Tygerberg Nature Reserve

Today our foray was into the Tygerberg hills, so called because the early settlers mistakenly thought the leopards that roamed were tigers, but it's a nice name, so we'll keep it. A cold front heading for Cape Town brought low cloud and an icy wind, and a puffy jacket plus a mist jacket was soon donned by me, who prefers to walk in shirt sleeves, but the temperature was about 9 degrees on top.
There are only two tiny areas of renosterveld left here, with three plants endemic, and it is yet another example of man's ability to destroy the planet with what he calls progress. About 24 small mammals live on these hills and 137 bird species, but the wind kept them in the undergrowth and most are too shy or too clever to come out when humans pass by! It was nevertheless a lovely walk and with multiple paths to choose from, it can easily be a full day's outing for the keen hiker.
There are warning signs all along the paths to make us aware of the slipperiness of the terrain, and they aren't joking. In general, the path is covered in a fine green moss on clay, and more than one of the group found themselves on the ground in the blink of an eye. Great care should be taken when walking there in winter.
Three species of tortoise are found in the reserve and we were lucky to spot a pretty but endangered angulate tortoise catching a bit of winter sunshine as we made our way down to the two dams that intrude into the residential area - or is that the residential area intruding into the reserve? Workers were clearing all the reeds from the sides of the dam, and a distressed little coot was frantically gathering new reeds to rebuild her nest which had obviously been simply dragged up the bank with the freshly cut reeds and piled into huge sacks. These were then hauled by two men (and some women) along the path to where the truck waited to remove them. They must have been very pleased to have slippery paths to drag the weight along. Unfortunately there seems to be no regard or perhaps even awareness of the destruction of the breeding habitats for the birds in the area. 😞
By now it was pretty hot in the lee of the hills and jackets were shed for the long slog back up the hill to the cars. A good three hour walk in pleasant (apart from treacherously slippery) surroundings and definitely a place to walk again.

One of breeding pair of jackal buzzards

Subway under the roads

Angulate tortoise catching some rays

Coot trying to rebuild nest

Treacherous path with mossy surface

Happy hikers on a very short bit of tar

Table Mountain in the mist