Hiking Silvermine, Muizenberg and Kalk Bay 4

Agapanthus

Mimetes Valley with False Bay and Simonstown in the distance

We thought this tree and boulder had character

Sunrise over False Bay and the Hottentots Holland Mountains

Some bright spark (one of the three primary glutei) suggested that we should try and make an earlier start today. Actually it was a sensible idea because the forecast for the day's weather was 35 Celsius. So I dutifully woke at 4.30, having made and packed my sandwiches and juice the night before, got my stuff together and headed out. I parked the car at Dalebrook tidal pool, in Kalk Bay, having been informed that the walk would end there.

I walked through Kalk Bay, St James and Muizenberg in the dark with my backpack. That may sound scary to South African city dwellers but it was along the Main Road, which is well lit, and even at 5.30 am on a Saturday there was a fair amount of traffic, including the odd demented cyclist practicing for the Argus in 3 weeks' time. I greeted the night guards on duty at the roadworks, manning the traffic lights at the one-lane section. I admired the string of really beautiful houses in the vicinity of Rhodes Cottage - most built around the turn of the last century although of course "Het Posthuys" is a lot older. I stopped to look at the progress made on the renovation of the old and somewhat infamous "Cape Sands" apartment block in Muizenberg, now renamed "Les Magnifique" or something equally pretentious and selling for from just under a million rand a pop for a one bedrrom apartment. Ah well, I guess it will look good when they finish and it was a bit of an eyesore. I wonder what happened to the hundreds of mostly expatriate African families who were living there. The old motorbike shop is now a second hand furniture emporium. There are two hairdressers right next to each other - who needs two hairdressers in a row - I don't even need one! Before long I was at Albertyn Road where I met the other glutei: maximi and minimi alike. As it turned out half the group had not gotten the message about the early start so we only left at 6.30 anyway.

Usually I stick with the old farts, but Sir Lawrence was in full volume mode already at 6.30 a.m. and I needed some solitude to help me wake up gently so thought I would walk with the young bucks. One fellow in particular seems to think it is a race - last week he made it from Boyes to the cross-path in 30 minutes. I had also brought my chest strap/heart rate monitor with me because I wanted to get a handle on what sort of exercise hiking offers one. I hit the start button just after we left Boyes up the path to Peck's Valley. I stood aside for him, muttering something like "Wouldn't want to hold you back" and we started our ascent. That first 5 minutes up what must be a 45 degree slope kills any conversation. Soon after, he drew aside to tie his shoelace, or so he said and I passed him saying that I just needed to keep on plodding and would see him shortly. He got further and further behind and soon it became clear that he wasn't able to keep up. When he finally did catch up he said something about having had a bad week and not having been able to train. Score one for the old farts! I made it in just under 30 minutes and was not even out of breath. So the interesting part: when I run my heart rate generally climbs to between 150 and 160, if it is a decent run with a few hills, and averages somewhere in the 130's. My Polar watch tells me all these things. In the climb up Peck's it maxed at 138 and averaged in the 120's. Well that isn't too shabby. That's more than 70% of my predicted maximum HR (174) and I kept it up for 30 minutes - tick off exercise session for the day, cardiologist happy.

We had a longish wait at Breakfast Rock (there is no breakfast rock, but there is a very nice rock at the top of Peck's where you can stop for breakfast). It was almost perfectly quiet, specially before the others arrived, only the odd chirrup of a sunbird going about its business, and the distant surge of the sea. Then it was over to the wireless station, down the road to junction pool up Mimetes Valley to Nellie's and down the diagonal path towards Ou Kraal. The youngsters had charged on ahead, so we let them, but instead of going to Ou Kraal, we took a left at a cairn and followed the hillside path which took us North, back towards Bailie's Kloof. It is a hidden treasure, clearly less used, taking you through a secluded smallish valley before bringing you into the top of Bailie's and the start of a rather steep descent. There seem to be two paths down Bailie's - the one we were not on is like a very long stone staircase and looks well used. Ours was more of a zigzag over to the right, but was clearly also a proper path. It wound around and under crags and small cliffs and then presented us with the option of left back to the main Bailie's path or right traversing over to the right under the cliff face, through indigenous forest and coming down St James Ravine. We chose the latter and were glad we had. More shade for a start. No uphill once we got to Boyes for a another. And finally just a very pleasant wooded path.

Then it was a relaxed walk down Boyes, cutting through St James down a long, steep flight of stairs, I forget which, different one to last time (not Jacob's Ladder). Again I marveled at the stunning old houses to right and left. They seem to have avoided being "improved" a la Atlantic seaboard style (all concrete, chrome and glass) - most retain considerable charm and seem well looked after. Just wish we could afford one! And then the customary dip in the tidal pool, which was already pretty full at 10.30. Home by 11 for a beer with an old friend who just happened to have dropped in. What else are Saturdays for?