A Hike for all ages: Conquering Lion's Head
Cape Town is one of the most recognizable cities in the world - thanks to its famous backdrop. Out at sea, Table Mountain is visible when Table Bay is still two hours ahead, and when approaching by road from the north it can be seen from many places as far as 100 km away from the Mother City. But the picture of the iconic mass of flat rock would not be complete without Devil's Peak and Lion's Head at its sides.
Legend has it that Devil's Peak got its name after a valiant recluse won a smoking contest with Old Nick himself. As for Lion's Head, the discussion never ends whether the bare rock on top is supposed to be the imaginary lion, or whether the bare rock is the lion's head and Signal Hill the rump. While you still ponder the semblance of a sleeping lion which the early settlers apparently saw in the ancient cone-shaped mountain top, the facts about Lion's Head are simple and straightforward. At 669 metres it is the third highest peak in the Table Mountain Range and Capetonians feel that it is a landmark as striking as Table Mountain.
My love affair with Lion's Head started one evening in December. We were sitting on the terrace of my grandmother's house on the far side of the City Bowl. The illuminated front of Table Mountain seemed close enough to touch, the city's lights were glittering below and all the way around Table Bay to Blouberg. It was magic. Opposite, along Signal Hill, occasional flashes of light meant that cars were still going up to the popular viewing spot, or coming down. Then, eyes wandering a little further to the left, there was Lion's Head.... dotted with countless lights, as if neat circles had been drawn around the mountain. "Oh that", my cousin remarked casually, a wise five years older than me and an 'old' Capetonian to boot, whereas I had arrived less than a month ago. "People climb up there all the time, especially at full moon. You bet there is another congregation of moon worshippers there right now", he joked. He had been up there with a friend quite a few times himself, he said. No big deal. One thing led to another and before we knew it we had decided to climb Lion's Head on Old Year's Eve.
Since then I have also been up there several times. Every so often Lion's Head is beckoning, especially at this time of the year as spring gradually turns into summer. It's a balmy Saturday morning - moderate temperatures, not a breath of wind - perfect to finally put the plan into action which we have fostered on many lazy winter weekends: to go out for some serious exercise in the great outdoors. Nothing that requires a lengthy drive out of town, though, or that will take the best part of the day, and nothing too strenuous either. That is exactly where Lion's Head comes in.
Climbing this 'rock' is almost a hobby among the initiated. Put on suitable clothing and footwear, and you are ready to go. Bring water - lots of water, this is not Table Mountain and therefore no tuck-shop with refreshments awaits you at the top.
You will find that other people had the same great idea as you. There really are hikers on Lion's Head at any time of the day and night. This is a hike for all ages and almost anyone who can walk. The fittest merrily jog up and down at the double in well under an hour, while the couch potatoes need about two and a half hours - with many stops for breathtaking (quite literally!), panoramic views of the City Bowl, Table Bay and Camps Bay with the entire Table Mountain Range pointing south. On a beautiful day like this there is a good chance that swarms of paragliders take off from the western slope of Lion's Head. Apart from looking beautiful when airborne, they unwittingly provide some entertainment when one of them ends up in the shrubs nearby, invariably followed by an outburst of obscene mutterings.
But don't expect your Lion's Head hike to turn into a major zoological expedition. You won't see much else than the proverbial birds and bees, err, crickets. Thousands of them perform their noisy concerts along some parts of the way. Then there is the occasional lizard bathing in the sun and if you are lucky you will spot a mean looking rock hyrax, better known as dassie, staring at you. Dassies, however, seem to prefer the attention, and occasional biscuit or bits of fruit, that they associate with the swarms of tourists on top of Table Mountain.
Lion's Head is 400 metres lower than Table Mountain and certainly less of a challenge than the arduous ascent through Platteklip Gorge, but despite everything mentioned earlier it is not a walk in the park either. On your way to the top of Lion's Head you circle the mountain again and again, enjoying great views of the various suburbs, Robben Island and the Atlantic Ocean right from the start. The path gets narrower as you progress, until you are really climbing. By the time you reach the climbing aids - several ladders, two sets of chains and some scrambling leads - you might find yourself wondering whose bright idea it was to do this in the first place. But giving up at this stage is totally out of the question, of course, and the final effort to the top is absolutely worth it. As with knees like jelly you step onto the flat surface on the summit, Cape Town is spread out below in all its glory. You are also rewarded with a great surge of pride because you actually made it - again. Remember that part for the next time that you feel the urge to climb Lion's Head.
If, however, Lion's Head does turn out to be a piece of cake for you, then you might want to join the Three Peaks Challenge which is held each year in early summer, this year on 5 November. Participants run from Long Street up to Table Mountain Road and along Table Mountain onto Devil's Peak, return to Greenmarket Square in the city centre, then run back to climb Table Mountain through Platteklip Gorge and after another stop at Greenmarket Square tackle Lion's Head. The total distance is 55 km and the challenge has to be completed in less than 14 hours. Cape Town's three distinctive mountains were first climbed all in one day back in 1897.
