Almenkerk Activity Trail – (Almenkerk Wine Estate – Elgin/Grabouw)

An easy and fun trail for the whole family. We attempted this trail as part of a charity walk and we were pleasantly surprised by how entertaining the whole experience was. What makes this trail interesting is that it differs from a typical hike through nature reserves in several ways. This trail is set within the quaint agricultural region of the Elgin valley and vistas of vineyards, orchards and dams flanked by rows of trees gives one a real out in the countryside feeling. In south Africa there aren’t many trails in this type of setting as the land is usually private and fenced off not being open to the public, so when a rare opportunity to walk on a private farm like Almenkerk presents itself its definitely worth exploring. Scenery aside the trail is well marked and easy to follow, it will be hard to get lost and if one should take a wrong turn the cellar building and tasting room are almost always in sight so navigating back there would be a breeze. Another rather unique feature of this outing are all the activity stations placed along the way. These range from near strenuous workouts like tyre flipping and pushups, to spring loaded balancing planks and an impressive water cannon which you can use to soak your hiking buddies with. It’s a fun way to get everyone involved in a different way and the activities create quite the atmosphere as members of the group give them a try. The route is rather straightforward, but it does take many corners and meanders around the farm to add some extra distance. This is great for those who do wish cover a few kilometers as direct paths to activities or the most direct route back to the cellar could end up being a rather short trail. The trail departs from the tasting room at Almenkerk Wine Estate (a google maps search should get one to this point without any issues). The trail then routes out the driveway entrance of the cellar up and around the building to a single-track path which continues until the tyre flipping activity is reached. From here the path descends somewhat to the photo frame and then descends again through a lush, wooded area that is full of bramble bushes. Soon after this point the intersection is reached where a shortcut can be taken or the long full route up the hill can be followed. Heading up the hill proves to be the climb of the day but it is very manageable and only the rather unfit will struggle. The hill soon levels out and then descends slightly before a dam and somewhat luxurious picnic spot is reached. The route then loops around the dam before taking a turn and making a swift descent through some fynbos sections and down to a canopy of Bluegum trees. From here its into the Orchards and Vineyards before the balancing beams and push up station is reached. The path then cuts back to the large dam where the Water Cannon is found. After a break in the shade the path continues onto the earthen dam wall which is flanked by rose bushes. Once around the dam and up a short incline the Spinning wheel activity is reached and then shortly thereafter the Parallel Bars activity can be found before a last short push back to the cellar and tasting room. At the end of the trail you can treat yourself to a wine tasting an if wine is not your thing Everson’s Cider just up the road is also well worth a visit if in the area. A most enjoyable day out in a country setting. Highly recommended.