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First, the bad news: we're going to do a 24kmhike around Cape Town's finest and wildest nature reserve - the Kogelberg Biosphere. But here's the good news: I'll do the walking, you do the relaxing -it's our first Cape Town virtual hike.
Well, OK, the Kogelberg is about an hour and a half out of town but it's at the heart of the extraordinary fynbos, that unique tapestry of flora that carpets much of the Western Cape, and boasts over 1650 species of plant (that's more than the whole of Great Britain) and of those some 150 are only found in this rugged mountain wilderness.
If you like nature, you'll love the Kogelberg.
Let's set out from the empty car park early - straight away we'll find ourselves surrounded by flowers. The bright sunshine has sunbirds and sugarbirds noisily chasing each other and bees happily hum past us.
A few kilometres later we plunge into a dappled forest where old yellow woods, cape beeches and iron woods crowd a permanent stream. The air is still, heavy and smells like a freshly watered garden.
Back out in the fynbos the strengthening sun is bringing dozens of flowers out - extravagant pagoda proteas, delicate paper daisies, odd ball-shaped berzelias and showy gladioli. It's hard to make progress here - every few hundred metres we have to stop and admire.
Suddenly a dazzling orange orchid - the weirdly named ewwa trewwa - is on show, followed quickly by a golden orchid, its flowers perfectly shaped to receive pollinating bees.
It's getting hot; let's take lunch on a sandy beach next to the Palmiet River.
We can swim - and drink it - if you like, the water is crystal clear and there's no-one else for miles. No people that is: a baboon barks in the distance, reminding us that we're in his territory - not that we need much of a reminder: the presence of leopard spoor on the path earlier has made it clear that we are in a very different place to Cape Town.
After lunch we'll have to pick up the pace but the low afternoon sun is kinder now, softening the sharp-edged mountains and bringing a fuzzy haze to the long walk back to the trail head. Not long now, just enough energy left to pick up some porcupine quills and get a glimpse of our first antelope, a fleeing Cape Grysbok, jinking through the bush like a champion slalom skier.

Back at the car we can pull our boots off and let them steam quietly; the familiar clink of glass bottles tells us that cold beers are about to be passed around as long shadows fall across the mountains. Broad smiles break out and someone laughs happily.
See you on the next Cape Town virtual hike.
Cheers.
1. I'm virtually inspired after my virtual hike with you! Great knowledge on the flowers. Definitely keen to pack my virtual backpack for the next virtual hike! Thanks Fynbosguy!
2. And a big virtual thank you to you - bring back plenty of photos from the Cedarberg please!
3. Thank you Fynbos Guy - I really felt like I was on this hike :) Next one please!
4. This sounds incredible! thanks Fynbos Guy, really inspirational - keep it up. Do you do REAL walking tours?!
5. Hi Isabelle - thank you for your feedback - the really good news is that I do indeed do REAL walking tours as well! Drop me a line on my profile and we can take it from there.
Lace up your boots and get ready to explore!
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