Around Vredehoek

Date: 12 October 2011

Location: Vredehoek

Walker: Helen & Vanessa

Previous strolls around the 'hood here and here.

Vanessa and I went for a stroll around the streets of my suburb, Vredehoek. We were enjoying the still pleasant late-afternoon weather.




We meandered up and down, looking at the houses and the way people live.




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Vredehoek Streets

Date: 14 May 2010

Location: Vredehoek

Walker: Helen

At the end of a busy day I took a stroll around my neighbourhood, to get some fresh air and enjoy the sunshine after a week of rain.

I meandered up and down the streets at random. There are some steep uphills to get the heart rate going, as well as plenty of streets on the flat.




I'm so fortunate to live in the city bowl. I love being surrounded by mountains. Table Mountain and Devil's Peak are right there.




Vredehoek is a mish-mash of blocks of flats and free-standing houses, with a small shopping and restaurant precinct. Some of the homes are old and rather tatty but many have been renovated and modernised. I'm particularly fond of the elegant art deco facades.





(Photos by Helen)
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Devil's Peak: Quarry to Deer Park

Date: 6 November 2009

Location: Devil's Peak, from Vredehoek

Walkers: Helen & Michele

**** Route plotted here ****

Following the same route as this walk, we set off for a late afternoon stroll on the lower slopes of Devil's Peak. The landscape here is still dominated by the remains of the large bushes (Leucodendrons I think) burnt by fire earlier in the year.




We last walked these slopes about six week's ago. At first my impression today was there were far fewer flowers about. Many more grasses.



But as we walked on we spotted a few blooms. I think this yellow flower may be a Bobartia.



And this little thing is Cyanella hyacinthoides. Its common name is Lady's Hand. The yellow stamens are meant to represent the hand, complete with fingernails. Adorable, yes?




We passed a prickly thistle, impressively spiny.



And there were a couple of Chinks. I think these may be the variety Ornithogalum conicum.



The walking was easy on wide jeep tracks.



We also saw one or two Pseudoselago Spuria.



Then a few more, and more, and more. Fields of the things!




As we got close to Deep Park we saw a lovely Aristea capitata.



And also several clumps of pink Watsonia borbonica.



The flowers are gorgeous, but I also like the glossy, strappy leaves, with their distinctive twist.


Also spotted: purple gorse, Aspalanthus cephalotes subsp. violacea.



We followed the path through to the pines trees of Deep Park.



From here we made our way back to the start via Frank Avenue and Chelmsford Road.



(Photos by Helen)
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