Greetings Everyone,
I have been in South Africa (Cape Town for the most part) for a month and fifteen days now and every where I go throughout the city, the view of Table Mountain is ever-present and undeniable!
Being that I have already hiked Lions Head Mountain twice (AM & PM), it was definitely about time that I made my way up Table Mountain.
Table Mountain has an unbelievably rich biodiversity and its vegetation consists of several different types of unique Cape Fynbos. Fynbos (fine-leaved plants in Dutch) is a stretch of shrub vegetation. On Table Mountain, the main vegetation type is endangered Peninsula Sandstone Fynbos, but even more critically endangered is Peninsula Granite Fynbos, Peninsula Shale Renosterveld, and Afromontane forest which exist in smaller portions throughout the mountain.
All the different vegetation forms part of the Cape Floral Region protected areas, which are a World Heritage Site. Supposedly, despite serious conservation efforts, Table Mountain has the highest concentration of threatened species of any continental areas of equivalent size in the world.
Anyway, I am no expert on the subject and am just sharing what I have briefly researched. The reason why I wanted to share this information is because it will provide somewhat of an anecdote as to why it took me almost 5 hours to climb to the very top of Table Mountain.
Although the hike up Table Mountain took me much longer than anticipated, I wouldn’t have done it any other way. I took my time climbing up the mountain to really explore and admire all that my eyes were graced with.
Many people time themselves to see how fast they can make it up the mountain, but for me, it was a time of reflection; a time of appreciation, a time to connect with Nature, and a time to really connect with myself.
Wherever you go, be all there. Be present.
Let all that you do be done in love.
Warmest,
Lauren K.
