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Showing posts with the label Cape Town dog friendly walks

Take a hike along The Pipe Track

One of the most scenic, dog-friendly trails on Table Mountain Table Mountain is one of the most iconic landmarks of Cape Town, and arguably, of South Africa, holding the coveted, global ‘New 7 Wonders of Nature’ status since 2011. It is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. One of the most frequented trails on Table Mountain is The Pipe Track.  According to SANPark’s website , it is called The Pipe Track as the path was originally constructed to service a pipeline running below the Twelve Apostles, to channel water from the top of Table Mountain to Oranjezicht in the late 1900s. You can still see the pipeline at various parts along the trail. The start for the trail is situated just off Kloof Nek, as you turn into Tafelberg Road (use the parking area on your immediate left), cross the road and follow the stairs to the trail’s path. You will see Lions Head on the opposite side of the road, which will be behind you as you continue on the trail and the big building on y...

Enjoy a mellow walk in the exotic Klaasenbosch and add a meander in the lower Kirstenbosch

Constantia is also dubbed the Green Belt because of the lush greenery and an array of trails and walks, many of which are dog friendly. Klaasenbosch is one of the trails on this Green Belt where you walk under a canopy of trees, along the Cecilia Stream where you’ll find the exotic Australian tree ferns on the water’s edge.  The trail has several starting points, but we choose to start on Hohenhort Avenue, just opposite the top section of the Alphen Trail. There is a signboard that marks the start of the trail. Follow the sandy trail as it winds up and stick to the left path along the stream. Look out for the Arum lillies which are currently in bloom and growing in abundance in the area.  You will go up a small incline and descend into an amazing unspoilt, natural garden. This trail is bicycle-free but popular with trail runners, dog walkers and horse riders.   There are plenty of places for your pooch to frolic in the water and cool down all along your walk. There i...

Cecilia Waterfall: A short, intense hike that your water-loving dog will enjoy

One of our absolute favourite hiking spots is Cecilia Forest. It has an array of different trails you can do, depending on your mood and what you’d like to see. One that is a short (5km), steep staircase climb to a beautiful oasis is the Cecilia Waterfall trail. This hidden gem, which takes about two hours to complete, is worth exploring with your pawsome pet and easy to find if you follow the landmarks below as a guide.  From Cecilia Forest parking area (opposite Hohenort Avenue, just off Rhodes Drive), follow the Jeep Track towards the pine forest. At the fork in the road, turn right and continue on this path until you reach a water feature.  It is a small catchment area, caused by a flowing stream that runs down the mountain, where your furry friend can take a dip. This is a welcome reprieve on a hot summer’s day and one of the highlights of the trail is that there’s quite a few spots where your dog can wet his undercarriage and cool down his paws.  When they’ve had e...

The dog friendly trail from Lions Head to Signal Hill offers majestic views

One of the positive unintended consequences of Lockdown is that many people have rediscovered the outdoors and are enjoying the benefits of being in nature, both for their physical health and their mental wellbeing. And while this is great, many of the mountain trails have become congested and even more popular than our shopping malls used to be. With rows of cars stretching for kilometres before you reach the trail’s starting point. A good way to avoid the crowds is to start early and to do a less popular trail.  Waleed, Kygo and The Lion We did a 4km trail at the back of Lions Head to Signal Hill. This is a great alternative to Lions Head, especially with Kygo (our rottweiler), as he won’t be able to manoeuvre over the big rocks and up the ladders. We started the trail in a parking area where you’ll find a small white, green and gold building. It is known as the  Kramat of Shaykh Mohamed Hassen . A kramat is a shrine where holy men of Islam are buried. According to  SA ...

Hiking the Noordhoek Peak Circuit in Silvermine

An easy 7km trail that is kid and dog-friendly My love affair with Silvermine Nature Reserve, part of the Table Mountain National Park, started four years ago when we hiked the Noordhoek Peak Circuit. I absolutely fell in love with the place - so much so that almost every Sunday, come rain or shine, you can find us exploring one of the Reserve’s trails.  Naturally when we got Kygo, our exuberant Rottweiler, we took him along on our hikes. Kygo was built with adventure hard-coded in his DNA. He absolutely loves water, swimming and outdoor adventures, and Silvermine offers all of this.  Kygo and I at the Noordhoek Peak Circuit looking out over Hout Bay About the Noorhoek Peak Circuit The Noordhoek Peak Circuit is a 7km hike that you can comfortably complete in about 2 and a half hours. With an elevation of 754m at the Peak, it offers spectacular views of some of Cape Town’s most amazing beaches. This hike is incredibly beautiful and as you are walking there are so many different...

Explore the vineyards at Groot Constantia with your family, including your dog

On Saturday we took Kygo, our rottweiler, for a walk at Groot Constantia . The estate was established in 1685 and is Cape Town’s oldest wine producing farm. It offers the most picturesque views of the vineyards and the mountains. The great news is that the estate is dog friendly (provided your pooch is on a lead) and you can wander on the designated paths on the estate between 8am and 5pm, 7 days a week. Kygo and I at the Groot Constantia Estate Groot Constantia offers amazing views and a fun-filled adventure Elephant's Eye in the distance Waleed and Kygo enjoying the stroll through the vineyards The estate is extremely popular with many people enjoying a trail run or a walk with the family. It also attracts lots of tourists with the sightseeing red bus passing through.  When you’ve entered the estate and parked, you can follow the tree-lined path that leads to the Iziko Museum where you can learn about the estate’s fascinating history. Behind it, there are two shallow ponds where...