On steps made for giants

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I have settled on an exercise regime in preparation for tackling the big African next month. This consists of 2 days trekking up and over Table Mountain and 2 days cycling out to Llandudno beach each week.




My favourite route up the mountain is known as the India Venster and for those who know Cape Town, it's the goat track up immediately under the cable car. The route has a warning at both ends :

Extremely dangerous route with steep rock

climbing and difficult navigation.

 DO NOT attempt this route if inexperienced.

 Use at own risk.

( see photos above ) However, this leaves me with a dilemma in which route to descend as I prefer to ascend and descend by different routes. The main tourist route, Platteklip gorge, is somewhat boring, busy and brings you out onto the mountain road 30 minutes walk away from the lower cable car station. It is also hotter in this valley. Amazingly it seems that whenever nature has laid down steps, they are made for giants. So I have now discovered another equally difficult and arduous track up called Diagonal which goes up above Camps Bay beach. The track can be exhausting as there are several downhill stages during the ascent so you actually climb up more than the 1050 metres of the mountain. This does however allow me to descend down the India Venster route. So in total, about a 6 - 6.5 hour round trip from Bantry Bay.

My bike ride starts out relatively flat to Camps Bay and then a steady climb for about ½ hour to 300 m ( a bit like the Port Hills run in Christchurch ) and then a steep descent at the speed of sound down to Llandudno beach ( see photo above ), skimming over the speed bumps. A rest, read and sleep and then a snails pace climb back up to the main road and a top gear run home. A satisfying spin down the centre of the road at Camps Bay, past the 100 or so cars caught in the traffic snarl here most Saturday and Sunday afternoons.



The really good part is that both routes are amongst stunningly beautiful scenery. The bike route is on the edge of the coast with views back to Table Mountain and Lion's Head and the views from the mountain go just about everywhere.



I would like to fit in some swimming as well but the view of the bottom of the pool is rather drab in comparison!!



I will write about some of the interesting characters I have met on these travails later.