Table Mountain ...

This is a rather an awsome blog post so be patient while it loads.
I can assure you that it is worth it.

Enjoy with us this record of our hike and get to know Table Mountain, a key part of the Cape Floral Region World Heritage Site.

We had an absolutely fantastic day, perfect weather and great companions.
We all finished the day elated.

We started off the day by dropping Gigi (Laidler) off with Andi (Wolfe) and Esprit (Heestand) at Nedbank Lodge at Kirstenbosch. They started walking up Skeleton George while Nick took me around to the lower cable station, around the front of the mountain, to drop off my car.

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Nick returned me to Kirstenbosch where I started walking some time after Gigi, Andi and Esprit








Looking westwards to (from left to right) Nursery Buttress, the top of Skeleton George, Window Buttress, Window Gorge and Fernwood Buttress. The route we took was up Skeleton Gorge, turning right (North) at the top to reach Maclear's Beacon, the highest point, set back, west, of the top of Fernwood Buttress




Here we warm up along an easy path through recovering forest just above the formally 'manicured' section of the garden. I say recovering because this section used to be covered in alien trees, similar to the current Tokai plantation area that will soon be felled to allow recovery of that section in the near future.

You don't want to know about the fuss some local Capetonians are creating about the loss of this confounded plantation of alien, water guzzling, 'christmas' trees!









Along the forest road I came across an angulate tortoise that had a very damaged (largely missing) front right foot and damaged carapace. It seemed to be getting around well enough though.

Probably caused by a local dog I guess.










Higher up the path are some magnificent hard-pear (Olinea ventosa) trees. No doubt too hard for the early settlers to plank with the hand saws they had available. There are unfortunately no large yellowwood or stinkwood trees left. They were easier to work - pity!












The path gets steeper as one climbs up towards the contour path just north of the waterfall at Skeleton stream.

The logs are placed across the path to prevent undue soil erosion.













A family enjoying the small pool just below the Skeleton stream waterfall.

In winter the falls are a raging torrent.

At the foot of the falls are some beautiful pieces of Assegaai wood that have fallen from above and been cut up to remove them from the path.

However as Table Mountain is part of the Cape Floral Region UNESCO serial World Natural Heritage Site I have to keep my hands off!







A few paces beyond the waterfall one turns sharp right along Smuts Track up Skeleton Gorge itself.

The late General J.C. Smuts was a keen hiker and frequently took a fixed route up to Maclear's Beacon on Table Mountain, hence the name for the track.








Onwards and upwards, slowly chasing down Gigi, Andi and Esprit.

The path getting steeper now and me perspiring freely!














At last I caught up to the others just before the ladders that have been erected up a particularly steep section. They didn't have ladders when I was a kid - etc. etc. !!!!

















Up comes Andi - action girl ...


















Followed by Esprit ...


















and then Gigi

Gigi had seriously injured her knee ligaments at gym three weeks before and was sensibly taking things very gently

On the basis of this it was preplanned that the three girls would decend the mountain by cable car

I was hoping to 'run' down the India-Venster route below the cableway








As we climed upwards the walls of the gorge get steeper and one has to climb in the stream bed - quite a chalenge in winter when it's flowing!

Esprit on her way upwards















Andi says its her favourite section of the climb


















You can see how much she is enjoying it


















As we near the top of Skeleton Gorge the path hugs the right shoulder. There are lots of assegaai trees

















Lovely water flowing down the sides of the gorge creating habitat for liverworts and mosses among other species


















As well as beautiful small flowers that I still need to identify

Probably a type of Ixia sp.















And then we are crossing over the very top of the gorge, looking down over the southern suburbs of Cape Town such as Claremont, Kennilworth, Wynberg and Plumstead where my family and I live






Andi and I did a lot of this during the day!

Gigi in the background also photographing something or other











Here we had to warn our guests about getting too intimate with the blister bush (Peucedanum galbanum). It's a nasty piece of work . Rubbing on the bush causes nasty blisters that are aggrivated by sunlight
















The leaves of P. galbanum

















The three musketeers at the top of Skeleton Gorge

















From the top of the gorge one can look out to the Hottentots Holland mountains above Somerset West and Gordons Bay. You can see the mountains running down the far side of False Bay to Cape Hangklip and the Koegelberg Biosphere Reserve









Now the route turns North above Window Butress



















Andi getting that flying feeling ...












But just decides to put her best foot forward!

A couple of months before this hike Gigi was lucky enough to take a flight in a light aircraft over Kirstenbosch and Table Mountain. I have annotated a couple of the aerial photographs she took to help orientate you as to our hike.







A - Top of Skeleton Gorge up which we had just climbed

The last couple of pics and the following few, up to 'above Window Ravine' are taken between A and B









This is a flower called an everlasting, a species of Edmondia, Edmondia sesamoides

The petals are papery and dry and last forever in a vase

This flower is wide open exposing the seeds for distribution by the wind











Here is a slightly less mature flower in all its glory

Here is a wonderful fynbos gallery















The main path up towards Maclear's beacon, the highest point, is lined with an amasing diversity of species. One really understands here why this has been declared a World Natural Heritage Site

This is the female cone of the sunshine bush (Leucadendron salignum)














Here are cones of three different years













Another beautiful species. I'll add the name once I've worked it out!
















Sighting - Andi photographing her 'Woodcentral' cap on the signboard to Maclear's Beacon

Woodcentral like to receive e-mailed pics of their caps - the more well traveled the cap the better

Go to this link and click 'add frames' in the top menu bar to see the latest sighting












And here is a pic of mine - you will see a lot more Woodcentral cap pics through this post

Strange things some 'woodies' get up to for entertainment









The area above Window ravine

Andi on her way onward and upward















Lots of little sundews (Drosera sp.) in wet mossy habitats along the path

Sundews are carniverous plants with sticky leaves to tral small insects













Ferns along Window stream


In summer (January) this is one of the streams along which Red Disas (Disa uniflora) flower prolifically















At this time of year it is this species of erica, Erica phylicaefolia I think, that is flowering along the stream

We have something like 650 species of ericas or heaths in South Africa

The Scots even sing about their purple heather (heath) and I believe they only have about 4 species - shame!











There are some wonderful rock formations up there


















A beautiful young Edmondia sesamoides bud

This was growing on a shady moist southern facing slope - see the picture below











A shady southern slope

















I really enjoy the patterns formed by lichens on the rocks

For more fascinating information about lichens see here and here















Here comes Andi up the slope ...


















And Esprit also


















Esprit and I explored a short side path to the aqueduct where run-off is captured and directed along the valley to the Hely-Hutchinson dam on the back table of the mountain
















I'm not sure what this species is

I'll name it once I've found out




















This is a beautiful freshly unfurled fond of Blechnum tabulare in a small cave beside the path









Up the last big climb from the back table to the main table

View south down the Cape Peninsula








Pink sundews with tiny white Utricularia plants growing on a bed of moss












A very beautiful Disa species


A type of small orchid














A yellow-green form of Erica plukenetti



















One of the signs at a key intersection of paths















A beautiful erica, Erica empetrifolia, endemic to the damp plateaus on Table Mountain

















and this is what it looks like growing in its environment














As one climbs higher one can see Hout Bay, a small fishing village suburb of Cape Town

The small mountain overlooking Hout (wood) Bay is called the Sentinel









Now the Atlantic ocean becomes visible over the prominent buttresses of some of the so-called Twelve Apostles which are the butresses running down the western coast of the peninsula

You can also just see a corner of the Hely Hutchinson Dam










Andi and Esprit climbing slowly onward and upward















and up we go getting higher and higher







Some of the marshy areas have boardwalks to prevent erosion of the friable soils

The bright yellow bush on the left is called a sunshine bush, a species of Leucadendron, in the Protea family














Reeds of the family restionaceae are typical of Cape fynbos and largley replace grasses in this region

There are numerous different species of 'restios' as we commonly refer to them here in the Cape















A close-up of the bracts of the restio


















Having walked beyond Fernwood peak above Fernwood Buttress we now got to look down over 'the pulpit', Hiddingh ravine on the right and Ascension ravine on the left










A panorama of the southern suburbs of Cape Town






A self portrait with Andi photographing over my shoulder











And this is the Main Table (C - H is essentially East - West)

B - The path on which we approached Maclear's Beacon
C - Maclear's Beacon (1086m)
D - Where we walked to after out lunch break
E - From D to E, the top of Platteklip Gorge, is a glorious stroll right along the front edge of the mountain. E is where the girls and I parted ways
F - The bottom of Platteklip Gorge
G - Fountain ledge - I walked around the western shoulder of the main table just below the upper cable station
H - Upper cable station
I - Arriving just below H on the front (North) side of the mountain the India-Venster Route runs more or less down the ridge, I, to the lower cablestation
J - Lower cable station




And then we finally arrived at Maclear's Beacon

1086 meters the highest point on Table Mountain

Sighted: Dennis Laidler and Andi Wolfe








WoodCentral meets the Association of Woodturners of South Africa (AWSA) at Maclear's Beacon














Andi sitting on Maclear's Beacon

The spine of the Cape Peninsula in the background












The plaque on Maclear's Beacon













Andi Wolfe composing a sighting from the top of Table Mountain with Robben Island, where Nelson Mandela and many others were imprisoned, in the background














You can just see the tip of Devils Peak protruding above the edge of the table






Andi, Esprit and Gigi

















Just below Maclear's Beacon is a natural rock amphitheatre where we took our lunch break















Andi at lunch
















View of Maclear's Beacon from the amphitheatre

On the extreme right centre is a plaque in memory of Jan Smuts afixed to the rock face









The inscription reads:
Jan Christiaan Smuts
1870 - 1950
His life was gentle and the Elements
So mixt in him that Nature might stand up
And say to the world This was a man







A - Maclear's beacon and the beautiful rocky amphitheatre that provides a wonderful perch with its view to the north over Table Bay and shelter from the cold south-easterly summer breeze

