It’s 7 on a Saturday morning. The sun is up, temperatures are forecast at 24°C, and there’s not a breath of wind or cloud in the sky. It is promising to be a perfect summer’s day. This is probably the easiest decision I’ve ever had to make at 7 on a Saturday morning…it’s off to Silvermine we go to (finally) trek up to Elephant’s Eye!
While the kids are jumping on dad to wake him out of his deep slumber, I’m gathering the essentials. Camera. Check. Water. Check. Picnic. Check. Hats and sunscreen. Check, check. Then off we go. The drive up Ou Kaapse Weg is exhilarating, as long as you don’t get spooked by the crazy cyclists who torture themselves up the steep incline. The endless view stretches from False Bay, over the Southern Suburbs, to the distant mountain ranges that form a formidable barrier to the north.
Silvermine forms part of the Table Mountain National Park and the drive there is quiet and tranquil. The sounds of traffic are drowned out by the whispering winds, the call of birds, and the singing cicada beetles that are so synonymous with summer. Upon reaching the Silvermine Dam parking lot, you can embark on a hiking trail or laze it up around the dam. Mountain biking can also be done in the reserve, but on specially designated trails. We chose the hike to Elephant’s Eye – which is something we had been dying to do since arriving in Cape Town and seeing the mysterious cave over Tokai forest. As you can imagine, the cave is positioned on a mountain that resembles an elephant lying down.
Having never done the hike before, we were pleased to see that it was only an estimated hour to the summit, especially since our 2-year-old was joining the expedition. (He had begged us to hike up from Tokai forest, but that is 99% uphill!) We ended up taking the short cut over some steeper terrain as opposed the longer dirt road track. The kids armed themselves with walking sticks and refused to be helped (for the most part anyway). It turned out to be loads of fun and a far more scenic route. We passed through some beautiful flora, had a drink at a steep drop off, hopped over a fresh stream with tadpoles begging to be caught, and trekked up a variety of stepped paths with extraordinary views. One thing we discovered was a variety of fynbos that reeked like toxic gas – my poor boy kept having his nappy checked before we realised it wasn’t him!
Upon reaching Elephant’s Eye cave, I was pleasantly surprised to be guided along a path lined with lush flowers that were remarkably different from the rest of the fynbos. It was an Eden experience; lush and green, with water droplets running down the mountain face and off the roof of the cave. The mini-shower and cool shade of the cave were a welcome relief from the morning heat.
After a picnic and a hike down, we took our time exploring Silvermine Dam. I thought the hike would drain all energy, but the kids were only too happy to race along the wooden walkway that circumnavigates the water. The dam is beautiful! There are nooks and crannies to explore and a variety of demarcated braai areas where friends and family can gather and socialise. Children’s laughter flowed across the waters while the smell of braai meat mingled with the warm breeze. I could think of no better spot to spend a relaxing day outdoors.
Here are some photographs from that special day:
