I have spent my life hiking to and fro across the Cape Peninsula, and I was excited to see that Tim Lundy has revised his father’s book: Lundy’s Best Walks in the Cape Peninsula. I remember pouring over his dad’s book and deciding where the next family weekend hike would be.
The book is small and pocket friendly. Definitely created for making the best, and well intentioned, hiking plans. The introduction is packed with a great set of tools including: Emergency numbers, mountain safety, and a brief introduction to local birds, plants and snakes. As well as a quick look at the geology, cave conservation and the weather… “the weather is notoriously unpredictable.”
With all the safety precautions and armed with local wildlife knowledge, the reader is taken on thirty hikes across the Cape Peninsula, with varying levels of difficulty, ranging from extremely easy wanderings to adventures of the more tricky kind.
Lundy’s Best Walks in the Cape Peninsula
Each hike has:
- A QR code that takes you to the start of the hike on google maps.
- A clear and comprehensive map.
- Time to set aside for the hike.
- Water availability on the hike.
- Degree of difficulty
- If dogs are or aren’t allowed on the route.
- A full description of the route, including historical landmarks and details that only a guide could provide
- Full colour photographs, from along the route, to inspire you to get up and go.
All the hikes are described in detail and the book is rich, with full colour photographs on every page. The nice thing about having a professional guide to describe a hike for you, is that they include so many details that you wouldn’t get by just walking the route… you will be able to discover the history behind lots of curious features on our local mountains, you will discover how to get access to the museum on top of Table Mountain. On almost every “Table Top” hike someone in the party asks about the reservoirs on the mountain top. I love that hikes within Cape Point Nature Reserve, our family’s stomping ground, have been included.
Se7en Hikes We Loved over the years from this Book.
2. Tranquility Cracks
3. Chapman’s Peak
5. Long Beach
6. Elsie’s Peak
7. Elephant’s Eye
8. Skeleton Gorge and Newlands Ravine
This book is perfect for weekend warriors, who like to plan all the details, as well as armchair hikers who would like to be inspired. It is the kind of book that can be popped into a daypack, and you can dip into on a snack break to read about where you are hiking. It is an extremely giftable book, that would be just as happy on the trails and on a coffee table.
