Wow! What a walk. I had forgotten how steep and long the trail from Chapman's Peak Drive up to Chapman's Peak is. We couldn't have had a better day for such an arduous trek - midwinter, blue skies, no wind - paradise found. This is a two-stick trail, both up and down, as the rocky terrain and slippery stones after substantial rains and deep shade in the ravine made us extra cautious. The downhill is always worse and two steadying sticks are invaluable no matter what your age - much kinder on the knees and no falling into the bushes on either side of the path!
It took a steady climb of two hours to reach the saddle, and the views made every step worth the effort. Breathtaking in every sense of the word. Three of the group carried on the extra 20 minutes to reach the summit of Chapman's Peak while the rest of us lounged in the sunshine among the fynbos and waved encouragement. Perhaps another time.
Once again we were treated to the sight of gushing streams all along the way - I hear the streams on the Newlands side are currently impassable. Good news indeed.
There was so much to see in the way of flowers that I had plenty of opportunity to stop frequently to take photos, and this may well have contributed to the ease with which I did the trail - fitness levels are high, but stamina is still a problem - four hours is pushing it. Tomorrow I think I may feel a twinge or two to remind me of today's fabulous time in the mountains. Highly recommended for anyone who is reasonably fit.
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| Protea nitida (waboom) |
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| Fish Hoek valley |
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| Moederkappie (orchid family) - an exciting sighting and saw quite a few |
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| Babiana - love these |
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