A South African travel and photo blog incorporating Port Elizabeth Daily Photo
One of the things I missed most under lock down is going for a walk, and with that I don’t mean taking the dogs for a walk around the block. With restrictions lifting a bit and being allowed to go for a hike again, I’m keen to get into one of the nature reserves around PE and to hit a trail. What I miss most though is a long walk on the beach, sand between my toes, the sun on my face and the wind in my hair… or rather what’s left of it.
The 600 ha Van Stadens Wildflower Reserve is located about 35km west of Port Elizabeth. The reserve stretches from the Van Stadens mountain to the coast and its main purpose is to protect the area’s unique indigenous Fynbos vegetation. It’s always worth popping into the reserve because there’s always some type of protea in bloom. But Van Stadens isn’t just about vegetation and views of the Van Stadens gorge, it also boasts a birding list with 149 bird species and one of the best spots for twitchers to hang out and keep an eye out for our feathered friends is the reserve’s bird hide. The hide is the proud handy work of the Friends of Van Stadens, a group of volunteers who have helped out with the running of the Van Stadens Wild Flower Reserve since 2007.
