COASTAL WALKS
Scenic Coastal walk: False Bay
Start: Start from Muizenberg beach via Kalk Bay, St. James Beach, Fishhoek to Sunny Cove.
Finish: Sunny Covenant
Fitness: Relaxing, not strenuous and proper walking shoes are not required unless this is your preference.
Duration: The walk will take approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes depending on your pace.
Tip: Take your swimming costume with and take a dip in the ocean on the way.
St James is rich in history with some original homesteads built between Muizenberg and St. James in 1883. Picturesque St. James beach with its colourful bathing huts and a tidal pool is small, lovely beach popular with families and locals.
From St. James beach there is no paved walkway. To continue on to Kalk Bay you walk behind the bathing huts along the paved path to the end and then go down a set of stairs and across Danger beach. Once across the beach there is some bouldering to be done, a few rocks to climb and you walk alongside the railway line. All relatively easy to navigate and flip flops will do the job.
Once you past the second tidal pool (the first being at St. James beach) take the exit through the tunnel which leads you onto the start of Kalk Bay Main Road.
Retro Kalk Bay is a cool and quirky town, adding another dimension to the Cape Town experience. There are some great shops and antiques to be found. I absolutely love this part of my beautiful city.
Liesbeek River Walk
This is a great suburban walk.
Start: the lawns below Kirstenbosch at the main entrance on Rhodes Avenue
Finish: Josephine Mill, Newlands
Duration: 4.5 km one way (9km return), or you can return by Uber taxi
Fitness: this is a stroll in the park, particularly if you do it one-way
Tip: you can park your car just north of the Kirstenbosch entrance. Interesting to read before you said out on the walk: https://fol.org.za/about/
Most of the Liesbeek River is canalised and one can walk along much of it. Liesbeek River is not only tree-lined but also runs through Newlands and Rondebosc
Its source is two streams - the Newlands and Protea streams - flowing off the eastern slopes of Table Mountain. These wind through Kirstenbosch and then meet, just below Rhodes Avenue.
Cross Rhodes Drive from the lawns to the Church of the Good Shepherd on the corner of Kirstenbosch Drive. This beautiful old church was built in 1864 for those who had moved north of Kirstenbosch Drive. It was one of 40 designed by Sophie Gray, wife of the first Anglican Bishop of Cape Town, Robert Gray (they lived at Bishopscourt).
As you turn down Kirstenbosch Drive look out for the wild almond tree on the corner, as this is the same species grown for Van Riebeeck's hedge, the remains of which survive in Kirstenbosch.
The three stone cottages across the road from you serve as the backdrop to the monthly Kirstenbosch Market, and were originally built in 1919 for students and gardeners working at Kirstenbosch.
Turn right up Winchester Drive. On your left is the Boschenheuvel Arboretum and you follow a little footpath along its edge to the Newlands Stream. It's beautiful here in amongst the yellowwood, rhus and stinkwood trees (and a favourite dog walkers spot).
At the bottom of the arboretum cross the road at the bridge and rejoin the stream and path at Riverside Road. This area is awash with beautiful trees, many of them with identification tags. Continue and you will eventually enter the Upper Liesbeek River Garden, ably run by the Bishopscourt Village Residents Association.
The route now intersects with the busy Paradise Road/Edinburgh drive. Paradise Road is called such for a section of original forest above it on the mountain called 'Paradijs'. There is a good pedestrian crossing over Edinburgh Drive, although you may have to exercise patience waiting for the lights to turn. Cross Paradise Road and rejoin the path below the bridge. The Hiddingh Stream flows to join the Liesbeek here.
Look out a little further on as the path now takes a right and joins Bucksburn Road. The next 1.5 km or so are away from the river bank. Follow Bucksburn into Lothian and then Colinton.
You could stop at the posh (but trendy) Vineyard Hotel, opposite Newlands' cricket oval, for a coffee.
The original building at the Vineyard Hotel was once the home of Lady Anne Barnard, the writer, artist and poet who wrote a series of famous letters that described her life between 1798 and 1802 in the Cape (her husband was Andrew Barnard, Colonial Secretary at the Cape).
