Nature Trails in Pretoria:  Faerie Glen Nature Reserve
 
The Bronberg is the focus of this park.  A cement path takes you can walk to the top from where you have a scenic view of Pretoria East.  The route traverses a while before it takes you down. 
 
The park has a network of well marked routes (+/- 9km).  You cannot get lost.  Many people hike here over weekends, so it is considered save.  Your dog is also welcome, but you need to buy a permit at the entrance. 
 
We saw Zebra and Impala when we hiked there.  There is also a bird hide which overlooks a stream.  The reserve has 2 vegetation types – Gold Reef Mountain Bushveld and Marikana Thornveld. 
 
Entrance fees:
Adults               R12.00
Pensioners        R6.00
 
It is open from 06.00 – 18.00
 
The reserve is in January Masilela Dr. near the corner with Lynnwood Rd. in Faerie Glen.  There is a parking area at the entrance with guards.
 
Hiking here is a great nature experience inside the city. 

This 5.6 km route in Pretoria East is fairly flat, it is well marked and you get the Bushveld feel.  It is definitely one of my favourite hiking routes.  You really feel that you are out in nature.  Your dog is also welcome.
 
Directions:
Travel east on Lynnwood Rd.  Turn left onto Silverlakes Rd and keep straight.  After you pass the Silver lakes entrance, the road turns right.  It becomes a gravel road and when you cannot go any further, you arrived.
 
It is open 7 days a week and over weekends they have the Cowhouse Market.  You have to see this. 
 
Entrance is R25 for adults and pensioners pay R20. 
 
You can also do MTB here.  The MTB and trail running/hiking routes is not the same route, so the bikes won’t drive over you.  

www.hazeldeanvalley.co.za

​Check it out!

MORELETA KLOOF NATURE RESERVE
 
This is just one of those feel-good nature trails in Pretoria. 
 
You can park your vehicle on the premise where it will be guarded.  You sign the register before and after your hike.  This is just another safety measure.  There are bathroom facilities and a restaurant on the terrain. 
 
You can walk three different trails or a combination:
Rademeyer Hiking Trail          1.5km
Duiker Hiking Trail                  2.89km
Suikerbos Hiking Trail             3.32km
 
I usually sign the register, cross the entrance road and just keep left on the path.  This winding little path will take you around the kloof.  You will go up and down and there are flat sections too.  You may see some animals like Impala, Duiker, Blesbok, etc.  There are a number of other hikers on the route over weekends, so it is safe.  You cannot get lost and there are exit routes which you can follow. 
 
The reserve is open summer and winter from 06.00 – 18.00. 
Entrance is free.
 
You enter in Helios Street, Moreletapark, Pretoria.
 
Enjoy your hike!

Wednesday, 8 May 2019 is Election Day in South Africa.  You can vote between 07.00 and 21.00.

We plan to enjoy the day with a walk in nature.

WHERE:  Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve in Helios Street, Moreleta, Pretoria.

TIME:  We meet at 07.30 in the parking area.

COST:  Entrance is free.

DISTANCE:  We walk the 6 km route, but you can exit at any time.  The route is not difficult, but there are a few ups and downs.  

We do not walk or race against time - we walk to enjoy nature.

Please, join us.  If you can come, let me know.  

Email:  flycatcher@xsinet.co.za

Stephanus Johannes Paulus Kruger was born on the farm Bulhoek, near Cradock in the Eastern Cape on 10 October 1825. In 1836 the Krugers became Voortrekkers and young Paul Kruger witnessed the battle of Vegkop against Mzilikazi. With little formal education, he started out life farming at Waterkloof in the Rustenburg District. When he was only 17 years old he married Maria du Plessis, but she and their baby died from malaria in 1846. Kruger then married her cousin Gezina, who bore him 16 children.

He was inaugurated President of the ZAR on 9 May 1883. In 1900 the ZAR fell to the Brittish during the SA War. Kruger did not accept this. To prevent being captured by the Brittish he went to Mozambique where he boarded the Dutch cruiser, De Gelderland, to Europe, never to return.

The Kruger House was the home of President Kruger and his family for the last 16 years of the 19th century. The Museum consists of the original house, two display halls and Paul Kruger's State Railway Coach. The house was built in 1883 and was declared a National Monument in 1936.

The Paul Kruger Church opposite Paul Kruger House was founded in 1859. The first church was built in 1863. Klaas van Rijsse was the architect of the current church and the corner stone was laid on 10 October 1896 by Pres Paul Kruger. The church was formally opened on 25 December 1897 and in September 1979 it was declared a National Monument.

Next to Paul Kruger house is the former pass office, named GaMothle. This was the Bantu Commissioner's office in Pretoria. It was built by J. Kelman in 1932.

OUR TOUR:
We have permission to park in the parking area of the Paul Kruger Church opposite the Paul Kruger House in WF Nkomo Street (Old Church Street). We will meet in the parking area from where we will enter the church with our guide who will share the history. Then we cross the road with our guide for a tour of Paul Kruger House and the exhibition halls. We will not be able to see the inside of GaMothle, but our guide will share the history with us.

