For The Love Of Nature

For The Love Of Nature Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from For The Love Of Nature, Sport & recreation, Port Elizabeth.

Ambassadors of hiking who want to share and promote the beautiful hiking trails of the Eastern Cape and Garden Route area of South Africa as well as the many clubs that do organised hikes.

๐Ÿ„๐ŸŒฟ ๐…๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐…๐จ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ ๐…๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐Š๐ข๐ญ๐œ๐ก๐ž๐ง ๐‚๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ซ: ๐Ž๐ฎ๐ซ ๐…๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐Œ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐จ๐ฆ ๐†๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐€๐๐ฏ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ž! ๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿ„โฃA couple of weeks ago, I joined a fasc...
22/06/2026

๐Ÿ„๐ŸŒฟ ๐…๐ซ๐จ๐ฆ ๐…๐จ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ ๐…๐ฅ๐จ๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐จ ๐Š๐ข๐ญ๐œ๐ก๐ž๐ง ๐‚๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐ž๐ซ: ๐Ž๐ฎ๐ซ ๐…๐ข๐ซ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐Œ๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ก๐ซ๐จ๐จ๐ฆ ๐†๐ซ๐จ๐ฐ๐ข๐ง๐  ๐€๐๐ฏ๐ž๐ง๐ญ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ž! ๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿ„โฃ

A couple of weeks ago, I joined a fascinating mushroom foraging experience with Duncan from Fungus Among Us and I couldn't resist bringing home one of his grow-your-own mushroom kits to try my hand at cultivating fungi.

Meet the star of the show: the beautiful Chestnut Mushroom! ๐Ÿ„

What started as a handful of tiny pins has turned into what mushroom growers call a SUPER FLUSH. Apparently all the little mushrooms trapped under the lid experienced a serious case of FOMO and decided to arrive at once, creating a bit of a shiitake situation! ๐Ÿคฃ

As a complete beginner, I've had plenty of questions along the way, but Duncan from Fungus Among Us has been incredibly patient, sharing his knowledge and coaching me through every stage of the process.

If you're interested in growing mushrooms at home, keep an eye out for him at local markets around Gqeberha.

There's something wonderfully magical about watching fungi emerge and grow day by day. Nature never ceases to amaze, whether it's deep in the forest on a forage or right there on your kitchen counter.

For now, I'm simply growing with the flow and keeping my spore-its high! ๐Ÿ„๐Ÿ’š

18/06/2026

How many can you name?

Grab your dad (or your kids) and celebrate this Fatherโ€™s Day with some sun! (Itโ€™s weak but dad jokes are all I have ๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿผโ€โ™‚...
17/06/2026

Grab your dad (or your kids) and celebrate this Fatherโ€™s Day with some sun! (Itโ€™s weak but dad jokes are all I have ๐Ÿคฆ๐Ÿผโ€โ™‚๏ธ)

Here are all the planned weekend hikes we know of.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINKS TO THE CLUBS FACEBOOK PAGE OR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR MORE DETAILED INFO.

*THE FOLLOWING HIKES WILL HAPPEN ON SATURDAY 20 JUNE 2026*

EASY/ EASY+:

Club: Let's go hiking Port Elizabeths
Trail: Purple Cow (3Rivers Trails)
https://chat.whatsapp.com/BqaheUq8k35IV13teXwBhu
Description: An easy, mostly flat trail through the farmlands.
Distance: 10km
Cost: R100

Club: Start Hiking Gqeberha
Trail: Sacramento Trail
https://chat.whatsapp.com/CYbvR8vGyfY87r2cXgMRzX?s=sw&p=a&ilr=0
Description: A coastal trail with a mixture of coastal fynbos trails and beach walking.
Distance: 10km
Cost: Free

Club: Voetsac Hikers
Trail: Blue Horizon Bay
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/12Jwaufqfq5/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Description: โ€œWalk from the parking area up a steep hill , turn Right then at the shops walk in front of the tennis courts , do the melkbos loop , turn right and follow the pipeline , walk along a grassy path that links up with the tarred road that leads to Van Stadens Mouth.Walk back on the beach.โ€
Distance: 14Km
Cost: R10 for members & R30 for non members.

MODERATE:

Club: Voetsac Hikers
Trail: Upper Blindekloof (Groendal)
https://www.facebook.com/share/g/12Jwaufqfq5/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Description: โ€œUp the jeep track, up and down a few steep hills and keep on going up until we reach the plantation of blue gum trees. Walk back and down the spider ally back to the Groendal office.โ€
Distance: 18Km
Cost: R70 for members & R100 for non members.

