Flat walk through the pine trees

A completely flat walk through Tokai forest followed Tuesday's rather more adventurous and hazardous climb up to Oppelskop, and fortunately we were once again led by our intrepid Brian, stitched up outside and inside and looking a little worse for wear, but unbowed in spirit and cheerfulness as always. It was set to be a hot day around 30 degrees, but being Cape Town, temperatures varied vastly from suburb to suburb and occasionally a little breeze blew. Being mostly a forest walk, with a wide track (shared with mountain bikers), we were able to catch up conversationally with fellow hikers who can no longer do the hill climbs, and it was a morning full of banter and laughs. I always say we exercise our stomach muscles as well as our legs, and today was no exception.
The downside of the forest is that everyone walks their dogs there and no effort is made to clean up after them, which makes it necessary to keep a close eye on the way ahead, as the mounds of poop make it a place where angels would fear to tread! Sadly, the evidence of human disregard for the environment is everywhere, even along the track parallel to the road where Table Mountain National Parks' office is. In their property, beneath a sign saying: No Dumping, was a mass dumping of plastic bags filled with builders rubble and other refuse, doubtless done under cover of darkness - or maybe not, as the culprits have no conscience. Plastic bottles, tissues and fast food containers simply thrown out of car windows makes the blood boil, and it will take a miracle to engender any kind of care for the planet in the minds of people who are unconscious of their very surroundings.
But back to the lovely walk. The people living in the bushes near lone tree hill have moved on and it makes for a more secure feeling as you pass the area, and the lone tree makes such a lovely place to relax with coffee and a snack, admiring the panorama from this man-made hillock.
I didn't spot any owls in the towering pines, but that was because I couldn't look up while walking! So carrying my large camera was largely pointless, except for the nice close-up of the coral tree flower along the way.
When we got back to the cars, a street hawker had set up a stall selling the local Constantia Hanepoot grapes, the sweet and much-favoured variety that I grew up with. R45 a box. One of our group asked for R10's worth and got a real bargain! That's the way to go. I noticed that the grapes were smaller than I remember, and wondered if it was due to the prolonged drought. Or perhaps they were the leftovers after harvesting the prime bunches.

85 years young

 

A river runs through it in winter