Lion's Head circuit: sundowner trail

Track of Lion's Head circuit

Location: Kloof Nek to Signal Hill, then around Lion's Head

Activity: Run
Category: Trail run
Distance: 8 km
Time: About an hour for slower runners.
Description: Steady climb followed by moderate rollercoaster, then a gradual dowhill... and up to the finish. Views to die for ,especially in the evening.
Altitude: 245 m up to 311 m, down to 185 and back up. Total climb 223 m
Gradient: About 10 % for the first kilometre, easing off after then to 6-7 % average.
Rating: Perfect sundowner

The ideal sundowner run

One of Celtic Harriers' Thursday trail running series, this route is, like most of those on the mountain, fairly tough and slow going at first, but moderate after that. Instead of simply doing the Lion's Head circuit, it incorporates an out-and-back section up Signal Hill. Faster runners may do a loop up towards the view point on Signal Hill, but this particular description follows the progress of the third-fastest group (that is, the first-slowest group) on the day, cutting out the loop bit.

From the parking area at Kloof Nek, cross the road at the intersection and head up Signal Hill Rd (below). 

Starting out: Kloof Nek

At 150 metres from the intersection, turn left up the rock steps (you'll need to step across a drainage channel) and continue up the path as it curves almost immediately to the right. Follow the track above and parallel to the tarred road.

At roughly the 800 m mark, the track dips down to road level where the Lion's Head hike starts at a level area with a boom. Proceed up to the gravel track, continuing in the direction of Signal Hill.

At 1,63 km from the start, you reach a clearing - proceed straight through towards Signal Hill.

Near the turn point

Follow the path past the Kramat.

Time to retrace your steps

At the point where the upper tarred section starts at 2,73 km (right), turn around and retrace your steps to the clearing mentioned earlier.

 

Path leads to the right (north)

From the clearing, turn north on a downhill path (facing Lion's Head, turn to your right) towards the Bantry Bay side.

Stop and savour the view.

The path doubles back after 200 m and follows a rollercoaster, generally downhill trend. In places there are breathtaking drop-offs on the right, with magnificent views over the Atlantic seaboard. Generally the trail is quite narrow - it's a hiking path.

At times, it's quite narrow.

Treed area above Top Road

As you skirt Lion's Head on the 200 m contour, you enter a treed area and pass above the highest houses in Fresnaye at Top Road.

Lion's Head circuit: profile

At just under 6 km total (if you have done the Signal Hill section first) you will reach the lowest point on the run.

Nearing the home stretch...

About 500 metres later, you bear left off the main trail, up some steps that take you to a shady clearing.

Looking towards Camps Bay Drive

Pass straight through the clearing in the direction of Kloof Nek. At this point, you'll see Camps Bay Drive/M62 off to your right, with the upper cable station directly above.

Within 900 metres of gentle rollercoaster running, you reach Kloof Road. Turn left up the road, and 300 metres later you will have reached Kloof Nek.

Finish line

Ou Kaapse Weg: East (Steenberg) side

Location: Ou Kaapse Weg, Constantiaberg east side

Activity: Cycle

Category: climb

Distance: 3,6 km (Ou Kaapse Weg proper) or 6 km from Main Rd, Lakeside

Description: Steady, steep climb with stunning views. Avoid if the wind speed is more than a fresh breeze (more than about 35 km/h, particularly if southeast) and if cloud obscures the top.

Altitude: 6 - 312 metres/74 - 312 metres

Gradient: Average 6,5 on Ou Kaapse Weg proper and >10 in places

Rating: Never less than tough.

A warning: be EXTREMELY vigilant about traffic on this road. The emergency lane may be wide and the road surface may be good, but you'll still find drivers taking up more than their fair share of road. I like to ride in the Yellow, close to the line itself and well out from the verge, so I can be more visible. The speed limit on Ou Kaapse Weg is 90, and as you'll be going quite slowly for long stretches, you're at a serious disadvantage. Everybody on four wheels seems to be in a hurry, cutting corners and overtaking in idiotic (not to say illegal) places - solid lines, blind corners, the lot.

THIS APPLIES GOING DOWN AS WELL.

The plus side on the downhill is that you'll often be going as fast as the motorised traffic - if not faster. Unfortunately, if they're behind you they seem unable to resist trying to pass if there's the remotest opportunity. Far better to take the lane, or if you're not the assertive type, at least ride to the right of the yellow line (assuming you are descending at a reasonable speed and not holding people up). Also keep an eye on oncoming traffic - people will try to overtake on the uphill if they see it's "only" a bicycle coming towards them.

