June hikes and Slangkop Lighthouse

by Diana Studer

- gardening for biodiversity

in Cape Town, South Africa

In June the Cape Mountains for the Curious and Adventurous climbed Wolfkop in Silvermine. "When I rule the world ..." was framed by the retired submariner. In the distance Table Mountain with Devil's Peak to its right.

From Wolfkop in Silvermine looking to Table Mountain 

A week later they hiked up Lion's Head. Looking across to the Cable Station and Table Mountain draped with its Tablecloth.

Table Mountain from Lion's Head

On Trappieskop delicate dancing white Crassula capensis. Shimmering pink flushed white berries Viscum capensis. Purple hieroglyphics on Stachys aethiopica.

Where the water seeped thru the cracks that cream rock was as smooth as a bar of soap. Our path crossed the saddle I see from our bay window. Luminous green is Clovelly golf course. Metalasia muricata with upmarket St James by the sea.

Feathery fragrant buchu Agathosma ciliaris. Faint blue stripes on Lobostemon montanum. Layers of purple detail in Muraltia spinosa flowers.

Trappieskop in June mostly white flowers

Brown striped bracts I hadn't noticed before on Othonna quinquedentata. Chocolate and gold petal reverse Cullumia setosa. Vanilla yellow daisies Senecio hastatus.

Buckets of berries for Cassine peragua. Shiny red berries Osyris compressa with a glimpse of Kalk Bay Harbour. Erica triste is a wind pollinated tree erica.

Woolly leaves Eriospermum. A fern. Searsia tomentosa with a velvet reverse to its leaves.

Trappieskop in June mostly yellow flowers

Our Fynbos Ramble in Silvermine caught a downpour with hail, only 3mm, but we got the whole bucketful and retreated home. Pretty silver wattle, from Queensland, Acacia podalyrifolia, another new invasive alien to learn about sadly.

Queensland silver wattle blooming in June

Returning to Silvermine to circle Maiden Peak. Cape satin bush Podalyria sericea. Bulbine favosa (few flowers on the spike) with succulent leaves.

Babiana villosula soft blue with a central white star. Silvermine River flowing with June rain. Gladiolus merianellus is scarlet dotted across the landscape but with a golden heart.

Four petals Heliophila scoparia. Deepest green buds on Erica urna-viridis. A single row of bracts on dangling Erica plukenetii.

Maiden Peak in Silvermine mostly bulbs for June

Ivory Metalasia densa paired with golden Leucadendron laureolum. Furry skirt on Metalasia compacta.

Pink clusters of Metalasia divergens. Oh my, Mimetes fimbriifolius versus quietly understated daisy Othonna digitata.

Maiden Peak in Silvermine Metalasia in June

Open day at Slangkop Lighthouse and we climbed the stairs for a different view of our hiking places. Commissioned in 1919 (after the war) and automated in 1979, with a standby diesel generator. Constructed of cast iron.

Slangkop Lighthouse

The lens of Slangkop Lighthouse. Slangkop, the mountain we have hiked on, is named for a bulb poisonous to livestock in early Settler days (Boophone disticha perhaps?)

The lens at Slangkop Lighthouse

HE stood on the mesh balcony 100 feet or 33 metres from the ground; I stayed behind the glass on a solid floor. To the left Hout Bay's Sentinel (his side) and to the right Chapman's Peak (which we divided by altitude)

From Slangkop Lighthouse to Hout Bay's Sentinel and Chapman's Peak

I hike with U3A each week (listed as False Bay)

His hike with U3A each week (listed as Cape Town)

Our hikes are listed on my page.

I invite you to join us at Elephant's Eye on False Bay. Please subscribe as you prefer

via Feedly,

or Bloglovin,

Email with Feedburner,

or Facebook 

Pictures by Diana and Jürg Studer

of Elephant's Eye on False Bay

Teal blue text is my links.

To read comments if you are in email or a Reader,

first click thru to the blog)

Thanks for comments that add value. Maybe start a new thread of discussion? BTW your comment won't appear until I've read it. No Google account? Just use Anonymous, but do leave a link to your own blog. I would return the visit, if I could...

I welcome comments on posts from the last 2 months.