Date: 19 November 2009Location: Table Mountain
Walkers: Dorothy & Helen
Note: This is the sixth time I've written about this walk we've nicknamed "Puff Adder Alley". Original route description here, route plotted here, and archive of all the walks here.
The pond at the start of the walk looked particularly cool inviting on this hot day. However, there was also much croaking of frogs... hmm, maybe not so inviting, then, after all!
Apart from lovely grasses, the route up is dominated at the moment by the bright purpley-pink flowers and scented leaves of Pelargonium cucullatum.
Also, lots of this scraggly yellow daisy, Senecio rigidus.
Beside the waterfall, the Psoralea pinnata was in flower too.
At the cave we saw that someone had lain down some grass; kids playing perhaps, or has someone been sleeping here?
I walked to the edge of the rocky overhang to get a view below the cave area, and saw more caves beneath. Wonder how safe and secure the path above is? Could it all collapse one day?
This sweet little thing was growing on the rocks near the cave. I think it may be something in the Chink family, perhaps Ornithogalum schlechterianum?
The oak tree is in full leaf now. Just beyond it, below the path, we saw more oaks growing, under a dead tree.
A pair of rock pigeons were hopping around the rocks on the last climb.
Once we got up to the upper contour (the path we call Puff Adder Alley because we've spotted the snake here twice) we noticed that the path has been cleared a little since we were last walked here. Great to see the route being well-maintained.
At the waterfall along this section, there was a lot more rocky debris than we remembered . Guess there was a bit of rockfall sometime recently?
Hereabouts we saw two colour variations of Struthiola striata. So pretty!
From the highest point, before we descended down the saddle path and walked along the road back to our cars, we got a super view of the new Cape Town Stadium, built for the Soccer World Cup to be held here 2010.
(Photos by Helen)
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2 comments:
Hi What a colourful walk with all the flowers you've taken photo's off. It's good to see how the stadium has come along since we were there in February. Not so sure about the 'Puff Adder Alley' been some-one who is terrified of snakes but it certainly looks a super walk to do and it's good to know that at last you're getting the good weather.
Weather is great at the moment Bev. Summer here at last! I'm also scared of snakes, although I always half-hope to see another puff adder on this route to justify the silly name we've given it.
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