Travel-Stories
STORY - TOKAI ARBORETUM, CAPE TOWN
Hug a tree... hug all 1555 if you can! Tokai Arboretum has always been one of my favourite places to connect with nature. And, I’m not alone: mountainbikers and horse riders frequently visit this most enjoyable Cape gem situated at a mere 20 min away from the city centre.
My children and I love the tranquility that reigns supreme amongst the arboretum’s collection of no less than 1555 magnificent trees. Enya and James love caves, so today, we decide to walk up from the arboretum to Elephant’s Eye Cave. After a long debate, my friend Lisa and her daughters Ella (6) and Emily (9) decide to join us. A debate indeed, because most reviews describe the walk as comfortable, but friends insist that the first part is too strenuous for little ones... So, the only way to find out whether little Ella is going to make it or not, is to just do it, and off we go!
The route starts at Lister’s Place, the arboretum’s tea room, and passes through pine forests before opening into exquisite montane fynbos that graces the slopes of the Constantiaberg. We choose to walk up to the cave first, while it’s still cool, and will, later in the day, when it becomes too hot to stay in the sun, relax in the shade of the trees at the arboretum. The Tokai Arboretum is managed and maintained by Table Mountain National Park (part of Sanparks) and I’m impressed with the clarity of the information provided at the entrance, but also during the walk. All the trail signs have the emergency phone number on them, and altitude levels are marked so that you know exactly how much more you need to climb out of the total elevation of 700 m over a distance of 3.8 km (one-way). All very important information from our perspective...
It doesn’t take long before little Ella takes the lead, followed closely by the others. They hop from one bend to the other, take shortcuts and even run up the slope, leaving Lisa and me far behind them. The higher up we climb, the better the panoramas over False Bay become, and when we reach the ridge of the mountain at Elephant Eye’s Cave, we are surprised by the even more splendid panoramas of the Tokai area. Lisa knows the area well and points out all the landmarks, from the feared Polsmore prison to the bordering exclusive shopping centres. I’m startled at the realisation of how fine a line separates both worlds... It is also refreshing to see how young and old, groups and individuals alike, enjoy this route. I just wish some hikers would refrain from littering our beautiful natural heritage. On the way up, there was not one sign of plastic. Alas, the cans, plastic bottles and packaging we collect on the way down are a sad witnesses of the lack of monitoring by school teachers of their groups. When we mention this to the staff at Lister’s Place as we hand in a bag full of litter, they shake their heads. "It happens all the time,” the one lady says.
What a privilege it is to be surrounded by so many magnificent trees; we remain in awe of the splendid resident eucalyptus, pines, oaks and yellowwoods. Many of the trees here are well over 100 years old and the Tokai Arboretum is home to arguably the best collection of eucalyptus trees outside Australia.
When, in 1885, Joseph Storr-Lister, Conservator of Forests of the Western Conservancy of the Cape Colony, laid out the Tokai Arboretum, he choose a site adjoining the nursery at the Tokai Manor House comprising a small wood of stone pines (Pinus pinea). He then added – to a great extent with the help of convict labourers – several species of trees such as P. pinaster, Quercus cerris, Eucalyptus ficifolia and a number of shrubby plants as ornaments. A mere hundred years later, the Tokai Arboretum was declared a National Monument for its historical significance; it now covers 28 ha, and comprises 274 species of trees and more than 1555 individual trees which are all marked with a number. At Lister’s Place you will find a map with alll the tree numbers on it, as well as their names.
Lister originally planted trees that occurred in Gondwanaland, the hypothetical Southern Supercontinent (180 million years ago) and so included species from Australia, India, the Southern States of North America and Mexico. The idea was to systematically test the adaptation of species from similar climatic conditions. The project’s ideals continue to be promoted by the Friends of Tokai Forest who drive the Gondwanaland Project at the Arboretum.
From a sylviculture perspective – the growing and cultivation of trees – the mixture of species and the discrepancies between the ages of the various light demanding trees may detract from the arboretum’s value, but from a social perspective, the large number of different exotic trees, its distinctive natural attributes, design features and intactness turn the arboretum into an exceptional – and one of the most visited – assets of Tokai. I love the way it blends in beautifully with its surroundings, creating an experience of ‘pristineness’ and closeness to nature for all to enjoy.
Baboons too enjoy visiting the arboretum, albeit from different motives. Baboons!” I hear the car park guard shout. They suddenly appear at the car park, attracted by the slightest hint of food, and are a veritable spectacle to watch. They are friendly though and by no means do they show any sign of aggression. Lister’s Place at the entrance of the arboretum is a wonderful area to end a walk and relax. Lisa and I can now confidently say that it is indeed a comfortable three hour walk there and back from Elephant Eye’s Cave, and now enjoy a moment of sheer bliss as we cool off our feet in the refreshing mountain stream that runs through the back of the picnic area.
GOOD TO KNOW
- Tokai Arboretum is only 20 minutes away from the city centre
- You don’t require a permit to walk up to Elephant Eye’s Cave
- If you visit the Tokai Arboretum on a Saturday, visit the Porter Estate Produce Market at the nearby Porter Estate (from 9am-1pm, weather permitting). They are dog-friendly and have an amazing variety of over 70 fresh produce vendors, artisans and original crafters whose wares range from store cupboard staples to unique, decadent treats.
DID YOU KNOW?
- An arboretum is botanical garden which is devoted to trees; it is an area set aside for the cultivation of trees and shrubs for educational and scientific purposes.
- The Tokai Arboretum is one of the oldest plantations in South Africa, and marked the beginning of the forestry industry in South Africa.
USEFUL CONTACTS
- SOS 0861 106 417 from mobile phone
- Sanparks for arboretum 021 712 2844
- Listers Tearoom 021 715 4512 (09:00 - 17:00 except Mondays), Arboretum daily sunrise to sunset.
- Porter Estate Produce Market 082 334 5434 (Gail)
Author: Petra Vandecasteele
Source: www.InspirationalWritingByPetra.com
Date: 24 Apr 2013