The tour will conclude at the church where we will enjoy cold drinks.

PLEASE JOIN US !!
YOU WILL BE ENRICHED BY THE RICHNESS OF OUR COUNTRY'S HISTORY.

WHAT TO BRING?
Camera

BOOKING IS ESSENTIAL: Email flycatcher@xsinet.co.za or phone Antoinette at 07 22 88 0967

COST: R120.00 per person

WHEN:  09 March 2019

TIME:  08.30 - 10.30

​Chris and I have done many wilderness hikes in the central Drakensberg.  The mountains are very dramatic here.
 
We started from Monks Cowl campsite, and hiked past Crystal Falls, Blind Man’s Corner, Hlathikulu Nek to Keith Bush Camp.  This route has always been one of my favourites in the Berg. 
 
We overnighted at Keith Bush Camp.  The next day, we walked to Intunja, carrying only our day packs.
 
Why is Intunja so special?
It is 2 408m high and it has a hole in the rock near the top.  The hole looks like “The eye in the needle”, as is the meaning of the name.
 
Our excitement was short lived to be on top of Intunja.  A helicopter with tourists arrived on the scene and as we stood on the peak, the helicopter circled above us.  They stole our peace!  With all this noise around us, we took photos of each other and not of the helicopter.  We also explored inside the hole. 
 
After this, we walked back to Keith Bush Camp where we spent the night.  We could not get over the noisy incident.  At least, we had a peaceful night!

​Birding Meet-up at the Voortrekker Monument
 
Let's meet for the birds! 

The Voortrekker Monument is part of a 250 ha nature reserve. It offers a selection of garden and woodland bird species. 

We will meet at the bottom of the stairs at the Monument, at the red postbox. There will not be an official guide, but we can walk together and see what birds we can find. If you do not know anything about birding, then you will still be welcome. 

COST: You must pay an entrance fee of R45.00 at the gate. Enter at the main gate and tell them you are there for bird watching. This entrance fee will not allow you to visit the inside of the monument. 

WHY SHOULD YOU COME?
Safety in numbers
Fun to learn from each other
Out in nature
Bird watching is addictive

WHAT TO BRING: 
Binoculars
Water
Comfortable Shoes

CONTACT: Antoinette 07 22 88 0967 or flycatcher@xsinet.co.za

Pretoria is fondly known as the Jacaranda City and this is due to the 70 000 Jacaranda trees that grow in and around the city. From the end of September to mid November the streets literally turn purple. The students believe that if a Jacaranda flower falls on you, then it will go well with your exams! Government Avenue has two rows of Jacaranda trees on the pavements on both sides of the street.

John Munro built Arkleton for himself to live in, in 1912. He was the contractor that built the Palace of Justice on Church Square. This impressive building currently belongs to the Indian High Commission.

In 1889 T.W. Beckett , a business man who arrived in Pretoria in 1874, bought part of the farm Arcadia and built the imposing house known as Merton Keep on the premises. The house was used as a field hospital during the Second South-African War. It later became the residency of the French Ambassador.

Christ Church was designed by Herbert Baker and the foundation stone was laid on 5 February 1906. We will have the opportunity to look around inside the church.

We will meet at the water feature at the entrance of Loftus Park and finish there again. We will leisurely walk and enjoy the Jacaranda Trees in the area, including Government Avenue and Beckett street. We have a guide who will tell you about historic buildings: Arkleton, Merton Keep and Christ Church.

PLEASE JOIN US ON THIS TOUR!

WHAT TO BRING?
Comfortable walking shoes
Camera
Water

BOOKING ESSENTIAL: Email flycatcher@xsinet.co.za

COST: R50.00 per person.

TIME: 07.00

Loftus Park has a parking garage.

The photo credit belongs to Wessel du Plessis.

​The Kruger National Park covers almost 2 million hectares of unspoiled terrain.  It is about the same size as the whole of Israel.  The length of the park is on average 360 km and the widest point is 65 km.  It has a network of 1800 km of well maintained road.  This flagship park is situated in Mpumalanga and Limpopo provinces on the border with Mozambique. 
 
The park is home to the world’s largest diversity of wildlife in their natural environment.  It has 517 bird, 49 fish, 34 amphibian, 114 reptile, 336 tree and 147 mammal species.  Apart from this paradise, you can view spectacular scenery in the mountainous area known as the Panorama Route.  Panorama Route is en route to the Kruger National Park. 
 
Flycatcher Travel and Tours has three- to five-day packages available.  You will be accompanied by a tour guide and everything will happen at a pace that is determined by you.  

​Cullinan is close to Pretoria, Gauteng, and it came on the map in 1905 when the famous Cullinan diamond was found here.  This diamond weighed 3, 106 carats. 
 
You can go on a guided tour in this mine.  After you dressed in the correct safety clothes, the guide will show you the surface of the mine and the big hole. 
 
After a safety briefing you and your guide will go down in the mine to level 763.  He will tell and show you jaw dropping stuff.  You may take your camera with. 
 
All in all, you will walk about 3 km, at a comfortable pace.  You will also visit the mine’s surface diamond shop.