We are still suffering from late summer heat here in Cape Town, and so today we decided against a steep and shadeless trek up to Oppelskop in favour of the verdant Alphen and Diep River trails where there is always the shade of a towering tree or three. The new parking layout (not that new, but relatively) means we can even park in the shade outside the Alphen Hotel and not cook in our cars at the end of a walk.
The trail is ever so gentle to start with and the gradual ascent along well-worn and much treasured paths where dogs and horses alike are exercised makes it an almost effortless walk despite being around 10km and a little over 200m elevation. The stream on the Alphen trail has dried up, but the Diep River continues to flow clear and strong, and a big clean-up is underway, with the channels being cleared of clogging overgrowth and fresh reeds being planted along the watercourse. We can look forward to a revived trail free from invasive plants seeded by birds and suchlike and hopefully a more abundant water supply further downstream.
We reached Rhodes Drive (so called because it was the road Rhodes took every day from Groote Schuur to Constantia Nek, to enjoy the expansive views across the valleys on either side) at the top of Hohenort Avenue and proceed through the gum plantation with its magnificent, arrow straight trees reaching to the heavens, and on through the avenue of cork trees with their soft, convoluted and immensely attractive bark (thank goodness for plastic corks) to Southern Cross Drive. A refreshing break under the pine trees revived us enough to make our way down the Diep River trail - all downhill from there - and get back to the cars just before our legs caved in! It was, despite the shade, a windless and humid morning, but as always a delight to be out in such beautiful surroundings.
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