www.zafaritravel.co.za
April 2011 Newsletter

Set in the undulating mountains either side of Ou Kaapse Weg (Old Cape Road), Silvermine Nature Reserve is part of the Cape Peninsula mountain range, stretching from Kalk Bay through to Constantiaberg.

Not many people know this but the Silvermine area got its name from the first land owner who acquired it hoping to farm on it. But with the land being so high up in the hills and with so much rock up there he decided rather to divide it into sections and sell off the land. When no-one was interested in purchasing his land for the price he wanted, the landowner then came up with a plan to make his land appear more valuable than it really was. With the amount of rock up in Silvermine the only thing the farmer could think of was to take a few small, raw pieces of Silver and fire it into the rock with his shotgun, making it appear the rock on his land was rich in precious Silver metal. Word spread quickly and the land was sold in no time. A mine started being built but it wasn't long before it was discovered that there was no Silver at all. By this time, I'm sure, the previous landowner was very far away!
Perhaps in mockery to those who fell for the landowners trick, the land and the river running from it was named Silvermine.

	Today the free-spirited, nature loving inhabitants of the Deep South, as this remote part of Cape Town's Southern Peninsula is called, enjoy, picnicking, braai-ing (BBQ), walking dogs, rock climbing and mountain biking at Silvermine. There are also numerous caves of all sizes and levels that can be hiked to from Silvermine, there is the waterfall that can be seen from Ou Kaapse Weg, the big dam is roughly 350m long and many swimmers and athletes train there, the small dam is secluded and peaceful boasting waterlillies. Silvermines mountain biking and hiking trail also joins up with Tokai Plantation where troops of baboons swing from the treetops. Views from on top of Silvermine are breathtaking and there is a overnight hut which forms part of the stunning Hoerigwaggo hiking trail. The hut is in excellent condition and catering can easily be arranged for groups through Zafari Travel. But, perhaps fortunately, many City people drive straight past it on the way to the popular surfing and tourist spots on the Peninsula, leaving it unspoiled and, on many days, not too crowded.

Picnic on the lawns at a wine farm
	Recently Zafari discovered that the small family run wine farm in Stellenbosch, Warwick, had had a major facelift. The farm, or now referred to as an Estate, had a restaurant, a Safari land rover for the big 5 wildlife viewing and the staff were neatly dressed in uniform. A little disappointed it may have lost it's charm, I was delighted to find that they had big umbrellas with picnic blankets and soft cushions dotted on the large lawn next to the dam. Even more delightful was their picnic baskets filled with fresh breads, assorted cheese, olives, cold meats and tasty spreads. The picnic blankets were well spaced out on the large lawn area and there were even private "nest" enclosures around the dam with a large wooden tables and decking, each spaced out and hidden from each other between the wild garden and trees. Although it was a different experience having a waitress at our picnic blanket, she was relaxed and only visited us when we called her over or when our wine glasses needed topping up. And speaking of the wine, Warwick has award winning wines. So even if you don't have time to sink into puffy cushions and put your feet up, make sure you stop in for a tasting.

For more information on this trip you can click here to contact us

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