Kirstenbosch walk with Andi and Esprit ...

After work on Thursday evening we took a moderate distance path. Not as long as Dassieklip on Monday but longer than our 'standard' route





This is where the path crosses Window stream.
Window buttress on the left and Fernwood buttress on the right. Maclears Beacon, the higest point on Table Mountain is up above Fernwood buttress.

Andi, out of interest this pic is a composite of two pictures I joined together, one above the other, to try and capture the entire vista from the top of the mountain to the stream crossing at our feet.













The Window stream crossing on the contour path















Young leaves of Diospiros whyteana, a small tree in the ebony family Ebenaceae. Click on the link for lots more info and pics of this species.

I've turned this once. Nice and fine grained but rather grey and uninteresting wood. Has anyone else tried turning it?













Close up of the dstinctively hairy leaves of
Diospyros whyteana, commonly known as the bladder nut












This is the terminal growing point of Cunonia capensis, a pair of interestingly shaped stipules that give the tree its common name, the butterspoon tree
















Here are the fresh young leaves of the butterspoon tree













This is a wonderful site. The sign board at the start of the Smuts Track at the bottom of Skeleton George has just been replaced after beeing stolen by vandals a couple of years ago. Congratulations Kirstenbosch staff.

Smuts Track is a 5,5 hour hike starting at the Fragrance Garden and following Skeleton Stream up the gorge to the back table. The exertion rating is very high as the climb up the gorge is very steep with a ladder and ropes to assist in places, but the effort is worth it.

Once on top, you can either go south (left) around Cleft Peak and back to Kirstenbosch down Nursery Ravine past Castle Rock, or north (right) to Maclear's Beacon, the highest point on Table Mountain at 1085,9 m a.s.l..

From there you can retrace your steps and descend to Kirstenbosch via Skeleton Gorge or Nursery Ravine.

And talking about skeletons! Isn't this a wonderful natural hangman's noose that we discovered near one of the stream crossings
















Compare this pic to the one above. It's interesting how using the flash isolates the subject from the background tangle

















Andi was also very intrigued by the vine














Gigi photographing something on a neighbouring tree

These evening walks are great but as the light fades, particularly early on the southern slopes of the mountain above Kirstenbosch photography gets more and more difficult














Here I 'had' to start using a flash

Later in the walk we got to a patch that was burned a couple of months back. Fynbos species are perfectly adapted to recovering from fires (as long as they are not too frequent)

This small blackened tree just sprouts from beneath the charred bark. Other species have other strategies - nature is absolutely incredible













How is that charred bark for inspiration on surface finishing a turning.


I just hope your bowl doesn't sprout!











Now the sun was setting. Devils peak in the distance and a last glint of sunlight at the top of Fernwood Buttress

The rocks of Dassieklip, where we walked to on Monday evening, can just be seen between the top of the tree belt on the lower skyline and the inflection where the slope becomes suddenly steeper up the buttress







Here is a closer view of the top of Fernwood buttress showing the last rays of sunshine and some wisps of cloud coming in from the gentle breeze