Silvermine morning

Luckily for us the Food Lady and the Alph did not feel like hiking up the mountain after those bloody red flowers so, after a bit of a lie-in, we were bundled into the car and taken to see our human grandmother and the spaniels. But first, we stopped off at Clovelly to walk along the paths that had been built by some of the Friends of Silvermine in the newly renovated wetlands of the lower Silvermine River that flows into the sea at Clovelly (next to Fish Hoek). They seem to have a few problems with vandals,
but we knew we were in a dog-friendly neighbourhood when we saw this sign. Sometimes we meet the lady who began the whole TEARS society who also walks her dogs on Fish Hoek beach every Friday morning.
We then crossed a bridge,
and came to another sign all about otters that live here. We would love to chase an otter! But we didn't see any.
As usual, the Food Lady was snapping away. This is a Snake Berry (Lycium ferocissimum).
Another bridge. What fun. These wetlands are quite recent as the original ones had been destroyed but they built a series of retention ponds to prevent flooding, and have allowed the indigenous bush to return. We were interested to hear that the original wetland here was the type site for the endangered frog - the Cape Platanna - which no longer occurs here. The whole community enjoy the wetlands now and we met lots of joggers, walkers and dogs.
A Balloon Milkweed (Gomphocarpus physocarpus), which is an introduced weed from tropical Africa and now occurs all over South Africa. It is the main foodplant of the African Monarch butterfly which is immune to the poisonous alkaloids in the plant and indeed, stores them away to use against its own predators.
It really was a nice and easy walk, with lots of smells for us and views along the Fish Hoek Valley for the humans.
One of the retention ponds which forms part of the resotred wetland. The Silvermine River is the most pristine of all the rivers on the Cape Peninsula and this section of the lower river is looked after by the local community. Most impressive we thought. We then crossed the busy road, and walked onto the beach. Can you see the shark flag flying (an arrow points to it) - black today.
Black means that visibility is not good, but lots of people were swimming and doing nippers - including our human cousins.
We met lots of friends.
And were much admired.
We then got back into the car, and drove up the hill to see the spaniels and Omie-domes. You can tell that the Argus Cycle Tour is coming up soon! We were not locked out of the house and had to stay in the garden. WHY? Hey, you have forgotten us! LET US IN. PLEASE! HEY! OI! (Just cant believe they are doing this to us!) HEY!
But then it was time to go and we bade Thomas and Aiden goodbye.

For more about the Lower Silvermine River Wetland Conservation Area click here.

Heat and dust

Extra early start today because of the heat. Only Sue was there. We set off at six thirty five or so, with the sun already beating down. Long shadows to prove that it was early.
Shortly after the start at Cecilia we veered off into the the lovely cool forest where we could have a dip.
But sadly Sue was not feeling well and the Alph said she should go home again and have a rest. So we walked her back to the car park. Look at the dusty path. It was now about seven thirty and mighty hot.
Someone had left a birthday message for Vivian in the sandy road.
Looking back over Cape Town with Muizenberg mountain in the background. You can just see us hot Scots in the road: a little unsure about this walk. We are not very good at heat.
But then, after a short slog up Rooikat Ravine, we all disappeared into the deep dark shade of the indigenous forest. What a relief!
A rather in-your-face King Protea (Protea cynaroides) on the way,
and a little Gnidia.
At the waterfall the Alph and FL had a cup of tea, and we met some dogs who all wanted to swim in my pool. I let this one in and look how happy she looks. All the humans just stood under the waterfall cooling off. One old chap took off all his clothes - well almost - and had a shower.
The mossy green drippy ferny falls.
Eventually we had to leave, and boy did we have some adventures on the way back! We saw some red disas which made the FL happy but the Alph seemed unimpressed. "Its just another bloody red flower. So what!" he said. Then I went after some good smells and got a bit sidetracked. I heard the FL screeching and yelling for me, but I was not ready to get back on the path just then. In my own time I sauntered back looking surprised by all the fuss. Then Dougal had a fight with an Alsatian and his friend who were hogging the path and getting up Dougal's nose. Luckily the Alsatian was old and his friend rather small, so no injuries were inflicted.By then the humans were so mad at us both that they chased us all the way back to the landrover. Look at our dust!

The Alph phoned Sue when we got home and she said she was feeling ok.

Hot shots

A hot day for a walk even though we started early. We left the Land Rover at Wolfkop parking and went in the boot of Sue's car to the start of the walk at St James. Sue had brought a Norwegian mathematician called Jorinde too, and Thea was waiting for us at St James. Here we all are dawdling on Boyes Drive. This grasshopper was rather too hot to move - I think it was seeing stripes.
A patch of the Kalk Bay hillside had recently burned - making it seem even hotter.
Not much else about - just a feather.
But we were soon back in the fynbos - these are Tooth-leaved Powderpuff (Pseudoselago serrata) flowers.
Me sitting in Joridne's and Sue's shadow - every little piece of shade was most welcome.
A pretty little Pelargonium longifolium braving the heat - growing in a rocky crevice.
I wished I could fit into a shady crevice. All I could do was grab what little shade I could find. This is our obligatory stop under Sam-the-lavatorydoor's Mimetes tree on the Mimetes Valley path.
A hot Peninsula Silkypuff (Diastella divaricata), a miniature protea.
It was quite tricky walking under Thea's umbrella,
but I did so welcome the shade.
We made it to Nellie's Pool with its life-affirming eau de vie and I had a swim. I had not bargained on getting in so deep, but it did cool me down a bit. There were some nice trees to have tea under, and Dougal managed to get some mouse-hunting in too.
A little erica, possibly Erica obliqua, was also enjoying the shade next to the deep, cool eau de vie in Nellie's Pool.
Then the whole world arrived ...
and his dog! This Airedale was very well camouflaged against the sandy soil here.
The long hot road home.
A fiery Lampranthus
Dried heads of old everlasting daisies were puffing out white seeds in the hot breeze.
More hot road back to the parking place,
but at last we were back at the cars, and after a drink we drove back to fetch the cars at St James.Then we were home in plenty of time to watch the tennis that went on, and on, and on and on and on, and ...