Sunny skies and exercise!

One of my great pleasures in life is to drive around Chapman's Peak and along the coastal road between Llandudno and Camps Bay on an early morning such as yesterday - crisp, cool air and a low sun create a special light that cannot be described, but felt in your bones as though the body is being rejuvenated. And what better way to start such a day than with an easy walk around the base of Lion's Head, where the views stretch from the West Coast to the north, encompassing the distant mountains, the city and Table Bay, Devil's Peak, Table Mountain, the Twelve Apostles, a vast tract of Atlantic Ocean, Lion's Head and Signal Hill. So much breathtaking beauty in such a small part of the world.

With no wind and cerulean skies, temperatures soon rose and the only thing missing from our walk was shade. We needed as many water breaks as a summer hike and as few clothes! Along the way we passed many orange-breasted sunbirds, their brilliant plumage easy to admire as they sat unconcernedly upon the tips of the protea bushes. These are coming into bloom and already attracting sugarbirds to sip on sweet nectar, although they are more shy and disappeared quickly as we approached, their long tail feathers emphasising their distinctive flight. The air was filled with the sweet and sometimes pungent aromas of the fynbos on the southern slopes, but as we rounded Lion's Head on the Atlantic side, the slopes became more barren and showed the scars of the fairly recent devastating fire. The watsonias are shooting up in their thousands among the blackened earth, as this is what they need for new growth, and summer will bring mass displays of pink magnificence.

At this time of year, the oxalis are at their best, ranging from purest white to a rich violet, some of which are found only on Lion's Head. The brilliant yellow sterretjie was dotted across the landscape and other unidentified small species added to the visual feast.

Despite the destruction by fire, we know this is an essential part of the life cycle of our fynbos and in a few years we will see the area restored to even greater floral splendour.