Klipriviersberg nature reserve

What a wonderful day. Got home exhausted but felt great.

This is a great reserve to walk/hike at. There are many people and some are faster than others but everyone is enjoying the great outdoors. I only did some of the trails, the brown one, bit of the blue, red and green but a mish-mash and in a loop to get back where I started from. Crossed over on the pipeline and avoided the steep and rocky hills because my intention had been to go for a leisurely walk. But five hours later when I ran out of water I really wanted to call it quits. I started chatting to this guy and the went right past the exit so I had to go all the way back again. Argh. Ha, ha!

Walking along the stream

Sunday morning we drove to the Modderfontein Nature Reserve and went for a 2 hour stroll along the stream. So soothing to listen to the water and the birds. Lovely. Good for the soul.

Gentle but wild things

Up the next morning, Sunday, and off to hike at Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve. The sun was out so it is hot, and it's in Pretoria, so hotter than you think. But we had hats and water, so all good.

From the car park you can see the buck, and zebras. 27 steps later and the ostriches put on a display, not for us, but for love, I think.

A much gentler climb than yesterday and walking through the woods expecting to see duikers but didn't. Wouldn't you expect to see duikers on the Duiker Trail?  Beautiful drapes of moss everywhere, in different shades of green. More grasses and pretty flowers and different from the ones we saw at Kloofendal. 

So good to be outside, good thoughts and plans for the year start to take shape as we amble along the path. 


A most enjoyable morning.

Along the ridge, east to west

You know how you drive past a place and you think: I should go there some day and have a look. Then years pass, but one day you do it, you follow the directional boards and you're actually there. So this is how we ended up doing a hike at Kloofendal Nature Reserve on Saturday morning. 

We selected the Dassie Trail because it wasn't the shortest, or the longest. I should have realised that I would need the agility of a dassie, or mountain goat, for this terrain. We only saw one dassie but I am sure many of them saw us. I stop to photograph every little flower, yes I know, so very annoying. That's why we can't hike in a group with others. But the flowers and grasses are all so pretty. Wonderful bird life. It was a great walk and we will be going back.

Reitfontein Nature Reserve

A short little hike through the Reitfontein Nature Reserve before breakfast on Saturday morning. We saw the buck and he saw us ;-)

Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden

A great place for a short hike.
But, unfortunately, the estate developments seem to be encroaching more and more against its boundaries. Sigh!