Red Hill to Scarborough (5/5)

Bridget and I joined a MCSA meet "tramping across the koppies and vlaktes of the Red Hill Plateau at an easy pace" led by Martyn Trainor.

We started from Red Hill at 8.45am, to end at Camel Rock in Scarborough (cars at each end), and the South-easter was pumping hard with low cloud over the land.  Some concern that we had not brought much warm clothing, as it was rather cold.  Happily the cloud lifted after and hour or two, and with the sun shining, the wind chill was reduced.  But not the strength of the wind, and we had to contend with it all day.

The route started on the Kleinplass Dam Trail, but we branched off after a while to head toward Grootkop.

These little plants growing up to about 40 cm were all over the whole day's hike and looked like a buchu but did not have the characteristic buchu crushed-leaf smell.  Later identified it as Agathosma hookeri after googling "agathosma with no fragrance" or something like that!

A very interesting erica was found growing in a scramble between some rocks on the way up Grootkop - Erica halicacaba. The species name means "gooseberry" in Greek and the large flowers apparently have some resemblance to the Cape gooseberry when they are dry and brown.

At the top of Grootkop we had our first sit-down break.

Then we headed down again, towards the Kleinplaas dam.

Geissorhiza tenella (klein langpypie), a delicate little bulbous flower we encountered all day, especially in this area.

The route had now turned off path and bundu bashed over some vlaktes and onto another low ridge with sculpted rock features, towards our tea stop.

Although there was a super balcony ledge looking towards the dam, the wind was unpleasant and we made a tea stop behind some rocks at the end of this ridge.

More cross country walking followed as we went towards Vlooiberg.  Bridget looking good with the Cape Snow (Syncarpha vestita) in full bloom.

Had to lie right down to get the scent of this ground pincushion (leucaospermum).

From far away these syncarpha plants could have been sheep grazing, but were spectacular from close as we started our climb up Vlooiberg.

Touch the beacon and sit down for a while...

Ocean View and Noordhoek beach in the distance.

The route went down the western slopes and onto an old jeep track.

I spotted a shy little tortoise next to the track.

After about 1 km on the track our leader took us off westward towards the sea. This gladiolus was growing in a crack in a rock.

Another plant that was all over the whole day - Lachnaea grandiflora.

We enjoyed a good lunch break on the steep slopes overlooking Misty Cliffs. Roella ciliata flowers.

Need to find out what this is.

A colourful little wetland after turning off the jeep track on the way to Scarborough.

A view of Witsand and the Crayfish factory point with Platberg rising up to the left.

Pseudoselago and Chironia

Magnificent Gladioli on a small rocky ridge that we crossed before descending to Scarborough and the end of a very interesting and enjoyable day.