Middle-aged flash packers

We nearly didn’t do it.

We can see Table Mountain from our apartment and the clouds hanging around at the summit didn’t look promising.

Also, we were both thick-headed from the previous night and the thought of dragging ourselves 650m up a very steep path didn’t appeal. Naturally we each pretended we were fine but would graciously give in if the other decided they didn’t want to do it. Lengthy negotiations took place before we both agreed that we would prefer a gentle saunter around Camps Bay and the surrounding area.

All was fine until we sat down on a wall, looking up at the summit of Table Mountain. The clouds had cleared. As had my head.

1pm. We still had time to do it.

A fast walk up the hill to our abode (good warm up), rucksacks speedily organised and we were in an Uber, on our way by 1.30pm.

The Platteklip Gorge trail is the easiest route up to Table Mountain. The positives are it is well used (The Fear again – the path is too busy for nasty people laying in wait to mug you ) and you can’t get lost. The downside is it is a relentless upward climb to the top. No traverses and few flat areas, just straight up. However, nothing that the Lake District back home doesn’t offer us, so off we went and in an hour and a half we were at the top. In cloud.

Still, we had made it and we would have been very disappointed in ourselves had we left South Africa and not done it.

Apart from being attacked by a bird that was after my trail mix, nothing extraordinary to report and after a taking a few photos when the clouds cleared briefly, it was back on the path.

Many people say how much easier and quicker it is to descend that it is to ascend. Not for us. Frightened of slipping, we gingerly made our way down. Steve did manage to fling himself into a prickly bush but this is only to be expected and actually we made it to the bottom reasonably quickly.

Our Uber driver was most impressed that we walked both up and down and described us as “very strong”. We basked in the glow of such praise until we got home and stiffened up completely.

We did however manage to walk down to the Hussar Grill for a muscle reviving dinner of steak. (Natch S needed the T bone.) We also walked back. Up a steep hill. The Fear 0, strength quotient- high