Stroll Behind Bo Kaap

Date: 21 October 2012

Location: Lower slopes of Signal Hill from the Bo Kaap

Walkers: Dom, Dorothy and the dogs

Previous walk in the Bo Kaap area here.

We set from my friend's place on the edge of the Bo Kaap, following the road that leads to the Noon Gun.

It was late afternoon and very windy, but as we got further up the road it was more sheltered and quite lush and green, very rural. I'd never have guessed this pretty little road was right there on the edge of town.

And the views of the city are wonderful.

We didn't go all the way up the hill as it was getting late - will have to return for further exploration another time.

Swellendam Dog Walk on the Hill

Date: 13 February 2012

Location: Swellendam

Walkers: Helen, John and Ian, with the dogs

For this evening's dog walk we took a short drive and strolled out onto a hillside overlooking the Marloth nature reserve. Such lovely mountains!



Towards the end of the walk the sun peaked out from behind the clouds and washed the hills in golden light.



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Swellendam: Dog Walk on Farm Road

Date: 12 February 2012

Location: Swellendam

Walkers: John, Ian and Helen, with the dogs

My brother lives on the edge of town in Swellendam. It is very nice to be able to take a stroll from the house along the various country roads in the area. This evening we turned towards the farm and said hello to the cows.



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Swellendam Dams: After the Fire

Date: 11 February 2012

Location: outside Swellendam

Walkers: Helen and Ian, with the little dogs

Previous walk in this location here and here.

In Swellendam for a long weekend, visiting family. We went up to the dams for a short walk, around the top dam, to give the dogs some exercise and for me to get a closer look at the damage done by the fire that tore through here two weeks previously. I'm not sure how or where the fire started but the area that burnt is huge: from the top of the tallest peaks right down to the valleys and all around dams, through indigenous forest and plantation, and alarmingly close to my brother's home on the edge of the town.



Last time I was here the foresters were clearing some the pines, and it was interesting to see how the stumps and roots had burnt away entirely leaving 'burrows' in the earth. It looked very unstable. We stuck to the road for safely.



I know fires are meant to be part of the cycle of life and that these hillsides will recover in time, but I found this landscape made me feel so sad. It was deadly quiet and still, no birds or wildlife around, and the burnt smell lingering. It was all very depressingly grey, and it didn't help that it was a very gloomy day.




However there were already signs that the recovery process had begun. The palmiet along the edges of the dam was shooting.



Some grass was growing in the damper areas.



One or two trees had shoots.



Bracken was unfurling.



And reeds were emerging.



I was excited to see one spot of colour! A Haemanthus bud. Paintbrush lily.



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Silvermine: Amphitheatre Path at New Year

Date: 1 January 2012

Location: Silvermine Nature Reserve

Walkers: Michele, Helen, Claudia & Richard, plus dogs

*** Route plotted here ****

We've walked this path several times. Amphitheatre Path archive here.



I had a quiet New Year's Eve in this year and decided to celebrate the arrival of 2012 on the first, with my friends, doing what I like best: walking on the mountain... looking for flowers.

The Amphitheatre Path in Silvermine has become one of my "comfort walks". I know the route well now, and like to revisit favourite spots along the way. It is a hugely rewarding route, with wonderful varied fynbos and spectacular views. I prefer the counter-clockwise direction, so that's what we did. We started early and had really good walking weather too: it was partly clouded and cool.

On the lower flats tall Watsonia tabularis dominate the landscape this time of year. They range from a light salmon colour to a deep orange, and are so ubiquitous it is easy to become blasé about them. Do not fail to appreciate the Watsonia!





Also quite common to see, especially in the damper areas, is the fountain bush, Psoralea pinnata. They're often very spindly and I like the way they sway in the breeze.




There were fields of pink erica. (Not sure which one, perhaps Erica laeta?)




We left the road and made the short but steep climb up the hill. Three cheers for a "Happy New Year!"



On this slope: a different sort of erica. My best guess would be Erica mammosa.



And another shrub with a white flower, and a sweet herby fragrance. A buchu I think, perhaps Agathosma capensis.



Papery everlastings, Edmondia sesamoides, nodding over the sandy path.



Crassula coccinea too, not yet open. I think I prefer the leaves.



We rejoined the road and continued the trudge up the hill.



As we climbed up the view revealed itself. On these higher slopes the pink watsonia was still in flower. Late in the season for this one isn't it?



We left the road and joined the Amphitheatre Path. The first section is damp and ferny.



And here Claudia's sharp eyes spotted a tiny disa. A bright yellow, yes, but only about 10cm tall, and strange. Disa tenuifolia.




We ambled on, heading for the sheltered spot amongst the rocks where we planned to stop for a little snack. Ric kept Roxy busy by getting her to jump on all the big boulders. She's part-dog, part-mountain goat that one.




After refreshments, back on the path, climbing slowly around the edge of the ridge.



Fynbos... endless variety in the plant forms.




And more special surprises: Disa cornuta.



Pelargonium longifolium.



And Corymbium (not sure which one, glabrum or africanum... I didn't take note if the stem was hairy or smooth).



A more common sight: Penaea mucronata.



And this precious pink one (whose name escapes me right now. I cannot find it in my book - will update when I make an identification).
[Update: Lachnaea grandiflora, that's the one! Thanks Marie!]



And lobelia. Which one? No idea! There are so many different varieties of lobelia, how does one even begin to tell them apart? I'm just chuffed this photo is in focus. For some reason my camera usually refuses to photograph these little guys. I do love their deep purple colour.
[Update: Lobelia coronopifolia (what a mouthful). Thanks again, Marie!]



My favourite part of this walk is along the flat section on top.



A different everlasting up here: Cape snow, Syncarpha vestita.



After a while Noordhoek's Long Beach and Chapman's Peak came into view, and the weather looked a bit threatening.



Different sorts of pelargoniums hereabouts too.




We stopped to watch crows playing on the wind, swooping and soaring.



And then in was down - down - down.




And a few more new flowers. From the broomrape family: Harveya tubulosa.



A single stem of willowy Ixia dubia.



Just a few flowers left on this bloodroot, Dilatris corymbosa.



And most exciting for me, another new flower I'd never ever seen before. Thereianthus bracteolatus. What a beauty! A good walk and great start to the new year.


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