Legend has it that Devil's Peak got its name after a valiant recluse won a smoking contest with Old Nick himself. As for Lion's Head, the discussion never ends whether the bare rock on top is supposed to be the imaginary lion, or whether the bare rock is the lion's head and Signal Hill the rump. While you still ponder the semblance of a sleeping lion which the early settlers apparently saw in the ancient cone-shaped mountain top, the facts about Lion's Head are simple and straightforward. At 669 metres it is the third highest peak in the Table Mountain Range and Capetonians feel that it is a landmark as striking as Table Mountain.
My love affair with Lion's Head started one evening in December. We were sitting on the terrace of my grandmother's house on the far side of the City Bowl. The illuminated front of Table Mountain seemed close enough to touch, the city's lights were glittering below and all the way around Table Bay to Blouberg. It was magic. Opposite, along Signal Hill, occasional flashes of light meant that cars were still going up to the popular viewing spot, or coming down. Then, eyes wandering a little further to the left, there was Lion's Head.... dotted with countless lights, as if neat circles had been drawn around the mountain. "Oh that", my cousin remarked casually, a wise five years older than me and an 'old' Capetonian to boot, whereas I had arrived less than a month ago. "People climb up there all the time, especially at full moon. You bet there is another congregation of moon worshippers there right now", he joked. He had been up there with a friend quite a few times himself, he said. No big deal. One thing led to another and before we knew it we had decided to climb Lion's Head on Old Year's Eve.
Since then I have also been up there several times. Every so often Lion's Head is beckoning, especially at this time of the year as spring gradually turns into summer. It's a balmy Saturday morning - moderate temperatures, not a breath of wind - perfect to finally put the plan into action which we have fostered on many lazy winter weekends: to go out for some serious exercise in the great outdoors. Nothing that requires a lengthy drive out of town, though, or that will take the best part of the day, and nothing too strenuous either. That is exactly where Lion's Head comes in.
Climbing this 'rock' is almost a hobby among the initiated. Put on suitable clothing and footwear, and you are ready to go. Bring water - lots of water, this is not Table Mountain and therefore no tuck-shop with refreshments awaits you at the top.
You will find that other people had the same great idea as you. There really are hikers on Lion's Head at any time of the day and night. This is a hike for all ages and almost anyone who can walk. The fittest merrily jog up and down at the double in well under an hour, while the couch potatoes need about two and a half hours - with many stops for breathtaking (quite literally!), panoramic views of the City Bowl, Table Bay and Camps Bay with the entire Table Mountain Range pointing south. On a beautiful day like this there is a good chance that swarms of paragliders take off from the western slope of Lion's Head. Apart from looking beautiful when airborne, they unwittingly provide some entertainment when one of them ends up in the shrubs nearby, invariably followed by an outburst of obscene mutterings.
But don't expect your Lion's Head hike to turn into a major zoological expedition. You won't see much else than the proverbial birds and bees, err, crickets. Thousands of them perform their noisy concerts along some parts of the way. Then there is the occasional lizard bathing in the sun and if you are lucky you will spot a mean looking rock hyrax, better known as dassie, staring at you. Dassies, however, seem to prefer the attention, and occasional biscuit or bits of fruit, that they associate with the swarms of tourists on top of Table Mountain.
Lion's Head is 400 metres lower than Table Mountain and certainly less of a challenge than the arduous ascent through Platteklip Gorge, but despite everything mentioned earlier it is not a walk in the park either. On your way to the top of Lion's Head you circle the mountain again and again, enjoying great views of the various suburbs, Robben Island and the Atlantic Ocean right from the start. The path gets narrower as you progress, until you are really climbing. By the time you reach the climbing aids - several ladders, two sets of chains and some scrambling leads - you might find yourself wondering whose bright idea it was to do this in the first place. But giving up at this stage is totally out of the question, of course, and the final effort to the top is absolutely worth it. As with knees like jelly you step onto the flat surface on the summit, Cape Town is spread out below in all its glory. You are also rewarded with a great surge of pride because you actually made it - again. Remember that part for the next time that you feel the urge to climb Lion's Head.
If, however, Lion's Head does turn out to be a piece of cake for you, then you might want to join the Three Peaks Challenge which is held each year in early summer, this year on 5 November. Participants run from Long Street up to Table Mountain Road and along Table Mountain onto Devil's Peak, return to Greenmarket Square in the city centre, then run back to climb Table Mountain through Platteklip Gorge and after another stop at Greenmarket Square tackle Lion's Head. The total distance is 55 km and the challenge has to be completed in less than 14 hours. Cape Town's three distinctive mountains were first climbed all in one day back in 1897.
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