Since my last update on this blog, we’ve seen North Korea conduct its third nuclear bomb test, witnessed a major meteor strike and seen a new pope elected. A dramatic start to the year!

Earlier this year I was fortunate to spend a week in beautiful Cape Town for a good friend’s wedding and managed to get in a couple of decent treks whilst there. I didn’t take my big camera so all the photos below are taken on an iPhone with a little bit of post processing in iPhoto. I’m loving the portability of a phone camera and the quality is getting pretty good nowadays.

A delayed journey saw me making an impromptu connection in my former home city of London – it was a spectacular sight to fly over:

Hike 1: Table Mountain via the India Venster route

Free from the office and near a mountain? Well let’s climb it then! At the trailhead with my good climbing buddy Steven (of South America and Alps fame) and girlfriend Lexi (who has no idea yet what lies ahead 😉 )

I can’t say we weren’t warned…

Spectacular view of Lion’s Head as we get higher up Table Mountain. It was a beautiful day. I got the impression that every day is like this in summer!

We ended up slightly (ok, very far) off route and were picking our way gingerly around the cliffs. We pushed on thinking we could take a short cut back to the path but there was a final barrier – a steep cliff that was too dangerous to down climb – blocking our way. Back it was then. Better a live donkey than a dead lion!

I’d still rather take the trail any day of the week:

Back on the official route and enjoying the “climbing” section – a mini via ferrata:

The views from the summit down to Camps Bay were stunning:

Duly noted! (this sign was at the top of the climbing path route we came up but we were taking a different path down, which although less direct, was more mellow)

It still had the occasional steep section and ladder to negotiate:

Late evening sun on the descent (a panorama stitch on the iphone):

We had a full day on the mountain, from 9 until sundown at 8.30. From there it was a race to the nearest cheap and cheerful Italian restaurant to satiate our gnawing bellies. Sunset near the trailhead:

Hike 2: Lion’s Head

iPhone panorama of the trail up Lion’s Head, with Camps Bay and Table Mountain in the background. It was another stunning day with spectacular views.

Another steep band to climb using the chains and steps in the rock. Adds a little bit of excitement to the walk:

Nearing the summit with Table Mountain in the background:

Lexi on the summit:

Yours truly enjoying the setting

iPhone panorama from the summit showing how extensive the Table Mountain massif is: