Taming Cape Town's lion

Travel report on my hike up Lion's Head

Panorama während des Umwegs, schmaler steiniger und staubiger Weg gesäumt von kleinen Büschen, rechts im Hintergrund die Spitze des Lion's Head, mittig das Meer und der Strand von Camps Bay und links der Tafelberg wie so oft typisch eingedeckt von einem dicken Wolkenschleier
Lion’s Head panoramic view on the detour

Lion's Head ist a cone shaped mountain right between Table Mountain and Signal Hill in Cape Town, South Africa. I cannot recall now how often I pulled myself up its mane. Five or six times? And with mane I mean the iron chains and steps which you have to climb during a short but somewhat difficult passage. 

Ca. 2 Meter hohe rotbraune Felswand mit eingeschlagenen Eisenklammern und Ketten, um daran hochzuklettern
Climbing passage

You find it around mid ascent is really not the typical for regular hikers. It is only a short passage but demands some bravery and a bit more physical fitness. Or a detour to get around it. Luckily that detour exists.

Abzweigung zur Umgehung des Klettersteigs (bei Aufsteig), Hauptweg hoch auf unregelmäßiger Natursteintreppe, Abzweigung weiter auf schmalem steinigen Weg links entlang des Lion's Head
Turnoff for detour (on ascent)

The detour makes the day trip only a little bit longer. Yet, also here counts: those who suffer from extreme fear of heights should not walk up Lion's Head. 

Obere Abzweigung zum Umweg, Hauptweg aufwärts auf unregelmäßig großen Steinen und rutschigen Wurzeln zweier großer Bäume, die man passiert
End of detour (on ascent)

Immer wieder gibt es Passagen mit sehr engen Wegabschnitten, die sich klippenartig direkt an sehr tiefen Abgründen entlangschlängeln, nur gelegentlich mit Halteketten versehen.

Halteketten zum Festhalten, zur Sicherung an einer sehr schmalen Stelle an einem steilen Abhang, in der Ferne links der Tafelberg und rechts das Meer und Signal Hill
Chains to hold on to at a very narrow passage

I strongly recommend the detour for your descent. Especially when you visit Lion's Head for the moonrise you will experience longer waits at the climbing parts. I once had to wait extremely long because some teacher brought his small and totally unprepared school children there fearfully laywaying down the rocks in the pale light of the moon.

Well, the moonrise during full moon is probably worth even that. But first things first: start your hike early afternoon to make sure you have nice place to picnic. On full moon it gets very crowded up there. This also means to take enough water with you, approx. 2 liters per person! From November to March also the night temperatures can be above 30° Celsius in Cape Town.

For the hike you should use light hiking boots. Especially at the climbing passages softer soles might offer better grip and feel. A hat and sunscreen are a must. (At the end of this article you'll find a list with recommended equipment for the hike up Lion's Head.) 

Panorama am Ende des Gipfel-Plateaus mit kleinen Büschen, flachen staubigen Stellen und flachen Felsen zur Rast, sowie mit weitem Blick über Kapstadt, rechts Signal Hill und der Ozean, und links im Hintergrund der Tafelberg und die Zwölf Apostel
Panoramic view at the end of the peak's plateau direction Signal Hill

Upon arrival you'll find many flatter places to rest, picnic, and to enjoy the view. Concerning the view you have to find your individual compromise: closer direction Table Mountain with a view on the Twelve Apostles that shine golden in the light of the setting sun, or more direction Signal Hill with a wide view both on the ocean and Cape Town. Or you first choose a place on the ocean side for the best view on the sunset – and change afterwards to the city side to enjoy the best view on the moon that will rise behind the sea of Cape Town's sparkling city lights.

Nacht-Panorama auf dem Lion’s Head mit Blick auf Kapstadt’s Lichtermeer (links) und den angestrahlten Tafelberg während des letzten Lichtscheins der untergehenden Sonne auf der Meerseite (rechts) – Fotografiert von Peter Becker
Night view on Cape Towns sea of lights – photographed by Peter Becker

On the top it is mostly very windy. It is advisable to take some warmer clothes with you, like long trousers like a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt or a light fleece jacket and a light scarf. Actually, longer trousers also make sense for the climbing passage to save your skin. 

Fleece jackets at Jack-Wolfskin.de
Ad

Furthermore, a headlight is very important for the descent. The light of the full moon could suffice for some. But when all the others are using lights your eyes can hardly adjust to the conditions – and due to the big number it is not easy to keep a distance to the other hikers. I normally carry a Zipka by Petzl with me.

The product link leads to to the headlights available at Globetrotter.de – but I also found some offers the  Mountain24.de store.

 

 

Sitzbank als Rastplatz mit weiter Aussicht über Kapstadt und auf den Tafelberg schon zu Beginn der Tour – respektive am Ende des Abstiegs
Bench for a rest already at the beginning of the tour – respectively at the end of the descent

At the start of the trail several benches with backrest invite you to take a rest. But be aware: you will find amazing views all along the way. In later passages sometimes flat stones offer good resting possibilities, and depending on the altitude of the sun even in the shade of Lion's Head. 

Sitzgelegenheit während des Umwegs auf Felsen, mit Schatten spendendem hohem Felsen als Unterstand
Sitting possibilities on rocks during the detour – roofed by a big rock for a bit of shelter

Dangerous parts:

I already mentioned the climbing passage above. The waypoints that don't seem dangerous at first could be even more so: roots and stair fixations made of wood that have become very slippery over the years. Also the 2 meters high iron ladders you have to climb here and there on the trail are very slippery, especially when they are wet from the sweat of people that walk right in front of you. No sole can give you perfect grip there. In combination with the trail's dust you should always test your grip during the respective sections. And even if some Capetonians run up Lion's Head with their running shoes, I clearly recommend hiking boots that cover your ankles. The trail is not that long and help not too far away. But once you strained your ankle, your day trip can quickly turn into a bad trip.

Links im Vordergrund: ca. 2 Meter hohe rutschige Eisenleiter – soweit ich mich erinnere muss man sie unterwegs an zwei Stellen benutzen – rechts im Vordergrund der schmale, steinig-staubige Wanderweg am Abhang, in der Ferne links der Tafelberg und rechts das Meer und Signal Hill
Left in the picture: slippery iron ladder – as far as I remember there are at least two on the way
Rechts im Bildvordergrund: rutschige runde Treppenbefestigungen aus Holz
On the right side: slippery stair fixations made of wood
Im Vordergrund links unten: die rutschigen Wurzeln des oberen Baumes überlagern komplett die schmale steile Passage
In the picture semi left: slippery roots
Getting there:

According to friendsoflionshead.org the public MyCiTi buses 106 and 107 take you to the bus stop "Kloof Nek 2" respectively "Kloof Nek 1". However, most people take the car. Coming from Cape Town heading towards Camps Bay you take the road "Kloof Nek". Take turn off at the sign directing you to "Signal Hill" (you also find the bus stop here) – and then go on until you reach the Lion's Head parking lot. During the time of full moon you should arrive early because the parking space is limited. Normally there are car guards, however, no item should be left visible in the car but rather stowed in the trunk. In general, a car guard should always be given a tip upfront, officially or not and also if he already left before you return to your car.

Activities:

Lion's Head offers a runway for paragliding (flex-wing). Hey, but hiking is so much better, isn't it. 

Hinweisschild am Start des Wanderwegs Lion's Head mit Hinweis für Paragleiter und zur Umweltschutz-Gruppe friendsoflionshead.za.org
Information board – paragliding and friendsoflionshead.za.org
Startplatz für Paragleiter gegen Ende des ersten Viertels des Wanderwegs. Ein Helfer hält im Vordergrund den auf dem Boden ausgelegten Gleit-Schirm, hinter dem steil abschüssigen Starthang zwischen hohen Büschen: das Meer und der weite Strand von Camps Bay
Startplatz für Paragleiter etwa nach einem Viertel des Wanderwegs
Important:

What you bring should be taken with you again. This counts for any kind of garbage like wrappings, bottles, fruit skins or egg-shells and most importantly cigarette butts! Due to draughts the danger of causing forest fires in South Africa is extremely high.

Hinweisschild am Startpunkt des Lion’s Head Wanderwegs, Verboten: kein Fahrrad, kein Übernachten, keine Musik-Boxen, kein Holz hacken, kein Feuer machen, keinen Schutt abladen – Gebote: nicht allein, sondern in Gruppe wandern, Hut zum Schutz gegen die Sonne, Wanderstiefel, Kapuzenjacke, Trinkwasser, Hunde anleinen, Müll im Mülleimer entsorgen, SOS-Notrufnummer speichern – Betreten des Lion's Head Areals auf eigene Gefahr
Indication sign at the start of Lion's Head hiking trail
Recommendations for your preparation:

For the hike:
Short hiking trousers
Light long hiking trousers
Light hiking boots that support your ankles
2 liters of water per person
Headlight
Hat
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Patience at the climbing passages

For the top:
T-shirt to change
Long sleeve shirt / sweatshirt / light fleece jacket
Food & beverages for a picnic
Picnic blanket
Camera

Links:

Table Mountain National Park – South Africa's official national park website: Sanparks

Bus connections: MyCiti 

Good to know: Friends of Lion’s Head

Weather conditions in Cape Town: via Google

Moon phases / moonrise: via Google

Local news: Cape Times

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