The wooded eastern flank of Table Mountain rises right above this point, a few kilometres from Constantia, where the southern suburbs meet the forests and the mountain. This is Cape Town's green side: oak avenues, pine and gum plantations, old estates and the cool, shaded slopes that catch the clouds when the southeaster blows. Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden lies along the same slope, and on its terraces you can walk among proteas, ericas and other plants of the Cape Floral Kingdom with the mountain towering overhead.
The roads here wind through the trees. Rhodes Drive runs along the mountain from Constantia Nek past Kirstenbosch toward Newlands, a narrow, curving road shaded by old trees, with glimpses of the mountain through the branches. It is slow, often busy and shared with cyclists, but beautiful, especially in the early morning light. The forests of Cecilia and Newlands have walking trails up toward the mountain, and the air smells of pine, damp earth and fynbos.
The rides from here head east into the winelands and beyond. The Franschhoek Pass ride takes you through Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, the valley settled by French Huguenot refugees in the late seventeenth century, whose names still appear on many of the wine farms. The pass climbs out of the valley on a road said to follow an old elephant trail, with tight bends and spectacular views back down over the vineyards. Clarence Drive is the coastal road from Gordon's Bay to Kleinmond, clinging to the mountains above False Bay, where whales can be seen in winter and spring.
The weather shapes everything. In summer the southeaster blows hard and the tablecloth of cloud spills over the mountain, while winter fronts bring heavy rain and cold. The best riding months are often spring and autumn, when the air is clear and the light is golden. Bush fires are a real danger in the hot, dry months, and roads may be closed when they flare up.
For fuel, food and supplies, Constantia's shopping centres are close, and there are cafes at Kirstenbosch and in the nearby suburbs. Leave yourself time for a walk in the garden or the forest; it is one of the most peaceful places in the city, and a fine way to begin or end a long ride into the mountains.