Willow Park Manor, Pretoria

Lying virtually in a straight line east of Pretoria's centre, Willow Park Manor is just off the N4, one of the major roads connecting the Jacaranda City with the sought-after eastern suburbs. Access from the east of the city is good and the N4 also connects with the N1 just east of the Colbyn Valley nature area, giving one an easy route into Midrand and Johannesburg if necessary.

Willow Park Manor lies nestled in amongst Willowbrae, La Montagne, De Wilgers and Willow Glen - a little confusing considering the prevalence of the word 'willow' but one can only assume that this is attributable to a rather large number of willow trees in this part of the city. Pretoria east, as a general rule, enjoys peace and tranquillity amongst tree-lined streets and a typical suburban lifestyle.

It is also a particularly green part of the city with a number of green spaces that include the National Botanical Gardens - 76 hectares of green canopied walks and gardens just off the N4 near Brummeria. Add to this the Faerie Glen Nature Reserve and tea garden, a pretty place to go and watch birds and wind down, and the Groenkloof Nature Reserve, which lies in the Fountains Valley with some of the most beautiful scenery and a network of hiking trails. For mountain bikers in particular, this is a popular venue because of the vast network of sand roads that cross the reserve.

Don't forget to head a little south of Willow Park Manor to the Bronberge to follow the Bronberg Meander along country roads of outlying Pretoria.