Hot dogs on St James Peak

 Waiting ...

Eventually we got going - meeting Thea and Pauline and Alice and Maddie at the bottom of Pecks. (The Alph was cycling again and Sue is having a whole-day birthday party.) Maddie had never met Laddie before, and just ignored him, even though he was getting all the attention.

It was quite hot and we were grateful for all the water that is still flowing in the little stream that runs down Pecks Valley.

We saw a pale Brown-bearded Sugarbush (Protea speciosa)

and some Green Sticky Heath (Erica urna-viridis) - a Peninsula endemic - with what looks like spider webs caught on the flowers.

Tea at last - near a King Protea (Protea cynaroides) growing in the rocks - a welcome break for a shady scottie nap.

But no naps for the PEST during tea. "Wait for me!" He likes to be near the Food Lady, unlike me. I don't care who I am near. And where are the two black dogs?

Emerging from the shade. Being dignified.

We carried on through the hot fynbos with the mountains across False Bay seeming to float in the sky. A few Watsonia tabularis (another Peninsula endemic) flowers poking up through the bushes.

White horses being whipped up on False Bay. A very welcome breeze! Cape Point in the very distance,

and to the left, the sun blazing down on Sunrise Beach and Zeekoevlei.

Shooting the breeze. (And checking for baboons.)

Thea and Pauline on St James Peak.  

A very hot Red Crassula (Crassula coccinea).

Maddie checking out the path far below. (And looking for lizards or dassies.)

Me checking the path we walked up - you can see it snaking its way up Pecks Valley. Quite a slog for a little hot Scot.

Another Peninsula endemic the Golden Spiderhead (Serruria villosa) flowering profusely.

Still such a long way to go!

Rose Slangbos (Metalsia rosea) is a rare plant that only occurs on the Cape Peninsula - on south-facing peaks on Table Mountain Sandstone. There were quite a few flowering here today - in fact, the Food Lady has never seen so many.

Down we went, and it was sooo hot

I had to keep stopping to let the wind cool my face.

But soon we were back at the cars and having a drink.

A Ridgeback wearing a hoodie barked at us from below

while his parents drank wine in the shade next to their vineyard and waved at us.

We were then deserted while the Alph and the Food Lady went to visit Honey and Sue to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Sue who is celebrating her 60th birthday! Wow. Congratulations on reaching such a milestone Sue. Wish I could have been there but we are planning a celebration at Daisy later on in the year in which we hope to participate.

They had a great time at the party - especially as there were lots of Sunday walkers there too - including Sophie-from-France who arrived with some delicious French cheese and saucisson. Then it was home for long, long sleeps. We were all quite exhausted (except maybe the PEST who keeps going on and on till we are all thoroughly annoyed with him.)