Trailing round Trappies
We were taken unawares by the heat yesterday. November is hardly the height of summer, and a level walk around the contour of Trappieskop in Clovelly, hugged by the waters of False Bay and anticipating a cool breeze from the sea turned out to be quite exhaustingly hot. I was surprised by how much I was affected by it, and on reflection must conclude that insufficient water intake was a contributing factor. No hike should be undertaken without frequent hydration, and I am completely at fault in this regard, usually drinking about a cupful of water on a three-hour hike rather than a good litre or more.
Undeniably beautiful even though a prickly pear! 
Blindingly bright! 
Such delicacy
The track around Trappies is very narrow in places, dropping sharply down on the sea side, and there are quite a few clambering points that make this a tricky trail for the slightly infirm. Apart from that, there is an abundance of birdlife flitting among the bushes, and so many dainty flowers along the way that it is a worthwhile outing just for those whose interests lie in such things, but the views are so marvellous that many rests can be taken to enjoy the sight of fishing boats chugging in and out of the bay, maybe a naval vessel testing its systems (say no more) or even the whales that frequent the bay (not many this year).
The children in the playground of the primary school waved and called out to these crazy people out in the heat, and we waved back, thankful that our schooldays were well behind us! Rather the rocky trail than the confines of the schoolyard.
Lovely watsonias everywhere 
An easier section 
False Bay coastline
By the time we reached our refreshment stop at the foot of the saddle connecting Trappieskop to Clovelly Mountain, we had already decided to go back the easy way, via the broad promenade along the road to Fish Hoek. A few intrepid hikers determined not to give in went up and over the saddle, taking much longer to finish than the slackers, myself included, but they thoroughly enjoyed the extra toil despite the heat and so everyone finished the morning quite satisfied with their achievements.
There is no shade along the trail which contributed towards the heat, and there is no doubt it is a walk for a chillier day, but as with every hike, we never regret it in the end.
