my views

People often ask how I know about so many trails and the truth is some of them are discovered in a serendipitous manner. Klaasenbosch was one of those amazing ‘by chance’ discoveries and has quickly crept up our favourite list.  We were doing the Alphen Trail one day, and we usually start at the bottom of Alphen Drive and walk all the way to the top of the trail. As we came out on the other side at Hohenort Avenue, we saw another trail board across the road and decided to try it. The rest is history... Waleed and Kygo exploring in the early morning light Walking the Klaasenbosch Trail For the Google Maps directions to Klaasenbosch - click here As you start the trail, the verges are the backyards of properties that have stables and depending on the time of day that you walk, we often see people horse-riding. There are no cyclists allowed, which makes it a popular spot for dog walking and trail running. The view of Klaasenbosch A great place to take your dog for a walk It is a short 3km

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

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