B - Upper cable station









After lunch we walked off westwards along the front edge of the mountain, heading for the upper cableway











The top can be very marshy in spots with large areas of restios

The boardwalks prevent soil erosion











A perigrine falcon hunting rock pigeons along the front (northern) edge of the main table









Here is the sort of view that the peregrine may often have - lucky guy

A - Top of Skeketon Gorge
C - Maclear's beacon
D - Devil's Peak
E - Upper cable station
F - Lion's head
G - Signal hill (Lions rump)
H - Robben Island







Looking west across the main table of the mountain - it really is quite flat up there

You can just see the top of the upper cable station at the far western extreme of the main table













Sighted: Andi Wolfe composing a sighting from the top of Table Mountain with the city bowl, the harbour and Table Bay in the background








Sighted: Western Cape Woodturners Association (Dennis Laidler) meets Central Ohio Woodturners (Andi Wolfe) at on the northern edge of Table Mountain overlooking downtown Cape Town and Table Bay. Lions Head and Signal Hill (Lions rump) on the left, Robben Island in the bay and Devils Peak on the right.




Looking west along the front of the main table

You can see the upper cable station and Lions Head down below










Similar view with a swift passing buy












Looking down into the city bowl (downtown Cape Town)

The green area is the company gardens











An Agama sunning itself on the rock













Andi walking into the beautiful afternoon light



















Lots more restios on the marshy main table
















A panorama off to the east showing Devils peak and Table Bay below










Then our trek westwards is inturrupted by that huge cleft that runs diagonally down the front of the mountain, Platteklip Gorge











Looking down into Platteklip (flat rock) Gorge

This is the most simple and most boring way up or down the mountain used by most locals and tourists

The zigzag path can be seen down below














Sighted: Platteklip Gorge, the city and Table Bay below


















A quick peek down Platteklip Gorge from the top

Here Gigi, Andi and Esprit left me. They went on to the cable station, icecreams and who knows what else ...

You'll have to check out Andi's blog for their perspective

Mike Lundy has a good description of climbing Platteklip Gorge on the Cape Town Tourism site

This is the route I would recommend to visitors







But don't leave me just yet

Here comes the exciting bit

I nipped off down one of my favourite routes - India-Venster

Starting off in a westerly direction down Fountain ravine













Sighted: No explanation necessary!


I definitely do not recommend this route to visitors without a competent local mountain guide - don't try it on your own

It was the route that we first took Andi up the mountain a few years ago

Oh shit, Oh shit, Oh shit !!!!!!!









The route leads off to the right around the western shoulder of the main table

The afternoon sun reflecting off the Atlantic ocean, Camps Bay (swankey up-market suburb)









Here is a panorama down the Atlantic seabord of the peninsula, Camps Bay below


If you step over those bushes in front it is a loooong way straight down!











Now I'm walking along Fountain Ledge somewhat below the extreme western shoulder of the main table

Lions Head just protruding above the horison

There are a numer of very exposed ledges here and if you don't know the route you will get into serious trouble - don't even think of using the India Venster route without a guide













And then around the front of the mountain close to the popular Arrow Final rock climbing route















Looking out over Kloof corner

Lions Head in the background













Looking up to the upper cable station from below the cables

















And now there I stand about a quarter of the way down the mountain with the main face off to my right

An absolutely magnificent place to be!














And there is the entire main face in view














Down I go with the occasional cable cars zooming up and down above me

I can promise you that I was having the better time














Now the upper cable station is receeding


down I go ...
















Looking back up to the crux of the India-Venster route

There is an invaluable chockstone in about the centre of the picture

I think that coming down is more difficult than going up those steep bits












The easy way down ...




















The fun way down ...
















And the tourists keep just passing 'buy'


If you really jump up and down and 'express' yourself you can even get them to wave sometimes !













Devils Peak way off to the east













The route runs more or less down the shadow line on the rocks and then crosses the big amphitheatre, left to right, just above the green slope where it meets the rockface


















Sighted: nearly half way down the mountain















And in the background the Devil and Van Hunks continue with their smoking competition in the saddle between Devils Peak and the mountain












And that shows that we are more or less half way down












Here comes Andi, Gigi and Esprit

Gigi was waving out the window but I couldn't get the camera out of my pocket fast enough!











And there they go heading for the lower cable station and another icecream!











I'm almost there now ...

Here is a sighting on the sign at the begining of the ascent of the India-Venster route on the contour path above the lower cable station









And here I stroll past the lower cable station












And what do I meet in the path just before the end

A Toktokie beetle that poses beautifully










Here is the tourist's view of the lower cable station, an hour and fifteen minutes after I set off from the top











After I finished my own icecream we walked down Tafelberg road to where I had parked the car earlier that morning



And here are the three musketeers with the mountain behind ...















... and with the city behind.







That was one awsome hike in stunning weather which we all enjoyed immensly
Hope you enjoyed the journey with us.


Keep a watch on the blog for an even bigger mountain epic that we did in the Hex River Mountains the following weekend

In the meantime have a look at Andi's post about the same Table Mountain expedition here