Lion’s Head

Often resembling rush hour traffic on the N1, this easy hike up Lion’s Head still offers superb views over the City, can easily be completed before work at dawn or after a day at the office, and is popular as a sunset hike at full moon.

Getting there: From the top of Kloof Nek, turn onto the Signal Hill Road and drive for about 1km until you see a large wooden hut on the left. There is plenty of parking on both sides of the road.
GPS Coordinates: -33.93682, 18.39485
Difficulty: every year there are serious accidents at the chains

Take the jeep track that leads up to the left — it spirals in a clockwise direction around Lion’s Head until you reach the top. The route completes a full circle around the summit, affording you views of Camp’s Bay, Clifton, Sea Point, the City Bowl, Table Bay, Robben Island and Table Mountain as you go. Of course, the views from the top are classic Mother City vistas.

Once you have almost completed the spiral, and are back above your departure point, you will reach the chains and ladders. This point is also marked by a couple of large pine trees [-33.936388, 18.389764]. The chains and ladders help you up — and are not too difficult to negotiate. For an interesting read about the chains and staples in place here with all the facts and some fascinating photos, read this article on Climb ZA.

There is a route around the chains which is slightly longer but easier: just before you reach the chains there is a path that carries on in the direction that you have been walking. It goes around the hill until you are above Camps Bay once more, and then follows the ridge until it joins the main route above the chains area.

When it is a full moon there is more than enough light to make the walk back down after sunset. It’s a good idea to take a torch as a backup — remember that you will be “on the dark side of the moon” as you go back down.

This is one for: a picnic and a few beverages (please NO GLASS!), and something warm if you are going to watch the sunset.