An evening of trails, fireside chat and community
On Wednesday 23 September 2026, Mountain Merchant invites you to the inaugural Norsemen Spring Equinox Festival of Trails.
Held in the heart of Stellenbosch, Norsemen is a limited-entry gathering built around trail culture, movement, community and the changing seasons.
The Spring Equinox marks the beginning of a new chapter for the Norsemen Event Series: a quarterly celebration of the outdoors, aligned with the solstices and equinoxes that shape the rhythm of the year.
Hosted from the courtyard at Casa Cerveza on historic Dorp Street, the evening brings together trail running, walking, mountain biking, food, drinks and fireside atmosphere into one social celebration of the people who call the trails home.
This is not a race.
It is an evening built around shared trails, changing seasons, good conversation and the wider community that makes Stellenbosch such a remarkable place to move outdoors.
The Routes
Choose the trail experience that suits you:
10 km Night Run
A social-paced trail and street run through Stellenbosch, with two pace groups available.
6 km Night Walk
A relaxed guided walk, open to all fitness levels and designed for those who prefer to take in the evening at a gentler pace.
25 km Guided Mountain-Bike Ride
A guided social mountain-bike ride through Stellenbosch’s surrounding trails, created for riders who want to be part of the evening from the saddle.
Every route returns to Casa Cerveza for dinner, drinks, fireside conversation and the evening gathering.
All routes start at 18:00. Registration opens from 17:30 at Casa Cerveza, Dorp Street.
What Your Entry Includes
Your entry includes:
- Participation in your chosen event route
- Dinner
- A minimum of two drinks: beer, cider or soft drinks
- Lucky-draw entry with loads of amazing prizes up for grabs
After the event, the full value of your entry fee will be converted into a Mountain Merchant gift voucher for use online.
Theme & Atmosphere
Participants are encouraged to embrace the spirit of Norsemen with Norse or Viking-inspired attire.
There will be prizes for the best dressed on the night.
Expect an evening of trail stories, shared tables, cold drinks, warm food and the kind of conversation that only happens after time spent outdoors.
Event Details
Date: Wednesday 23 September 2026
Time: 18:00, with registration from 17:30
Venue: Casa Cerveza, Dorp Street, Stellenbosch
Entry Fee: R385 per person
Pre-booking is essential. Once entries are full, bookings will close.
The Norsemen Event Series
Norsemen is more than a single evening on the calendar.
It is Mountain Merchant’s quarterly Festival of Trails, built around the changing seasons and held in alignment with the solstices and equinoxes.
Each gathering will bring the local trail community together around movement, shared experience and the landscapes that make this part of the world worth exploring.
- shared suffering
- long trails
- early starts and late finishes
- campfire conversations
- trusted equipment
- and the communities formed along the way.
The Spring Equinox Festival of Trails is the first step in that journey.
We’ll see you on the trails.
The Launch
The evening will also showcase a curated selection of international and local outdoor brands available through Mountain Merchant. Including our flagship offering from ENDURA and BERGHAUS
Announcements regarding selected retail partners and future Mountain Merchant projects will be shared during the evening.
But above all else, Norsemen exists to celebrate the broader trail and outdoor community that inspired Mountain Merchant from the beginning.