Club: Letโ€™s Go Hiking
Trail: Van Stadens Flower Reserve
https://chat.whatsapp.com/HTKVCkinrRMKq7i4A5Yi4n
Description: Always a floral wonderland, this reserve offers well kept trails and scenic views.
Distance: 8km
Cost: R30

*THE FOLLOWING HIKES WILL HAPPEN ON SUNDAY 21 JUNE 2026*

EASY/ EASY+:

Club: Trail Trekkers Hiking Tribe
Trail: Cape Recife
https://www.facebook.com/share/1AK86yWFDs/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Description: A traditional Fatherโ€™s Day hike for this group with a little bush and a little beach. There will also be a lucky draw for a R350 Ziggys pub en grub - Pine Lodge voucher for one lucky dad.
Distance: 8km
Cost: R30 for adults and R20 for children under 12

MODERATE:

Club: Letโ€™s Go Hiking
Trail: Zebra Lodge
https://chat.whatsapp.com/Hb1RFOLOZ2FL2R4XTNfqKg
Description: Situated halfway between PE & JBay, this private reserve is home to a variety of wildlife including some very tame zebra.
Distance: 10km
Cost: R30

**Note that all hike ratings and descriptions are - as far as possible - as per the individual club and not necessarily our rating or description. Please choose your hike carefully according to your experience and fitness. If in doubt ask the hike leader ahead of time.**







๐ŸŒฟ ๐‡๐ข๐๐๐ž๐ง ๐–๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐Ÿ๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ, ๐…๐จ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ & ๐…๐ฒ๐ง๐›๐จ๐ฌ... ๐‚๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐‘๐จ๐œ๐ค๐ฅ๐š๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐ž๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐„๐š๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ง ๐‚๐š๐ฉ๐ž'๐ฌ ๐๐ž๐ฑ๐ญ ๐‡๐ข๐ค๐ข๐ง๐  ๐‡๐จ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ญ? ๐ŸฅพโœจWhen most peop...
16/06/2026

๐ŸŒฟ ๐‡๐ข๐๐๐ž๐ง ๐–๐š๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐Ÿ๐š๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ฌ, ๐…๐จ๐ซ๐ž๐ฌ๐ญ๐ฌ & ๐…๐ฒ๐ง๐›๐จ๐ฌ... ๐‚๐จ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ ๐‘๐จ๐œ๐ค๐ฅ๐š๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐ž๐œ๐จ๐ฆ๐ž ๐ญ๐ก๐ž ๐„๐š๐ฌ๐ญ๐ž๐ซ๐ง ๐‚๐š๐ฉ๐ž'๐ฌ ๐๐ž๐ฑ๐ญ ๐‡๐ข๐ค๐ข๐ง๐  ๐‡๐จ๐ญ๐ฌ๐ฉ๐จ๐ญ? ๐Ÿฅพโœจ

When most people think of Rocklands hiking trails, the famous Sand River Hiking Trail usually comes to mind. This unique swim-through adventure is an incredible experience, but it is largely a summer hiking destination.

After our recent trail exploration with Escape to Nature, we were contacted by Lynette Whitehead from Forest Glade to investigate the potential for new hiking trails in Rocklands, Eastern Cape. Naturally, we jumped at the opportunity!

Mother Nature had other plans. Recent rains had washed away the road to the Forest Glade farm, forcing us to abandon our original mission. But every good adventure has a plot twist. ๐ŸŒง๏ธโžก๏ธ๐ŸŒฟ

We reconnected with Rene from Escape to Nature and set off to explore the neighbouring Monte Vista, Primitive Resort instead. What we discovered left us absolutely buzzing with excitement.

Hidden among the rolling hills were pockets of spectacular natural beauty: waterfalls, indigenous forests, mountain views, river crossings and fynbos landscapes that are just waiting to be explored and reopened. ๐Ÿž๏ธ๐Ÿ’š

The potential for new hiking routes in Rocklands is enormous. Situated close to Jeffreys Bay, St Francis Bay and Gqeberha (Port Elizabeth), Rocklands could become a must-visit destination for hiking enthusiasts, nature lovers, trail runners and outdoor adventurers looking to experience the beauty of the Eastern Cape outdoors.
We are incredibly excited about the possibility of helping establish trails and reopening old ones that the public can enjoy in the future.

๐Ÿ‘€ Keep your eyes on our page for updates as this exciting project develops. The next great Eastern Cape hiking adventure might be closer than you think!

๐ŸŒฟ๐Ÿฅพโœจ

14/06/2026

**PUBLIC HOLIDAY EDITION**

With Tuesday being a public holiday a few clubs have organized outings. Here is what you can do.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINKS TO THE CLUBS FACEBOOK PAGE OR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR MORE DETAILED INFO.

