Blackburn rovers

We were rather confused this morning because we went to Silvermine Dam and came straight back again without getting out. (The Food Lady said it was to drop a car there but we were really bemused.) As it was Remembrance Sunday there were lots of stirring hymns on Fine Music Radio and the Food Lady said the scary word when they sung about 'the final sacrifice' so we were a bit unnerved too. Anyway, here we are back home again, looking bemused and unnerved and waiting for some action. As you can see, Harvey had come to visit.

Then Paul and Pauline came and took us all to Hout Bay in their car. We parked at East Fort after a long wait in a stop/go queue next to the Neverending Roadworks (and there were a few more scary words being said). We parked next to a car with a bumper sticker that the Food Lady approved of.

We walked past the ruins, and some Grewia occidentalis blossoms

and up onto the cool and misty mountain where we were going to climb up Blackburn Ravine.

Looking back to the Sentinel, with East Fort in the shadows.

It was appropriate, having Harvey here, that we saw many of these Ink Flowers (Harveya purpurea) because they are named after the Irish botanist, William Henry Harvey.

On and up we trod, past this thin and willowy ixia - probably Ixia flexuosa -

and lots of Spider Lilies (Wachendorfia - either paniculata or brachyandra).

The clouds were flying across the sky in the southeaster, but at least it was cool.

The Alph and the Lad and the Harv were setting quite a pace.

But the Food Lady kept stopping to look at the flowers - these are probably Lobelia pubescens.

The lads waiting for us - you can just see the Alph in the top left hand side of the photo, surveying the path below.

The path was quite steep and a bit snary - but if we walk with the Alph, he doesn't clap our leads on. You can just see Paul walking along the path under the massive cliff. 

A swirly twirly Karkaarblom (Tritoniopsis antholyza).

Time for tea, but we couldn't find the perfect teaspot. Here is Harvey urging Pauline and Paul on.

While the Food Lady and the Alph dithered about tea spots, stopping to admire some striking blooms of the Blue Sceptre (Aristea capitata), Paul took over and found the best spot

with good seats and table, some shade and even some back rests,

not to mention the view! Even Harvey was impressed and willed the Alph to take a photo to send to his mom and dad. We were almost at the top of Blackburn now.

After tea it was a quick stretch over the top, and then down the sandy path towards the Silvermine dam. There were lots of dung beetles to hunt - if only the FL wasn't such a spoilsport.

The cloudy southeastery sky made for some dramatic lighting effects. These are Cape Snow daisies (Syncarpha vestita).

A giant Pink Satyr orchid (Satyrium carneum) in the path. I was getting a wee bit warm by now.

Paul and Pauline and Harvey about to follow the Alph into the bush to the left. I was so pleased to get off this flinty road and on to a soft sandy track.

And the Food Lady was so pleased to encounter some lovely Edmondia sesamoides bushes.

By now I was getting really hot. Was I seeing things?

And a cat rock monster in the mist? Yikes. Luckily the Food Lady picked me up and carried me for a bit so I could get some cool southeaster air on my hot little body and brain.

And in no time we were back home and the humans were having bacon and eggs and gin and tonics while I stretched out under the table hoping for some scatterings. Lad and Harvey were out for the count too, cuddled up in the kool kennel.

Sticking to the shade on a hot April day

This morning we started early from East Fort in Hout Bay. Pauline and the Alf took a car to the other end, while we waited for Sue and Honey to arrive - which they did - bringing Kate with them. We were happy to see Kate and Lad tried to stand on his head as he does when he is ecstatically happy (most of the time) but just rolled over.

They kindly supply Free Poo Bags here.

It was already hot - and the sky was cloudy in funny patterns.

We walked up to the Hoeriquagga Trail path,

two black dogs together again. Just look how happy Honey was to see us!

But Sue wasn't feeling well, and as it was quite hot, she and Honey decided to turn back so we watched them walking back to the cars. Never mind, next time we will be two black dogs for longer.

Kate watching Sue and Honey safely back to their car, with Hout Bay in the background.

Some pale Autumn Painted Ladies (Gladiolus brevifolius) against the silvery foliage.

Tea overlooking Hout Bay - me, the Alf, Pauline, the Lad and Kate.

Thanks Kate for the new biscuits - and Sue for the Suebiscuits. (Managed to snaffle some crumbs.) The Food Lady also enjoyed the dates from Pauline and the ice-cold lemonade from Kate. 

We were still in the early morning shade but the sun was beginning to creep further and further up towards us, and the clouds just melted away.

Suitably refreshed and rehydrated, we set off again for Blackburn Ravine ...

hello Hot Chocolate Protea (actually really a Black Bearded Sugarbush (Protea lepidocarpodendron).

Hello Erica abietina susp. atrorosea.

and hello water! Lots of puddles on the mountain for hot scots to cool off in.

Then suddenly, the shade ran out and we had to walk out into the hot hot hot sun.

Pauline coming out into the sun. You can sort of see the path where we had come from high up in the shade of the background.

Checking out the toll booth far below - that makes the Food Lady even hotter under the collar to think about.

The Lad coped well with his first long, hot walk. He is quite a good natured guy these days, and I must say I am warming to him. Sometimes.

Some nodules from a Brunia noduliflora,

and growing in a cool, damp ravine where we stopped for a cool-down, were a few Guernsey Lilies (Nerine sarniensis),  

and some pretty Indigofera shrubs - possibly I. cytisoides.

and lots of fragrant Pylica buxifolia. Pauline and I waxing lyrical about the flowers and the cool water while the lad tries to fall over the edge.

Still a long way down,

but more lovely cold mountain water to drink and dip in!

Growing in the rocks of the path down to Chapmans Peak Drive were lots of pale pink Oxalis flowers - maybe Oxalis caprina - but we were too hot to check.

Glad to get home to the cool floor for us, and some cider for the Food Lady, and a G&T for the Alph,

made with Angostura Bitters, which, we were interested to read, were made in Trinidad and bottled in Canada where Kate comes from. 

We were quite tired, but not tired enough to stop barking at the neighbours and having a good scrounge in the garden for ...

THE TOAD.