Take a left into Kildare Road at the bottom of Colinton. There is a beautiful historical bridge over the Liesbeek (you won't reconnect with the river until after SACS).
This neighbourhood is interesting. Once known as 'Irish Town', the little lanes and houses (now gentrified and upmarket) were once the homes of imported Irish labourers who arrived at the Cape to work in Ohlsson's Brewery (now opposite Josephine Mill). Barristers Hotel still bears the red lion, a sign that the hotel sold the brewery's beer.
There are a number of little restaurants in the village on Main Street that are great for lunch or tea. Pass these and continue down Main Road. The South African College School (SACS), the oldest school in South Africa founded in 1829, is on your left. It used to provide both school and tertiary education for those living in the colony, and it only passed its tertiary role on to UCT (the University of Cape Town) when the university opened in 1918.
SACS did not always reside here, however, but above the Company's Gardens in town. SACS only moved to Newlands in 1955.
Turn right into Sans Souci Road. Now you will again cross the Liesbeek River. Just after crossing you rejoin the banks of the river behind the Newlands swimming pool.
This path accompanies the river to Main Road, Newlands. You can cross at the Spur. You now cross the river again over the Westervoort crossing (from which the school, Westerford, gets its name).
You can follow the path under the road bridge on the far side of Boundary Road (but please do so in a group, as the area under the bridge is a little dodgy) to see what is left of an old stone bridge built around 1800, designed by Louis-Michel Thibault (he also designed the improvements and extensions to the historical homestead at Groot Constantia).
If not going beneath the road, continue along pretty Boundary Road as it winds gently to Josephine Mill, still a working mill producing stone ground flour available only on the premises. The flour is ground from locally grown wheat and sold in refillable hemp sacks. You can also buy organic and natural products, and a whole lot of baked goods, from the Mill Shop.
Return the way you came, or get an Uber taxi back to Kirstenbosch.
The Alphen Trail
Start& Finish: Begin in either Alphen Drive on the one end or Brommersvlei Road on the other.
Distance: 7,7km ‘out and back’ route
Fitness : This trail is easy, flat, short, and suitable for the entire family. It is easy to get to, and the scenery is very beautiful. It is usually fairly busy, especially on weekends. Every Saturday morning at 8am, there is Park Run along this trail. Expect to see lots of runners, walkers, dogs and horses along this trail.
Tip: The advantage of starting in Alphen Drive is that there is a security hut staffed by a security guard who can keep watch over your vehicle while you are hiking.
The start of the Alphen Trail is just off the M3 highway. Take Exit 14 (Constantia Main Road) and then turn onto Alphen Drive. You will see the start of the trail next to the wooden security hut and small parking area.
Constantia Green Belts & Tokai
The Constantia Green Belts occupy a couple of areas throughout this leafy suburb. There are a number of beautiful trails where you can walk.
Routes
De Hel Nature Area
Easy
Park at the entry on Constantia Nek Road, look out for the small parking area on the left side of the road if you’re coming from Rhodes Drive. There’s another parking lot on Southern Cross Drive and the route is semi-circular so you can start at either entrance. There’s a clear path around the valley with smaller paths leading down to the streams that run through it.
A dell of overgrown Fynbos and invading forest under pines, with superb flat walks and steep alternatives). When there was more Fynbos, this area was renowned for its Knysna Scrub Warblers, but is now overgrown and is unlikely to be regularly burned (approximately every 10 years) to maintain the Fynbos because of the houses upslope.
Duration: The circular route will take just under an hour, but spend some time following the paths and exploring.
Alphen Trail
Easy
Park on Alphen Drive off of Constantia Main Road and set off along the path next to the Diep River. There are a couple of bridge crossings where you can choose to walk on the other side. This isn’t a circular route and you can also start the walk on the other end and park on Le Sueur Avenue. (more details above section of Constantia hike)
Alphen Hotel west to Le Sueur Meadow, along Diep River
Duration: 20-25 minutes
Brommersvlei Walk
Easy
Park on Rathfelder Avenue or BrommersvleiRoad, this tree lined trail leads alongside the road before circling the Bel Ombre Meadow.
