• Exploring the fauna of Melville Koppies
Before lockdown, visitors had a choice of doing a gruelling 8km hike through the reserve or a more leisurely 4,5km guided walk. Now you have the freedom to roam the koppies in your family group, or with groups of friends, along its many paths at your own pace, stopping, listening and watching when you want to.
Look where you’re walking and adjacent to the path, and if you’re really lucky you’ll spot one of the very shy tortoises that trundle across the grassland. For more details, see www.mk.org.za. Come and see for yourself but make sure you pre-book and pay (R80 adults and R40 children) for either 11, 18 or 25 October from 8am to 11.30am. For more details, send an email to wendavid@mweb.co.za or phone 011 482 4797.
• Hikers and runners can visit Avianto in Muldersdrift again
Avianto Trails in Muldersdrift opened their gates again for hikers and runners. They offer a variety of trails, and all of them are pet-friendly too. Before visiting them, take note that tickets for the weekends are to be bought online at www.avianto.co.za/avianto-online-trail-tickets but, if you visit them during the week you have to report to the reception to purchase a pass. All trails start at The Clubhouse on the Avianto Lifestyle Estate. Running and walking trails are ideal for a fantastic day out in the countryside. Approximately 5km of scenic routes offer a great exercise option, regardless of your level of fitness. Pets need to be on a leash, and remember the poop scoop. They are situated on Avianto Plot 69, Driefontein Road, Muldersdrift.
• Missing your weekly parkrun?
Sterkfontein Heritage Lodge, 1 Wolf Street, Rant-en-Dal, has the answer for you! If you have a parkrun barcode, you and your friends will be able to access the parkrun route for free. All you need to do is report to reception, show your barcode and you are good to go. All the owner asks of you is to support the restaurant after completing your route. For non-parkrunners and those who would like to visit the lodge for a hike or to cycle, the lodge is also open at a fee of R40 per person.
• Picnic at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden
The Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden on Malcolm Road, Poortview is now open for picnics, bird watching and photography, walking, hiking and running. The restaurant is also open. The Sisulu Circle, children’s play area, garden gym and drinking fountains are still closed. If you wish to visit the Garden, remember to wear a mask, sanitize at the entrance and ensure social distancing. The group limit is 50 persons. Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets online on the webtickets.co.za website to limit physical contact.
• NG Kerk Roodekrans hou basaar!
Op Vrydag, 2 Oktober, hou die NG gemeente, Roodekrans hul heel eerste kry-en-ry basaar by die NG Kerk, Azalealaan 7, Roodekrans van 4nm tot 8nm. Kom herleef die era van die padkafee met heerlike basaarkos. Smul aan die heerlike sosatie-ete, kerrie en rys, malvapoeding, beskuit, melktert, fudge, klapperys, koekies en nog vele meer. Daar sal ook ‘lucky packets’ beskikbaar wees. Alle bestellings moet via die elektroniese bestelvorm geplaas word, beskikbaar by https://bit.ly/35k2vGV, of stuur jou naam en van na die WhatsApp-nommer 079 401 8000 (stoor eers die nommer in jou foon). Bestellings sluit op 28 September, en alle bestellings moet op 2 Oktober by die kerk afgehaal word. Vir meer inligting, kontak Gerhard van Rooyen by 083 455 6426 of Helene de Jager by 083 408 2132.
• Virtual Garden Day
· The fourth annual Garden Day is on Sunday 11 October. Garden Day is an altruistic movement and its call to action is to ask people to down tools, pop on a flower crown and celebrate their unique green spaces and gardens in every shape and size.
• This year, Garden Day is especially poignant. Over the past few months, South Africans have turned to their green spaces to find solace and balance.
• For the first time this year Garden Day will host its first-ever Virtual Garden Day Gathering with a host of events, including a Q & A session with garden guru Tanya Visser, a flower crown showdown with comedian Schalk Bezuidenhout and radio and television presenter Zoë Brown, garden-inspired gourmet cooking and more via Zoom and Facebook Live.
• It’s free and open to anyone to attend.
Visit Gardenday.co.za/GetInvolved for a handy toolkit to help you plan the perfect virtual celebration, including recipe ideas, downloadable invitations for your virtual celebration, and things to do and make with children in the garden. The final programme for the Virtual Garden Gathering will be released on Gardenday.co.za/Events at the start of October. Catch news, updates, and inspiration at @GardenDaySA on Candide, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. Tag your posts with @GardenDaySA and #GardenDaySA to share your green celebration with friends, family, and fellow plant lovers online.
• Gold mine tour at Kloofendal Nature Reserve
Join Rod Kruger on Sunday, 4 October from 2pm to 4pm at the Kloofendal Nature Reserve, Galena Drive, Kloofendal. Costs for this tour are R90 for adults, R70 for pensioners and R50 for children. For more information, or to make a booking, contact Karin Spottiswoode on 079 693 5608. All Covid-19 regulations will be adhered to, and all participants must wear a mask at all times.
Remember to send notifications of your events to roodepoortrecord@caxton.co.za/ northside@caxton.co.za.
