Great hiking spots and advice for kids during the summer holidays

SCHOOL holidays are just around the corner, and kids will be looking for fun ways to unwind and get outdoors after being cooped up in classrooms writing exams.

If safety is a concern, worry not because there are a number of parks and hiking trails suitable for the entire family.

Table Mountain National Park (TMNP) spokesperson Babalwa Dlangamandla said kids can enjoy this holiday season with their loved ones at one of the world’s most iconic heritage sites while feeling safe and secure.

“The Cape of Good Hope section offers more seclusion with the benefit of beaches on both the Atlantic and False Bay sides,” said Dlangamandla.

The TMNP has some of the most unspoiled beaches on the Cape Peninsula. Noordhoek and Scarborough are spacious enough to accommodate crowds and are also good for watching the sunset.

Dlangamandla recommended the following parks at TMNP that are ideal for the entire family:

Oudekraal picnic site, situated

on the beach near Camps Bay, offers braai facilities as close to the beach as one can get.

it’s the shade you are looking

for, the Newlands and Tokai picnic sites are perfectly situated under Pine trees.

• The Silvermine picnic site is a

peaceful site where you can enjoy a picnic next to the dam.

“Silvermine is another park that offers some of the best hikes in the park with beautiful fynbos landscapes. It has a short and wheelchair-friendly boardwalk around the dam, a beautifully therapeutic river walk, a light walk to the Silvermine waterfall, and opportunities for bird spotting, picnics, dog walking, and mountain biking,” said Dlangamandla.

Dlangamandla said that TMNP recommends that all activities, including but not limited to walking, jogging, trail running, cycling, and horse riding, be carried out in groups of four or more. She also advised the following safety tips:

• Stay on demarcated pathways and

trails and wear appropriate hiking gear and shoes.

• Do not carry valuables, cash,

cameras, etc.

• Only cycle, hike, or run during

daylight hours.

• Keep an eye on the weather and

other mountain conditions.

• Inform at least one other person

not participating in the activity with you of your destination and estimated arrival time.

GARETH SMIT TABLE Mountain National Park offers an abundance of kid-friendly parks and hiking trails suitable for the entire family. |