Enjoying the Outdoors with your pets

There is so much to do in Cape Town, it’s on your doorstep and it costs nothing. How often have you heard that and put it to the test? Well in our household we do it every Sunday morning where we take the dogs for a hike or an interesting walk be it on mountain trails, along the beach, or even just to the park. There’s no getting away from it; somehow they pick up it’s Sunday and it’s their time. We get to go on walks and trails all over the City which, if we didn’t have the dogs, we would never do.

Our more strenuous outings are generally hikes in the mountain. Newlands Forest is on our doorstep and even as a regular for more than 10 years it never loses its appeal or feeling of accomplishment on reaching the contour path. I especially love it after the rains when there is plenty of water, and the dogs get to have a nice cooling off dip in the streams. Here the car park can be packed but once you’re on the trail you feel wonderfully isolated.

On other days a drive up to the cable car can mean a scenic walk along the contour path under the cable car, or at the end of the road, a climb over the saddle between Table Mountain and Devils Peak to the Newlands side. One day, on the spur of the moment, we decided to continue the hike with a climb to the top of Devils Peak. It’s certainly further than it looks! Roxy, our Jack Russell at that time, game-fully gave it a go but some of the steps were just to much for her and we had to help her up. Other bigger dogs around us managed fine.

A further drive away (but really still around the corner) there’s the jeep track up to the top of the mountain, or a hike through the most beautiful clusters of rock on Silvermine (entrance 2). Abby, our beagle loves exploring the rocks, and the outlook from the top is stunning

There are so many more dog friendly walks and trails in the mountain we don’t get to, and I’m sure just as beautiful. Remember you need to have a valid Activity permit from SANParks, an annual admin irritation but worth it. Be sure to check that your dogs are allowed in the area you plan to visit.

Other Sundays it could be the beach or neighbourhood parks and promenades, each with their own special features. Abby and Stevie still get great exercise but Kobus and I are spared over-exertion (for us anyway) as we build up for the next hike.

The dogs arrive home happy, tired and satisfied. They settle down to their weekly treat of a raw meat bone each, and we put our feet up and contemplate the wonderful spaces we have around us. I couldn’t however contemplate exploring them without the dogs, the pleasure they get makes it so special.