EASY/ EASY+:

Club: Letโ€™s Go Hiking
Trail: Van Stadens Dam
https://chat.whatsapp.com/FWYPhJc7RymKPXO43KNL9o
Description: A hike down to the Lower Van Stadens Dam with some technically challenging bits and a steep concrete path in and then out again.
Distance: 8km
Cost: R30

Club: Paws Around Town
Trail: Doggie walk
https://www.facebook.com/share/1K13vrdia3/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Description: Bring your doggie and join in on this walk from Alabaster Street (near Remos and RHBC) to St Peters rainbow village with amazing views of the bay.
Distance: 3,5Km
Cost: Free

Wow, wow and WOW!๐Ÿคฏ There is no other way to describe the raw beauty of Escape To Nature in the Elands Rivier area! I was...
12/06/2026

Wow, wow and WOW!๐Ÿคฏ

There is no other way to describe the raw beauty of Escape To Nature in the Elands Rivier area! I was privileged to go explore there today with Rob Witte from Voetsac Hikers and Charl Gouws to help the new owners start planning what is going to be some amazingly beautiful trails. On that note, the hiking is not yet open to the public, but when they do we will be the first to let you know. In the meantime you can go enjoy the amenities such as camping or birdwatching for a weekend.
You can expect beautiful forest gorges with streams, some challenging climbs to mountain ridges with amazing views and more!
Find out more about them on their website https://escapetonature.co.za/ or their page https://www.facebook.com/share/17hvBH6tCW/?mibextid=wwXIfr

There is going to be another Wild Mushroom Forage opportunity this weekend ... this was an amazing experience and we hig...
11/06/2026

There is going to be another Wild Mushroom Forage opportunity this weekend ... this was an amazing experience and we highly recommend that you book a spot with Duncan Fungus Among Us ๐Ÿ„. This weekend they will have their resident chef there preparing the forage and also sharing recipes.... so you definitely dont want to miss out.

**UPDATED AGAIN**Looking for a hike this weekend? Then youโ€™ve come to the right place. As always we make it easy by havi...
10/06/2026

**UPDATED AGAIN**
Looking for a hike this weekend? Then youโ€™ve come to the right place.
As always we make it easy by having all the local club hikes in one place for you to choose from.

PLEASE FOLLOW THE LINKS TO THE CLUBS FACEBOOK PAGE OR WHATSAPP GROUP FOR MORE DETAILED INFO.

*THE FOLLOWING HIKES WILL HAPPEN ON SATURDAY 13 JUNE 2026*

EASY/ EASY+:

Club: Start Hiking Gqeberha
Trail: Springs Resort (Uitenhage)
https://chat.whatsapp.com/F60Dkiux4eCJrA5lKx1rSt?s=sw&p=a&mlu=4
Description: A trail with an amazing variety of flora from fynbos to dense bush and a huge variety of succulents - oh and there is even a watch tower you can climb!
Distance: 8-10km
Cost: Free

Club: Voetsac
Trail: The Island
*CANCELLED*
Description: *CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS*
Distance: 8Km
Cost: R73 for members & R103 for non members.

Club: Letโ€™s Go Hiking
Trail: Bluewater Bay to St Georgeโ€™s Beach
https://chat.whatsapp.com/IUJS3CnKvlM0NsC5ruNbWu
Description: Walk from Bluewater Bay Lifesaving Club to St George's Beach along the shoreline. Coming back we will follow a walkway between the homes and surrounding greenery back towards the Lifesaving Club. The 7km hike ends at the Lifesaving Club.
For those wanting extra distance we will continue alongside the Swartkops River before returning to the parking area.
Distance: 7km or 10km
Cost: R30

MODERATE:

Club: Voetsac
Trail: The Island
*CANCELLED*
Description: *CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS*
Distance: 10Km
Cost: R73 for members & R103 for non members.

Club: Voetsac
Trail: Blindekloof via Bushpig (Groendal)
*CANCELLED*
Description: *CANCELLED DUE TO WEATHER CONDITIONS*
Distance: 10Km
Cost: R70 for members & R100 for non members.

*THE FOLLOWING HIKES WILL HAPPEN ON SUNDAY 14 JUNE 2026*

EASY/ EASY+:

Club: Trail Trekkers
Trail: Norm-Hudlin
https://www.facebook.com/share/1AK86yWFDs/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Description: Easy, flat 7km - dams are full and the forest is green.
Distance: 7km
Cost: R40

Club: Active Us Wellness
Trail: Grysbok Trail (NMMU)
https://www.facebook.com/share/18jWw3zxoi/?mibextid=wwXIfr
Description: This trail offers diverse fynbos vegetation as well as array of African mammals, including the Plains Zebra, the Red Hartebeest, and the Grysbok all within the confines of the Reserve.
Distance: 3,5km
Cost: R30 (includes an electrolyte drink)

MODERATE:

Club: Letโ€™s Go Hiking
Trail: Oldenburgia (Grahamstown)
https://chat.whatsapp.com/HzbyOWfi03b5YZWOTnr92s
Description: A challenging trail with some amazing vistas and one of the only places on earth to see the Oldenburgia tree. If you are lucky you will see huge king proteas in bloom as well.
Distance: 14km
Cost: R30

**Note that all hike ratings and descriptions are - as far as possible - as per the individual club and not necessarily our rating or description. Please choose your hike carefully according to your experience and fitness. If in doubt ask the hike leader ahead of time.**







Address

Port Elizabeth

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when For The Love Of Nature posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Shortcuts

Share

Category