my views

Arderne Gardens, in the Southern Suburbs, provides an exotic escape for anyone craving some fresh air and a walk in nature. The great news is that the Gardens is open under the National Lockdown Level 3 restrictions for walking and is dog-friendly, provided your pooch is on a lead.  Situated at 222 Main Road Claremont, just opposite the Life Kingsbury hospital, the Gardens is a national heritage site with a rich history dating back to 1845. While they are keeping the gates closed, it is not locked and you can push it open to go for your walk. With the current restrictions, they are limiting the number of people and there are security guards at the entrance to monitor this. You aren’t allowed to sit on any of the benches or picnic. I haven’t been to these gardens in years. The last time to be precise, was when I was part of my aunt’s bridal party and we took some photos there. It still remains a very popular spot for wedding photos. I was struck by the beauty of the gardens anew. It was

One of our absolute favourite walks to do with Kygo, our rottweiler, is Sea Point Promenade. The nice thing about this walk is that it is paved and fairly flat, making it suitable for all types of dogs and people of various fitness levels. You can decide which distance you’d like to do but the entire prom is about eight kilometres.  A beautiful day for a stroll The highlight of this walk is the stunning views of the Atlantic ocean and of Signal Hill, Table Mountain and Lions Head as you snake along the prom. We started our walk (just after 7am) opposite the Dolphin Inn on Beach Road, where the paved area starts. We walked all along the ocean, allowing Kygo to stop and sniff and say hi to any friends that came by.  The promenade was already brimming with people but everyone was wearing face masks and there’s enough room to practise social distancing.  What a blue Monday looks like Depending on the weather, this is a great walk to do any time of the day.  But if you want gorgeous pics I

Most people who know or follow me on Insta , are aware that most of my Sundays (sometimes Saturdays) are spent in Silvermine Nature Reserve , which is part of the Sanparks Table Mountain National Park. Where is Silvermine Nature Reserve? If you are travelling on the M3 towards Muizenberg, you turn right at the end of the road to take Ou Kaapse Weg on the way to Noordhoek. As you ascend the incline, the road will take a sharp right and Silvermine Nature Reserve Gate 1 is on the right hand side. If you are somewhat puzzled by my directions, just Google Maps it! How much does it cost? There is an entrance fee of R35 per adult and R15 per child. If you have a four-legged, furry friend, they charge R70 for the dog and an accompanying adult. Waleed and I used to pay these fees weekly, until we got a couples' Wildcard (which provides unlimited entries into any of the parks or reserves) and a My Activity Permit for Kygo (this allows him into certain parks, reserves and beaches). Fo