LION’S HEAD

Once there were lions
Myth often begins in truth. Written records reveal that hippos, elephants, lions, hyenas and leopards lived in and around Cape Town during the late 1600s. While sadly the last lion on Lion’s Head was seen in 1802, and the last leopard somewhere in the 1820s, you can still find traces of caracals and African wild cats, though you won’t likely catch sight of them.

A geological wonder
Lion’s Head uniquely features three different types of rock: sandstone on the top of the head, Cape Granite on the lower slopes, and late-Precambrian age Malmesbury Group siltstone under Lion’s Head peak.

Paraglider’s paradise
Going with the flow takes on new meaning when you watch paragliders. They will tell you how it depends on the wind as to whether they’re launching off Lion’s Head or nearby Signal Hill. The first paraglider flew off Lion’s Head in 1987; the Spiral Path Route up Lion’s Head passes one of these infamous launch sites for sailors of the skies.

Hiking
While it’s easier than hiking Table Mountain, the last quarter of a Lion’s Head hike offers a special challenge for adventure-lovers, where you’ll climb a series of steel ladders before reaching the top.

SIGNAL HILL

The Noon Gun
Signal Hill is where the world-famous Noon Gun is fired every day at midday on the dot. This lunchtime signal is Cape Town’s oldest tradition.

The view point
This is a popular view point, with no major hiking required. There is a large parking area, along with a spacious viewing area that includes picnic tables and quieter spots. Many people come here at sunset to watch the sunset over the sea. This viewing point got its name from its position high above the peninsula. Signal flags were used to communicate weather warnings to ships below. Ships in distress could also use flags to signal for help. Signal Hill is sometimes called Lion’s Rump, and, together with Lion’s Head, is said to resemble a sleeping lion or a sphinx.

One-of-a-kind nature
Signal Hill is one of the only places in the world where you will find the critically endangered Peninsula Shale Renosterveld vegetation. This vegetation was once a dominant ecosystem in the City Bowl, occurring nowhere else in the world. Now, it can only be found on Signal Hill, with a small patch growing on Devil’s Peak. You may also see the Cape Dassie (Rock Hyrax) if you’re lucky.

DEVIL'S PEAK

The spire
Known as the spire of the collection of mountains, the peak stands at an impressive 1000 metres tall, but it's still shorter than Table Mountain's highest point, Maclear’s Beacon.

A myth of mountainous proportions
The story of Devil’s Peak started in 1700 with a Dutch man named Jan van Hunks who lived at the foot of Charles Mountain in Cape Town. Hailing from Holland, Jan liked to smoke a lot. Not approving of the habit, his wife would send him outside every time he smoked. One day while on his porch, he saw a mysterious figure who was also smoking. He was so busy bragging about how much he could smoke that he failed to notice that the character had two horns and a forked tail. Before he knew it, he'd struck a deal with the devil, and a ferocious pipe smoking contest ensued. Van Hunks eventually won the contest, but not before the mountain was covered in a Table Cloth cloud of smoke. Charles Mountain then became known as Devil's Peak, how it is still known today.

Hiking
Devil's Peak is separated from Maclear’s Beacon and the main table by a steep drop down to the saddle, which puts many hikers off. They're missing out on a fantastic hike and equally fantastic views of Table Mountain. The easiest ascents are via the upper contour path above Tafelberg Road, or from above Newlands Forest, via Newlands Ravine. Alternatively, mid to strenuous routes begin at Rhodes Memorial including; the Knife's Edge path and the upper traverse path.

Nature
On Devil's Peak, you'll find Cape Fynbos and indigenous forest including the famous native silverleaf tree. You may see eland, wildebeest and zebra, as well as indigenous animals including; porcupines, caracals, small grey mongoose and rock hyrax.

TWELVE APOSTLES MOUNTAIN RANGE

A stunning view
The Twelve Apostles Mountain Range runs roughly from Kloof Nek (the saddle between Table Mountain and Lion’s Head) to Hout Bay. Victoria Road runs along this series of mountains, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean on the one side, and the magnificent crags, ridges, ravines, and gorges of the Twelve Apostles on the other.

Name the peaks
You’d think you’d be able to count 12 peaks, given the name of the series of mountains. You’d be wrong. There are 18 peaks, although it really depends how you count. The theory is that if you count the buttresses only (that’s the part that protrudes, which might be made up of a few peaks), there are 12. Each peak, however, has its own name: from north to south, they are Kloof, Fountain, Porcupine, Jubilee, Barrier, Valken, Kasteel, Postern, Wood, Spring, Slangolie, Corridor, Separation, Victoria, Grove, Llandudno Peak, Llandudno Corridor, and Hout Bay Corner.

Hiking
The Twelve Apostles are not as high as Table Mountain, but they are arguably more interesting. The deep ravines, towering cliff faces, ridges, and gorges are simply breathtaking, and they make for some of the best hikes in the city. We recommend the Tranquility Cracks hike. It starts about halfway along the Twelve Apostles Range. The cracks are up to 5 metres deep, and are really beautiful to explore.

Mountain Views in Cape Town