Table Mountain hikes in the spring

Spring in South Africa officially begins on the first of September.  At this time of year the spring flowers in the Namaqualand are legendary following the rainfall of the winter months. The dry landscape is transformed in a carpet of colour by a magnificent aray of flowers.

In Cape Town Spring can extend right through October with the weather being a little unpredicatable. Many visitors to the mountain at this time of year mention the beauty of the flowers. Indeed there are a number of beautiful flowers to be found. Table Mountain though is fortunate that Spring time is not an usual time, in that through out the year there is always something blooming on the mountain.

Here are a few of the flowers to look for in the Spring on Table Mountain.

The Cape Everlasting is is seen on much of the mountain. It is remarkable for its dry almost papery leaves

The Tickberry bears a purple fruit that resembles a bloated tick - hence the name

The painted lady is especially noticable in places that have been damaged by fire

 

The handsome Arum Lilly is common on Table Mountain.

 

These large shrublike plants are members of the Protea family

 

Join Ridgway Ramblers on a hike of Table Mountain at any time of year and discover the amazing and beatiful Fynbos plant kingdom found there.

Look out for the dassies on your Table

Mountain hike

One of the most common animals to see on your Table Mountain hike is the endearing Rock Hyrax or dassie. This is a really cute looking animal that resembles a fat guinea pig. Generally they seem to laze around in the sun in large groups, and in the cable car area of Table Mountain have become so accustomed to the presence to humans that they allow people  to come incredibly close for a photo or 2.

A dassie peeks through a hole in the wall on Table Mountain

The Dassies near the cable car allow photographers incredibly close

A 4 day hike on Table Mountain

The hiking trail that runs the length of the Table Mountain Chain is called the Hoerikwaggo Trail. Each day you cover +/- 18km and overnight in one of the beautiful tented camps along the way. Tented camp is a bit of a misnomer as the accommodation provided is first class with comfortable beds, hot running water, fully equipped kitchens etc.   

There are a number of different routes you can take from camp to camp. Or, of course you can just park off in one camp and enjoy day hikes in the surrounding area. I have just returned from a 4 day hike from Scarborough beach to the cable way. In total we covered a distance of 65km and had a combination of beach and mountain walking. We chose to do the hike unsupported. ie. We carried our food and all our equipment with us which made the uphills a little bit harder but the feeling of self sufficiency and complete escape from the stresses of everyday life was fantastic.

Here are some photos of our experience:

Day 1 is spent mostly hiking along the beach

The climb up Chapmans Peak is tough, but the views are worth it!

 

The tented camps offer wonderful accomodation for the weary hiker

 

Maclears Beacon, the highest point of Table Mountain and we've almost finished our hike

 

Ridgway Ramblers offer fully catered guided hikes along the Table Mountain Trail. You can choose to have full vehicle back up and only hike each day with a day pack, or carry all your own gear.

http://www.ridgwayramblers.co.za/index.php/hiking-options/4-days-from-cape-point-to-table-mountain/

 

 

Can I get up Table Mountain in a

wheelchair?

When I was asked by John May about possible wheelchair rambles on Table Mountain the jeep track from Constantia Nek immediately came to mind. Of course it would be hard work but why not give it a try? John was keen, so with the help of 4 strong young guys we gave it a go.

The Table Mountain Team

With willing hands, anything is possible

We spent the night in the Overseers cottage at the top of the road and spent most of the afternoon relaxing with a wonderful early evening braai. The next day we then continued around the dams and to the waterworks museum

 

The downward journey was a bit more difficult than the uphill as obviously the last thing we wanted to do was release the wheelchair to the forces of gravity. However once again with 2 guys on ropes and one guy driving we made it down safely and happily.

 

John looking relaxed on the way down

 

In the words of John “The adventure of a lifetime”