A windy walk

I was mightily relieved that today's hike was far down the Peninsula in the Cape Point reserve, as temperatures in greater Cape Town were set to soar into the 30s. I don't think Cape Point gets to that level much, and so we looked forward to a pleasant morning. Of course, the reason for cooler climes down there is the wind, and today was no exception. We started the descent from the ridge at Gifkommetjie, and the lighter ladies among us had to really brace themselves against the gale to prevent themselves being blown into the bushes. Poses reminiscent of the Titanic bow scene were numerous, and it was a relief to reach the foot of the steep and rocky cliff path where the wind was fractionally lighter.

The walk towards Platboom winds through a flood plain, of which the river was a little stream, and the stepping stones unnecessary at this time of year, but the vegetation was thick and healthy so the water can't be too far below the surface. The boulder-strewn upper reaches of the coastline were easy to negotiate due to a very well-made path of flat rocks across the uneven surface, and occasionally we trudged through sandy patches. Otherwise a very easy walk, once the tricky descent was over and, as everything that goes down always goes up again, the steep climb back up from the other side of the promontory.

The wind kept any birds that may have been in the area down in the undergrowth, and we didn't see any animals at all. Perhaps they are grazing closer to the waterholes. We didn't even see the usual crows on the cliff tops. A few flowers were blooming in an otherwise barren but green landscape, and it will be nice to see more as the heat of summer fades. The beautiful serruria villosa, found only in the southern Peninsula on sandstone slopes and flats, were abundant, soft to the touch and pleasing to the eye. I saw a lone sea rose, shiny pink among the dark greenery. The only seabirds in evidence were adult and juvenile black-backed gulls, a couple of Egyptian geese and a lone oystercatcher shouting at me as I approached. 

As we left the reserve, the wind dropped and in no time it was hot and humid again. We should never complain about the wind!

A VERY INTERESTING VESSEL MOVING AT SPEED

TYLECODON GRANDIFLORUS (Lion's Head to Cape Point)

THE VIEW DOWN TO GIFKOMMETJIE

STEEP CLIMB UP

ALWAYS BEAUTIFUL SEAS AT SCARBOROUGH