James climbs Chapman’s Peak and Lion’s Head

Chapman’s Peak

Chapman’s Peak is always a nice hike. This was my second time hiking the route, and the weather was excellent. Many great conversations were held, with the most baffling being about the pointless gabions which lie scattered around below the peak. The views didn’t disappoint either, with a clear 360° view of the surrounding Atlantic Ocean, Hout Bay and beyond. We took 3 hours in total, with many breaks on the way up, as we were not rushed for time. I hope to take part in many more hikes like this in the future.

Lion’s Head on a cloudy evening

On the 7th of October I participated in the ‘Paint the lion purple’ event, where every Thursday in October, scouts from all over Cape Town hike up Lion’s Head. This particular hike took place from 4:30 until 7:00, ending just as the sun set. At the start the peak was invisible, as wind was whipping around the mountain carrying huge banks of clouds with it, obscuring the view. Once we reached the top though, it was unusually calm and we were able to take the photo of all the scouts in their purple scout clothes. I was the only scout there from 1st Claremont.