Betty's Bay is situated on the scenic whale coast route between Cape Town and Hermanus. Being a part of Southern Africa's first internationally recognized UNESCO Biosphere Nature Reserve (The Kogelberg) the whole area is considered the heart of the Cape Floral Kingdom with some 1600 species.
It lies approximately 90kms from Cape Town and is home to the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens - just off the R44 - with indigenous flowers, fynbos covered mountain slopes, waterfalls , streams and dark pools is within minutes away. Lovely walks can be taken here and there is also a restaurant within the Gardens that could be visited for light meals or drinks.
Betty’s Bay is also home to a colony of threatened African Penguins (one of only three land based colonies in the country). Other local wildlife attractions include baboons, otters, great white sharks and wild horses.
This cache is placed on Rod’s Trail, which winds its way through this splendour, showing off the magnificent combination of mountains, sea and high African skies.
The trail extends along the base of the Kogelberg Mountain Range, through much of the local vegetation, and to the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens.
Rod’s Trail is a moderate walk and is popular amongst walkers and runners alike. It is suitable for children as well as for the rest of the family.
The trail is about 4.5 km long (out and back) and could feature rivers and waterfalls, depending on recent rainfall. As this is a there and back trail, so some people might like to find every alternate cache in the way there and the rest in the way back.
The caches are named after animals living in the area - with a bit of luck you may see one or two of them.
Please note that your GPS coordinates may be affected by the high nearby mountains. Use the hint and spoiler image if you get stuck.
Thank you to Bush Barker (and Oliver!) for placing the original caches on this trail and inspiring us to visit this beautiful place.