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Hello everybody out there! Once again I am back as we finally did another hike in a SanPark. Actually we did this one a while ago, but i just never got around to posting a TR!

Anyway... All aboard and here goes.

We did this hike in the winter. As you may know, winter in Cape Town can be a bit depressing. Sometimes you can go a whole week without seeing Table Mountain. Or a month can go by without that perfect Sunday. But when you are patient and abide your time that Perfect Sunday will arrive. The dawn will break without a cloud in the sky. The air outside is fresh and smells of fertile soil. The winter sun is mild and considerate to your milky white winter coat. On just such a Sunday we jump out of bed, fill the waterbottles and head towards the nearest hiking trail.

This one was Newlands Forest to Rhodes Memorial!

Newlands Forest is a conservancy area on the eastern slopes of Table Mountain, beside the suburb of Newlands, Cape Town. It is owned and maintained by the Table Mountain National Parks Board. Newlands Forest lies at a natural transition zone between endangered Granite Fynbos and Peninsula Shale Fynbos, in an area that also originally supported large indigenous forests. In the late 1800s, much of the indigenous forests were felled, and the fynbos cleared, to make way for commercial pine plantations, which still remain and account for the remainder of the land.

The hike is about 6 and a half kilometers long. We, however only had access to one car and was therefore forced to hike both there and back. No Problem. 6 and a 1/2 plus 6 and a 1/2 makes 13km! Definitely do-able.
(After doing it once I will think twice about doin a there-and-back agian.)

Start at the parking area next to the main gates of Newlands Forest off Union Avenue. Dogs are welcome on this route and Newlands Forest is very popular with our K9 friends. There are even small poo-collecting bags available to kleen up after your 4 legged friend.

Our pooch is a bit wild and can not be trusted off his leash. He is very friendly, but tends to run untill he is tired and that is usually long after his owners have exhausted their energy reserves.



So Mali had to stay at home...

The first part of the hike needs a bit of navigation. This meant that my trusted guidebook came in very handy. Can you spot it safely clutched under my arm.



The firs part of the hike meanders through the pine forest. The air is thick with the smell of pine. Every now and again you catch a glimpse of Table Mountain through the tall trees.

onewithnature: Thank you so much for your kind words, comming from you it is a great compliment. I have been wolfing down your TR's! There are lots of hikes where dogs are welcome. Most hiking guides will give you the neccessary information. My favourite one is Slingsby's Walks with a fat Dog.


Vlakvarkvrou I am so sincerely sorry for not thanking you during my previous post. Please accept my apology. During my previous TR (Snakes and Ladders) I promised to dedicate my next Hike to Michetta. I am sure she would not mind if I extended the 'dedication' to you.

More to follow soon.... I promise

noel: Than you noel, I am glad that you are enjoying the 'hike'

A few more pictures of the pine forest...




And a little baby one. ...cute



Newlands forest was filled with runners and happy people walking their dogs. We could feel our spirits lifting with every passing step. Gaining strength for the week ahead. The smell of pine filled the air and we played a game of peek-a-boo with the autem sun catching only glimpses of it through the branches above.

A couple of steps and a couple of bends later we reached the contour path. 'That wasn't so hard!' After all we had the guidebook. We now faced our first watering hole and we wasted no time in sampling the sweet nectar.




Just after our very refreshing drink from the ice cold pool, a huge dog ran up and promptly urinated in the pool! I would therefore not recommend drinking from the mountain streams in this neck of the woods.

Thank you Pumba

Onece on the contour path the route passes through the dense indigenous forest and winds its way in and out of ravines such as Dark Gorge and Newlands stream. The entire route is in the shade and will be an excellent choice on those long scorching hot summer days when all you want to do is stay out of the sun.



The Contour Path really is amazing. Around every corner the views surprise you, inspires you and takes your breath away.




It is unbeleivable to think that the big and bustleling city is just below us as we walk. You can loose yourself so easily in this forest. You forget where you are and live in the moment. Taking in every smell and sound and sight.

As promised here is another one of my favourite views of Table Mountain. Again taken from Lions Head. This one shows the 12 Appostles. (Actually there are 13 Appostles on Table Mountain )



Every now and again the vegetation would allow us a quick view of the Cape Flats! As you might very well know this area is also home to our beloved cricket and rugby teams! The Western Province!
Wee! Pee! Djou Lekka ding!!



Everybody who has been to the Newlands stadium knows the atmosphere is awe inspiring. During rugby season when the crowd starts to scream Proooooooo-vince! Proooooooooo-vince! you can not help but join in! Even if it is pouring with rain and the south easter is howling; the fans stand steadfast in their resolve to cheer on the 'streep truie'. (striped Jerseys)
During summer the Cape Cobra's take centre stage and there is nothing like watching a day-night game at newlands with that mountain in the back ground and the ice-cream sellers entartaining you with their priceless personalities...



A quick backward glance shows devil's peak bathed in sunlight.



This hike was full of surprises. Just look at this flower... A solitary splash of purple in an otherwise green mass of moss, fallen leaves and foliage.



Before we go forward again, here is another Backwards glance at he contour path.

We continued our walk and came across this fallen tree. Making a home for a family of Mushrooms.



We spent a few monents here trying to be a bit artsy with our photography.



The whole route is perfectly shaded, everywhere you can see rocks covered in moss.




We had packed our backpacks with snacks and found the perfect spot to stop, and rest for a while.


It made me so happy to see that the route was so well maintained. Not ony at the picnicsite, but all the little boardwalks along the path. Thank you SanParks for looking after our national parks!!


I have a love hate relationship with rivers. I have landed bum first in a couple of them.
Luckily I made it across this one dry.

That is all for today folks! More to follow soon...

Thank you anne-marie.

We are almost at the end, for us the half way mark, of the hike.

The last bit of the hike is a steep knee jarring down hill towards Rhodes Memorial. That was bad enough but in the back of my mind I knew that what goes down must go back up again!! (more about that later.)

With aching knees we finally reached the bottom! Our timing was perfect. Lunchtime! We enjoyed an ice cold beer and a lekker lunch. (sorry no better word to describe this but the trusted afrikaans word meaning nice, good, fantastic, take your pic )

After lunch we enjoyed the sights from Rhodes Memorial.



Cecil John Rhodes was an English-born businessman, mining magnate, and politician in South Africa. He was the founder of the diamond company De Beers, which today markets 40% of the world's rough diamonds .

The architect, Sir Herbert Baker, allegedly modelled the memorial after the Greek temple at Segesta although it is actually closer to the temple of Pergamon in design. Another proposal after his death was to place a 50 storey high 'Colosus of Rhodes' statue on top of Lions head! Thank goodness that never happened!
After resting a bit in the shade of the monument it was time to head back to the car parked all the way back at newlands gardens!! No sweat, we were confidant.

We started the climb in high spirits. The noon day sun was high in the sky.


At the bottom of the mountain with a stommach full of food and beer!



Starting to think that this was a bad idea and that i should not have had that second beer!



OK!! This was definatelly a very BAD IDEA! I should not have had any beer and this stupid sun is killing me!!


Back in the shade and level ground!! What a great hike!

Ok so we were back on the contour path! We were feeling happy and confidant. Smiling all the way and stopping ever so often to look at something new.

It always amazes me how many new things you see on your way back!



All to soon we were back at the fallen tree with it's mushroom inhabitants once more...


Then a couple of turns and a few steps later and we were back in the pine plantation.




As we entered the last couple of hundred meters to the car the sun was starting to disappear over the majestic mountain. And our hike was at an end.