The humans were determined to hike up to Maclear's Beacon today as plans to do so had been scuppered on the last three attempts due to high winds, rain and heat. So a gentle drizzle was nothing, in fact it was great because it meant we could come too. We started at the Rycroft Gate at Kirstenbosch where we met the only other person mad enough to join us - Pauline. Here is Dougal looking a bit sceptical.
We slogged up Nursery in the drippy drizzle,
us Scots in our element: cool wet weather, and lots of smells and rustles in the undergrowth to investigate.
Waiting for the phoodlady almost at the top.
By the time we reached the top of Nursery Ravine, the squall had passed and the sun was trying to break through.
Dougal being a dassie.
Pauline, me, Dougal - and the Food Lady pouring the tea - taken by the Alpha.
They were keen to see Drip Disas, but we also saw drip sedges with large droplets that were about to drip ...
and a Drip Erica - (actually
Erica plukenetti) flowering rather later than usual,
and a glistening Blister Bush,
Notobuton galbanum - a member of the carrot family.
As if I wasn't wet enough already! But the mountain water is just so inviting.
This was the closest we got to seeing Drip Disas (
Disa longicornu). Tight buds.
and some more buds of another disa, possibly
Disa vaginata or maybe
D. rosea.
We saw lots and lots of wonderfully drippy waterfalls - water was just cascading and gushing everywhere.
Relieved to see we were on the right track as the weather started to close in again.
The cloud lifted to reveal a glimpse of the Constantia winelands far below.
Omigosh what's that! A Christmas rocky reindeer?
The Food Lady and Pauline exclaimed over some pretty pink and fluffy bushes of the Rose Rice Heath (
Erica tenuifolia).
Some helpful white arrows pointed us in the right direction as it was too misty to see very far ahead now.
A cute little
Bulbine.
We clambered up and up, through waterfalls and tight spots,
until at last
Maclear's Beacon loomed into sight.
Two nice people who had come from the cable car offered to take a photo of all of us at the beacon. We were quite relieved to see them there as it was quite windy and wet and we were worried that the cable car might be closed and we would have to walk down Platteklip Gorge.
It was too chilly to linger at the beacon, so we carried on through the soggy wetland, mist
and drizzle
and made it back to the cable car at about noon, where we had a picnic lunch and Pauline bought some coffee for the Food Lady and herself and a beer for the Alph which went down very well. We had some "Mocha and Almond" rusks, a Beano and some mountain water which suited us just fine too!
We felt relieved to be alive when we looked at this monument to all of the people who have died on Table Mountain.
The Alph phoned Simon to come and fetch us and we went down in the cable car which I did NOT enjoy one little bit!
It was all rather confusing and scary in the cable car
and we were mighty relieved to get down to find Simon waiting for us with the Land Rover.
Two tired and happy Scotties.
On Wednesday 4 January, the Food Lady smuggled us into the Silvermine Reserve (still sans dog permit because she hasn't managed to get photos for our special cards yet although she and the Alph have an expensive Wildcard that they were told would be fine for dogs too!). We (us, the Alph and Nicola) met up with Robbie, Jenny and Belle for a lovely walk down the river.
A hairy caterpillar on an Erepsia anceps flower - even hairier than a Scotty.
Some Red Crassulas (Crassula coccinea ) were already starting to flower. They are also pollinated by the Mountain Beauty butterfly.
Tea in the cool breeze. It certainly wasn't a burning hot day, but we were looking forward to a swim in the dam.
On the road down to the dam, the FL noticed some plants that have made themselves at home here - the ubiquitous dandelion and some Hare's Tail (Lagurus ovatus) grass from the Mediterranean.
There was lots of activity down at the dam - a great way to finish a walk. Next time we come, I hope we will be legal.
some red Christmas balls - the fruit of the False Dodder (Cassytha ciliolata),