Duration: This walk will take half an hour or so.
Diep River Trail
Easy
This route can link up to the Alphen Trail, the Brommersvlei Walk and the Klaasenbosch Trail. Park on Le Sueur Avenue or Southern Cross Drive. The route takes you along this green belt and you can then continue on along one of the other three routes or retrace your steps. Lovely shaded walk
Le Sueur Meadow west to Cecilia Forest at Southern Cross Drive
Duration: This will take over half an hour.
Doordrift Walk
Easy
This starts in the same place as the Alphen Trail but the walk goes in the other direction, or you can park on Doordrift Road and do the route the other way round.
Doordrift Rd Plumstead northwest to Alphen Hotel, along Diep River, and over the detention ponds.
Duration: 25-30 minutes
Grootboschkloof Trail
Easy
Park on Strawberry Lane, Spaanschemat River Road or Willow Road and follow the path along the river. This isn’t a circular route and you can link up to the Spaanschemat River Trail if you want a longer walk.
From Firgrove Way north to Spaanschemat Road along the Grootbos River.
Duration: Twenty-five minutes or so.
Klaasenbosch Trail
Easy
There are several parking areas along this trail with the top two being off Rhodes Drive near the Kirstenbosch top gate and at Cecelia Forest. The bottom two can be found at Le Sueur Avenue or Hohenort Avenue. The middle of the walk passes by the Cellars-Hohenort Hotel.
Le Suer Meadow north along Klaasenbosch River to Klaasenbosch – Kirstenbosch Rycroft Gate. Lovely shaded walk, with a planted “indigenous” section wherein some of the plants are named (i.e. indigenous to South Africa, not the Peninsula)
Duration: Just under an hour.
Silverhurst Trail
Easy
You can park across the road from Peddlar’s on the Bend on Spaaschemat River Road or at the other end of the trail on Constantia Nek Road. After a five-minute walk from Peddlers across Constantia Main Road to Silverhurst.
Duration: This will take about forty minutes.
Spaanschemat River Trail
Easy
This trail starts out from the same parking area as the Silverhurst Trail on Spaaschemat River Road but goes off in the other direction. You can also park on Strawberry Lane at two different locations. You can link up to the Grootboschkloof Trail at the far end from the Spaaschemat start.
From Firgrove Way west to Spaanschemat River Road at Peddlers along the Spaanschemat River)
Duration: It’ll take about thirty five minutes.
Lower Tokai Forest
There are several paths through the Fynbos at Lower Tokai Park, and a perimeter walk (Bridle Path) which is mostly shaded. Do watch out when walking under the Gum trees, which are known to shed their branches.
The paths through the Fynbos are called: Candelabra, Kalkoentjie, Fountainbush, Brightfig and Silkypuff – after some of the beautiful Cape Flats Sand Fynbos species.
Walking from the Tokai Restoration Trail (which starts at the Lions Gate carpark) along the Brightfig trail to the Silkypuff trail will take you to The Mound where there is a viewing deck which affords beautiful views of the park.
The Main Drag is a sandy path which currently divides the plantation (roughly) from the Fynbos at Lower Tokai Park.
A beautiful river – which is also undergoing rehabilitation – runs along the Main Drag, and the best time to see this in full flow is towards the middle or end of winter (July/August)
Start & End: Cecilia Forest, just off Rhodes Drive. Follow the jeep track through forest and onto the contour path.
When you reach the outskirts of Kirstenbosch, follow signs to Cecilia Ravine/Rooikat kloof (you can also begin the hike from Kirstenbosch, but this alternative is tough; lots of steps).
It may get heavy going up Cecilia Ravine up the log steps, particularly in summer. You round Cecilia Ridge and into Cecilia Ravine where Cecilia Waterfall is in a cool, leafy and moss covered enclave.
Duration : Aproxmately 3 hours
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Wine areas on outskirts of Cape Town
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