Saturday, 24 May 2014

Pretoria's own nature reserve

Afternoon at Moreletta Kloof nature reserve


May 2014


Background


Another 'champagne' activity on a 'coke' budget, is to visit one of the many Municipal nature reserves all over Pretoria. Moreletta Kloof Nature reserve is one of these reserves. How many cities can boast a nature reserve? Pretoria actually has several.

Entrance is free and there are zebras, ostriches, game, etc roaming around. 

Rademeyer's is a quaint old farmhouse converted into a restaurant, with outside gazebo's overlooking the valley, which gives you that colonial "Out of Africa' feeling. I wish I had a farm in Africa.......

The Moreletta kloof Nature reserve

About Pretoria


Pretoria (Tshwane), in Gauteng Province, is the administrative capital of South Africa. Known as "Jacaranda City" for its thousands of Jacaranda trees, it's also home to universities and government buildings (Wikipedia).

About Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve & Rademeyers Restaurant


The Reserve occupies the rolling foothills of the Moreleta Kloof and covers a total area of about 100 hectares. It is under the management and protection of the Tshwane Metro Council’s Department of Nature Conservation. 

Jacobus and Cornelia Erasmus owned a dairy farm here in the early 1800’s. Carel Erasmus bought the farm in 1877 and built a three-roomed house which today is the chapel. In 1903 his son-in-law Johan Marneweck built his house on the land which now has been converted into the Rademeyers restaurant. 

The nature reserve boasts a number of residents that have made it their natural habitat, namely impala, blesbuck, springbuck, ostrich, and zebra. There are also a number of bird species and ostriches. 

The Moreleta Spruit has a tributary that winds its way through the reserve and provides a welcome watering hole for many of the birds and other wildlife, as well as water for the surrounding greenery. 

There are a number of walking trails through the Moreleta Kloof Nature Reserve. These are of different lengths and intensities to suit a range of walking requirements. 

Zebras at the entrance - welcoming committee

Garden feature between chapel and farmhouse (Rademeyer's)

Dilapidated structure near the chapel

Chapel - originally built as a house by Carel Erasmus in 1877

Ansu taking a rest on one of the walls

Chapel walkway

Chapel - originally built as a house by Carel Erasmus in 1877

Chapel - originally built as a house by Carel Erasmus in 1877

Chapel - originally built as a house by Carel Erasmus in 1877

Chapel - originally built as a house by Carel Erasmus in 1877

Farmhouse built by Johan Marneweck in 1903 - Now Rademeyer's restaurant

Ansu, my wife, at our table

View from our table overlooking the reserve - We took an outside table

Menu

Menu

Ordering

Farmhouse built by Johan Marneweck in 1903 - Now Rademeyer's restaurant

lunch - chicken calamari dish

Notice

Start of one walking trail near our table

I took a 200meter walk on one of the trails


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