Signal Hill to Lion's Head

Early morning on Signal Hill - with Guinea Fowl. Too big and scary to chase.Besides, we are not bird dogs, but specialist small mammal dispatchers. 

Robben Island in the distance. There are lots of Muslim graves and a Kramat on Signal Hill so its quite a holy place.

Today we had our human brother Philip with us (down here on busuness), as well as Lydia from New Zealand, as well as Philippe, recently from New Zealand but resident in Cape Town now. Paul and Pauline were there but Sue was still feeling a bit poorly and decided to give it a miss. And its altogether too populated for Maddy so she and Alicewent up Red Hill instead. 

Paul took a few photos.

One of the Lions Head/Signal Hill specials - the Medusa's Head Euphorbia (Euphorbia caput-medusae).

The Kramat of Sheikh Mohamed Hassen Ghaibie Shah,

surrounded by olive trees with a good looking crop of olives.

Looking all clean and newly painted.

Philippe and Philip sharing a cell phone moment.

Lots and lots of this little Wild Sorrel (Oxalis glabra) enjoying the damp soil from Friday's torrential rain.

Just in case we were lost ... which, wth the Food Lady, is a strong possibility!

The Alf, Lydia and Pauline with Sea Point spread out below.

Suddenly we came up against a HUGE granite rock. The path turned sharp left, and we zigzagged up - only taking one short cut.

The two Phils had to keep stopping to wait for the slower, older or vertically challenged members of the hike. We caught up with them chatting to one of the SANParks rangers. He was intrigued by us scotts.

It started to get steeper and more hectic.

There were quite a lot of these bright red Guernsey Lilies (Nerine sarniensis) flowering on the edge.

Dougal was pretty wasted so we stopped on the edge too and had tea - special glace fruit from Provence from Philippe and some delicious chocolate swirly biscuits from one of the Alf's grateful patients. Pauline, Paul, Dougal, Phil, Philippe,the Alf,Lydia and moi..

 Conversations from the edge.

Pauline and the Food Lady stayed with us scotts while the others carried on up, but before long they were back again, defeated by the queues of people trawling up and down. It reminded the Food Lady of rush hour at Paddington Station!

Back down the path - me on the lead in case I smelled a dassie ...

A helping hand from the Alf.

Dougal having a howsyourfather with a rough haired foxie.

Looking decorative against the Malmesbury shale. The Alf in the distance. It was pretty hot.

Lots of this Skraalbossie (Senecio pubigerus) about.

Doog and me keeping to the shade. Getting some admiring looks ...

Phil ad Philippe ran back along Signal Hill and we all decided to walk down the road to where we had left a car in case we were tired and hot. We saw lots of these Green Proteas (Protea coronata) - and bees - on the way down. They like to grow on clay soils on mountain slopes.

A creamy white Protea repens.

We all squeezed into Philip's little hired car that was waiting for us at the bottom of Lions Head - and we were put in the boot! Pretty horrible of t hem! We were so shocked we didn't really know what to do or bark. But is was only for a short time and we were soon back at Signal Hill watching the para-gliders jumping off the edge.

The Food Lady looked for some cannon that she remembered as a kid, but only found the ruined remains of where she rememberd it being. We are a bit alarmed about her - she seems to be loosing it somertimes especially when deadlines for her rag loom.

We left Lydia texting her mom ...

and were home in time for G&Ts and bacon and egg with our human brothers. Then Philip was off again in the evening. It was lovely having him but next time we promise to go on a less hectic walk Phil!