On Sunday we cycled from the excellent Slanghoek Valley camp site towards Bains Kloof. Next to the camp site was a field with ponies.

Vineyards and high mountains.

Some cycled the valley and others climbed a mountain.

We took a left off the Main road to get closer to the mountain.

Cheri baked a MOTHERS DAY cake for us which had caramel and bannas

We finished a great weekend.

On Saturday, at Hexpass station, 19 Recyclers boarded the Hex Pass Eco train which is pulled by a tractor on the railway line to travel up the mountain. The railway was purchased by farmer Stefaan Jordaan. We chugged up and up around bends and through tunnels to Tunnel Station. Here we disembarked to enjoy the panoramic view of the Matroos mountain and the veld. The guide, John, served us Muscadel and grape juice. John gave us information on the fauna, flora, geology and Anglo-Boer War history.

Hexpass station

The journey continued to a picnic spot with huge trees. We all provided our own picnics before starting the return journey on our bikes. The narrow path beside the railway line with a sheer drop on the other side  was tricky. Once we arrived back at Tunnel station we relaxed on a wide jeep track to continue the ride down the mountain which was wonderful and so quiet. There were numerous punctures. It was so remote from the ordinary world.

Just before departure down the mountain.

The narrow track next to the railway.

Today Anele, son of Eric with one tooth, visited Eight Bells.

I returned at 4.30 pm and was about to enter through the back door when I saw a baboon eating the nuts in the basket that Laura arranged when she departed for Lux. The alarm had gone off and the Mountain Men arrived before I could ring them. He entered through the window which is always open for the Webcam.
He did not like the spicy biscuits in the packet but took off with the jar of rice which he is eating on the roof.

Please watch out for my jar as I heard that some people get the jars and bowls back unbroken.
The Baboon monitors research team plan a trap at a neighbours house on Friday afternoon. They want to return him to his forest in Tokai.

After a delicious breakfast at Rhodes Memorial I dropped my cardigan while taking the picture. 2 hours later I returned to pick it up and it was there!!!!

I have to attend Summer School at the beautiful University of Cape Town today and I am expecting five people for lunch. I have prepared a spinach tart and a mushroom and bacon quiche.

Every year, I look forward to the two weeks of Summer School. It’s a twenty-minute drive from Kalk Bay. Last night as part of the Charlie Chaplin course we’re doing at Summer School, we viewed a film called The Gold Rush. It was made in 1925. It was funny and gripping. The lecture afterwards was also entertaining.

Another perfect summer’s day dawned.  With the sun rising over False Bay, I loaded my bike onto the car to take a 10 minute drive to meet my friends in Constantia Valley.

We decided at 7 am to cycle through the wine farms.  Out first call was at Groot Constantia (Great Constantia). Beautiful and of historical interest, the farm is introduced in the Our Heritage section of the website as follows: “The story of Groot Constantia, the finest surviving example of Cape Dutch architecture and one of South Africa’s foremost historical monuments and tourist attractions, dates back to 1685.” It is interesting to read the story, but even better to see the real thing! It is high in the valley and we enjoyed the mountain and the views of False Bay.  The long avenue of oak trees from this beautiful house was the last part of the ride on this oldest estate.

Along a cycle path and quiet roads we went to Klein Constantia (Little Constantia).  This farm was originally part of the greater Constantia wine farm granted to Simon Van Der Stel. A subsequent owner, Hendrik Cloete, divided the farm between two of his sons, creating Klein Constantia. Again wonderful views over the vineyards.  The road into the estate is lined with flowering agapanthus. In a paddock there were pure white cattle grazing.

Close by we found Buitenverwachting (Beyond Expectation), yet another split-off from the original Constantia.  It is lovely to picnic here in the werf (barnyard) under huge oak trees.

We had a spectacular two-hour ride, only 10 minutes’ drive from Kalk Bay.

I have experienced two and a half hours in heaven at The Majestic Spa in Kalk Bay.   The building is beautiful.  The latest equipment is used by the friendly, kind, well trained staff.  The atmosphere is calm and peaceful.  If you want to spoil someone this is the ideal gift.    Perhaps you should spoil yourself?

I have visited  the Rustenburg Hydro outside Stellenbosch 14 times for a week each time.  The Majestic Spa is superb.  It is an experience  to learn how to de-stress.

Pool, gym, reiki.

