. 

One thing we found amazing and different hiking in Northern Ethiopia were the plateau's. At home we are so use to mountain peaks and valleys that touch the ocean. Hiking in the Ethiopian Highlands was a different experience. Reaching 3 200 m, it was not a mountain peak but a plateau. Farm villages, schools, grazing fiends, crops and streams covered the plateau into the distance. It was an entire community and world above the clouds. Staying at a farmers home stead was an experience we enjoyed. Seated around the fire, watching our dinner be prepared, talking in our broken english and Amheric was our nightly entertainment. Sleeping on mats laid upon straw did prove problematic as critters bit us as we slept. Comes with the experience right? 

The four days was spent with Rafael, Melinda, and Kanu. Every bit enjoyable. Another September, and another epic hike completed. Enjoy the pictures!

Our Host for the time spent at the Farm house. Of course we were
welcomed with a traditional Ethiopian Coffee ceremony

We visited a church in the mountains. It was in a cave, centuries old, the door step you can see has had
countless feet pass over on their way into to pray and worship.

As the sun came over the mountain, the light covered the path with a glow
as we prepared to hike down into the valley and up onto the other side, back into Lalibela.