Contour path: Constantia Nek to Kirstenbosch

Time: 1 3/4 hours one way

Grade: - Click here for The Lundy Grading Scale

Water: Available

This is a leisurely stroll through forest and fynbos and is suitable for the whole family. If you’re wise you’ll have a friend’s car waiting for you at Kirstenbosch, and remember that the restaurant there serves an excellent breakfast or brunch. This is also a gentle walk that can be done at any time of the day or year, as it is mostly in shade so a hot summer’s morning or sunny winter’s afternoon can be equally pleasant. In fact you could even do it dressed in your Sunday best. Not that this form of attire is recommended, but I have seen numerous overly well-dressed people on this walk, so it must be all right.

Start at Constantia Nek. A narrow tarred road leaves the Wynberg side of the picnic area and travels up for about 200 m before coming to a closed gate. A few metres beyond the gate log steps ascend to the left, but ignore them and continue along the gravel road for about 4 minutes until you come to a fork in the road. Take the left fork up where the road is closed to vehicular traffic by a boom. After a further 8 minutes or so, the road doubles back on itself opposite a steel road barrier. Don’t double back, but rather carry on. (To turn sharp left would take you to the dams and the Back Table along the so-called Bridle Path — actually a road.) Carrying on along the straight, you’ll soon come out into the open, with splendid views of the Cape Flats and False Bay A little koppie on the right offers a grandstand view. At this point the road does a sharp 90-degree left turn and about 10 minutes later the black-tiled roofs of the Cecilia Forest Officer’s home come into view, as does a giant bluegum(if it hasn't been chopped yet) at a fork in the road. It’s hardly necessary to say keep right at the fork, as the left alternative is obviously less used. Keep right then, and soon you’ll come to a major intersection. At this intersection three roads and a set of log steps all come together. One road is behind you, one doubles back 180 degrees to the right to the foresters’ cottages, and one goes 90 degrees to the right. The steps on the left come down from Cecilia Waterfall. The way you need to go is the road going 90 degrees to the right.

Soon the road narrows to a path and shortly after it does a little U-bend around a small ravine, and then climbs nine log steps. Some fifteen paces on turn sharp left up some more steep log steps. At this point you seem to be leaving the Contour Path, but you’re not. You’re just getting back up to the right level. This is the point where most people go wrong, so read carefully!

Having climbed up the steep log steps, you soon come to a notice at a fork in the path. Right and down will take you to the southern outskirts of Kirstenbosch Gardens. You need to keep left to continue on the Contour Path, but beware. Having taken the left fork up, it almost immediately doubles back on itself. Do not double back, but rather carry on along the less obvious straight path. If you take the more obvious route up, you will eventually reach Cecilia Waterfall. Remember that you are on a contour path which, as the name implies, means you should stay more or less on the same level.

Now you are out of the forest and into the fynbos. A few minutes further on you meet a path coming up from Kirstenbosch. Ignore it and continue a few metres to the bottom of Nursery Ravine (a sign set into the rock tells you that you have arrived there). Keep going along the Contour Path, now delightfully wrapped in indigenous forest. Ten minutes later you will reach the point where the Contour Path crosses Skeleton Gorge, and here another plaque announces ‘Smuts’ Track’. At this point turn down the well-marked path which will lead you to the Kirstenbosch restaurant some 15 minutes later. Enjoy your late breakfast of bacon and eggs, not to mention champagne and orange juice.

Fynbos, forest & mountains

Taken from Mike Lundy's Best Walks in the Cape Peninsula