After a week of stormy weather, Midwinter 22 June was a sunny morning. We loaded the bikes and drove to Simons Town to meet a friend for breakfast at the False Bay Yacht Club. After a delicious breakfast the sun was still shining and there was no wind so we drove for 20 minutes, along the coast to the Cape Point info centre.

We unloaded the bikes and cycled down to the sea in False Bay. We took the fishermans path from Boordjies pool to Venus Pool. The sea was calm with fisherman in 10 boats and 6 groups of fisherman on the rocks. We did not see any fish. There were no waves in Venus Pool.

We cycled back to Buffles Bay where there were lots of baboons. It was so peaceful with just a few people and the baboons. At the end of the road we carried our bikes to the rocks. There in the warm winter sunshine, we enjoyed a simple picnic from my basket. In the road there was a young dead puffadder. It had beautiful skin. Then we went to see the accommodation for hikers high up on the hill with wonderful views.

Tuesday morning my bike was stolen from the rack at the back of my car.

Last weekend, Jon and I drove in the Volvo to Montpellier to stay in a simple cottage in the vineyard.

It was so pretty with the autumn coloured red and gold vines in front of the cottage and surrounded by mountains.

We dined on my babotie, yellow rice and salad in front of the log fire with the dogs curled up at our feet. We slept in a brass and iron bed.

After a delicious English breakfast at Montpellier, we cycled into Church street in Tulbagh to see the farmers market. The old buildings in this street amongst the oaks are pretty. We cycled around the other roads, which are not pretty, to see the village. Then returned to the church museum where we walked in the graveyard to see the names of people who settled here. We noticed how long some of the women lived. 80 to 90 years was common.

We returned to our cottage in the vines to shower and change to drive back to the village for dinner. We drank a sherry in the Paddagang. It was very quiet so we returned to Church street and found Pielows which was full. We sat out under the stars. The dinner was excellent.

On Sunday, we decided to drive all the roads on the west of the village and found wonderful roads on which to cycle amongst the orchards. There was very little traffic. We noticed that a number of the farms were owned by the same families which we had seen in the graveyard.

We popped back to the cottage for lunch and to see the dogs. Then drove north to find Moniki chocolate farm which is high up on the mountain in a farm dated 1714. Here we drank a port and ate delicious chocolates.

Then we went east and found another old farm with super guest cottages, Schalkenbosch. This was even higher and bigger than the last farm. That evening as the sun was setting we cycled slowly round Montpellier seeing the shadows grow and reached our cottage just before dark.

The next morning before breakfast we cycled on the tarred road to Twee Jonge Gezellen. Then went up various dirt roads to explore. We enjoyed the houses, animals and scenery.

Then we cycled into Church street and found Gossip where Michael Kenny served us a super breakfast. He is a retired opera singer. We like Tulbagh and will return.

During the week Jon and I realised that the MGB could not be ready in time for the Swartland rally. Jon prepared the 1971 Jaguar which was so comfortable and warm in the rain. Schuppa, the Border Collie, easily fitted on to the back seat.

In pouring rain, we met the Crankers at Milnerton Paddling club on the beach. There were 32 cars which included Austins, Jags, Rolls Royces, Mercede Benzs, MGs, and more.

We departed at 2 minute intervals in the rain. However we soon drove out of the rain along the coast road to Melkbosch Strand. Following our rally pages we crossed the N7 and drove up and down rolling hills and valleys to Malmesbury Rugby Club. While navigators worked at calculating times and distances on the rally sheets, the drivers fed us with delicious hamburgers. New Jaguars were displayed at the club but I prefer the old ones.

Back on the road we should all have skipped the first turn to Lady Loch but some were lucky and took the second turn so they will have passed the marshalls. We skirted Wellington and followed the R45 to Tulbach with a left turn on a loop to drive on the old road. Missed marshalls again?

Driving through the Nuwekloof pass we again planned that we will do it on bicycles. After the pass I was so disappointed to find that the rally finished.

We were in Tulbach which is lovely village. It was damaged in 1968 by an earthquake. The Cape Dutch houses have been beautifully restored.

We stayed in comfortable accommodation in Hunters Rest.

The prizewinners dinner and Sunday breakfast was at the beautiful wine farm, Montpellier.

The house was approached by a splendid avenue of gum trees.

The winners of the rally were 147 seconds wrong after 3 hours of following the rally sheets. It was really fun and friendly rally. I look forward to next year.