Almost there!

Noordhoek Peak is one of the more strenuous walks in that the climb, whether via the jeep track or mountain trail, is relentless at 250m elevation from the dam car park. Cool weather helps, and yesterday was just perfect for an attempt at the summit with its magnificent views into Hout Bay. I say attempt, because we can be an unruly mob sometimes, and at the prospect of another valley and climb up the other side, a small mutiny took us along the Amphitheatre ridge which was extremely enjoyable but did not take us to our destination. Admittedly, we were tracking a little dog which had decided to attach itself to another, faster group, but nevertheless, apologies to our fine group leader without whom none of us would be doing these fantastic mountain hikes!

The fynbos is coming out of its ‘quiet’ phase and there were so many exciting flowers along the route. One can only imagine what’s out there on the slopes away from the beaten track. I keep a record of my observations on iNaturalist by way of being a citizen scientist, and was pleased to add two new species to my list – I don’t know how I missed them on previous hikes, but it shows how important it is to be constantly aware of all you see.. Not always easy when trying to keep up with the pack, but every outing is an opportunity to expand your knowledge and appreciation of the incredible fauna and flora on our doorstep.

Although we didn’t get to Noordhoek Peak itself, any walk in Silvermine Nature Reserve is rewarding and possibly one of the best places to be on any given day. We will be back.