The Purple Cow
By Suzanna Pautz - Take A Walk Hiking Club
Thornhill
3 Rivers Trails is one of the largest trail networks in South Africa. There are many options for mountain biking, trail running and hiking. Our group enjoys hiking at 3Rivers as the trails are well maintained and well-marked. We hiked the Purple Cow trail, which is 10km.
10 trails from 6km - 70km trails on offer
Easy, very well-marked trail
Merrel hiking footwear; sun protection and water
Route:
All trails start from Crossways Country Kitchen. Our route follows a farm road past grazing cows and green meadows. Some switchbacks take us up to the high point on top of a hill with views over the pasture and dam below. The route back goes through the forest on a pine-lined path called Puttergill Lane.
Follow The Route
Field Notes:
The route has 130m of elevation. This trail is shared by cyclists, so be sure to listen out for their bells or shouts of ‘bike’! The cycle track is gravel or sand in places, so shoes with good traction will be beneficial.
Join Our Hiking ClubTrail Log:
At Crossways Country Kitchen is a trailhead board with maps of all the trails. Here is where you fill out your permit and make your payment. Cash in the honesty box or Zapper are accepted. You need to keep your permit on you at all times. (I have often been checked for my permit). The cost is R70 per person (2025 rates)
The trails are very well marked with the trail name and a trail colour on wooden signposts. You can also download gpx files of all the routes from their website. Purple Cow is a great introduction to hiking at 3Rivers. It is a wide and easy trail to follow.
There is about 3km of walking on flat farm road before you get to the single-track trails in the hills and mountains. We take some switchbacks through fynbos up to the top of the hill. We stop here to rest for a while, eat our snacks and take some photos. You can see all the way to the ocean. The return journey is past a dam and through pine forest. We end by joining up with the farm road again all the way back to the start.
Crossways Country Kitchen is a full restaurant offering relaxed country dining with beautiful mountain views. You can also grab a drink and a snack for the ride home.
