Cannon Rocks forest trail a family treat

DO YOU remember as a kid poring over those little conical ant lion holes, tickling the sides with a piece of grass to coax out the host?

The trick was to imitate a hapless ant that had fallen in and, in no time there, would be a flurry of action from the ant lion in the bottom of the hole, as it sought to engulf its dinner.

Well, there must be several thousand ant lions residing along the Cannon Rocks forest trail. And if you have just introduced your kids to this pastime, and your youngest in particular has a great fascination for goggas, and great powers of concentration – the walk can take you a long time.

But this is hardly a problem as the trees and the birdsong are lovely, and the way clear.

The distance marking on this trail is a little confusing. But the 7km signposted at the start is in fact to the end and back. Half way out gets you to a vantage point where you can sit on a bench and look out over the forest. The full way out will take you onto the beach and then (as long as it’s low tide) you can take the highway home, on the hard sand along the water’s edge.

In Cannon Rocks, we stayed at the self-catering cottage Fo’rest ‘n Sea, and it could not have been nicer. There is a braai, an interesting garden and two great little dogs for the kids to play with. The cost is very reasonable and the hosts, Pam and John Howard, could not have been more accommodating. I recommend it highly.