OK, lecture over.

The biggest road climb on the Peninsula mountain chain poses two quite different challenges depending on which side you start.

• The eastern side from Main Road is steep, but shorter... actually, that depends.
• The western side is longer, but not so steep... er, actually, that depends. And we'll leave that for another time.

Topping out at 312 metres above sea level, Ou Kaaps offers some spectacular views across the Cape Flats and False Bay, even while you're getting there. Not that you'd be in a mood to appreciate the scenery with an average gradient of 6,5 %. Of course, that is for Ou Kaapse Weg proper, which starts at Steenberg Road at an altitude of 74 metres. (On the profile graphics shown above you'll see gradients up to 18 %, but I have to regard those as spurious; on Ou Kaaps you're unlikely to have to get out of the saddle, even).

I prefer to regard the climb as starting in Main Road, which lies at 6 m above sea level. That way, it's really a climb of two halves.

From Main Road, a moderate ascent will take you to the bridge over the M3. On the way, it's tempting to ride left of the yellow line because the surface is so much smoother, but beware of broken glass. Traffic starts to become a problem at the bridge over the M3, where you need to do some tricky lane-changing.

The climb up from Westlake curves around and gradually flattens out as you approach Ou Kaapse Weg proper. Be careful when you bear left up the hill as left-turning traffic tends to take this bend fast and sometimes too sharply. About 250 metres up, watch for traffic emerging from a side road on the left. 

The gradient eases off as you curve right up the hill towards the bottom hairpin. However, it kicks up again as you pass around the hairpin. If a southeast is blowing, watch out for some buffeting as you start up the straight that takes you to the top hairpin. If a northwest is blowing, enjoy the push up the hill!

By now the hard work is really done and you can settle into a steady rhythm until a right-left S bend near the top, when the road tilts further up again. Be especially careful on the last right turn at the top, even if it's not blowing. With a wicked crosswind in action, you can be blown off the bike here. But you're nearly there.

Once around the bend and over a little rise immediately after, you're not quite at the top of the climb, but you will be able to see it a couple of hundred metres down the road as it curves to the left.

Tokai manor house

Location: Tokai

Activity: Run

Category: Road loop

Distance: 11,5 km

Description: Undulating with long drag up to the manor house and a kick near the end.

Altitude: 10 - 72 metres; total climbing 78 metres

Gradient: 4, 5 % very briefly; drag up to Manor house is about 3 %.

Rating: Slow poison

Up at the top end of Tokai Road, the old Manor house marks the end of a mile-long gradual uphill (if you start it at the roundabout where Tokai Road intersects Spaanschemat River Road, that is). It's at this point that the mountain bikers break left to the start of the Tokai Forest ride, and runners turn right towards what used to be the old Porter reformatory and is now the Chrysalis Academy, a youth training centre.

From our usual starting point at the Meadowridge shopping centre, the first part of the run is a mild uphill followed by a fairly flat section along fringe of the houses bordering the M3. A hidden little alleyway in a dead end takes you to the Cycle Track, a short winding tarred path across some wetlands (often flooded in the middle section in winter).

Depending on the route options you take, the actual uphill to the Manor house can be as long as 2,5 km, though it's gentle until the roundabout. Much of the rest of the run is shaded, with an avenue of trees more or less all the way to the top. From the Manor house, pass by the guard post and boom at the entrance to Chrysalis. You'll probably be hot and thirsty; about 100 metres from the boom, alongside the big hall on the left, you'll find 2 taps with drinking water. From here, follow the road all the way as it twists right and then left before exiting the grounds and heading through forest (currently being de-forested) towards Spaanschemat River Road. If you do this on a Saturday morning in summer, you'll see the country goods market setting up as you pass through the Chrysalis grounds. It's worth a return visit by car once you've finished the run, for a hearty breakfast, wicked treats and some interesting people-watching.

Finally, pass between the stone church on the right and the Range on your left as prepare to turn left into Spaanschemat River Road, with only a couple of hundred metres to your right turn into Firgrove Way, 3 km from home.

Silvertree trail

Location: Silvertree Trail, Newlands Forest to Kirstenbosch loop
Activity: Run
Category: Circular Trail
Distance: 8 km
Altitude: 95 m - 285 m
Gain: Total gain 324 metres
Gradient: up to 20 %; average climb >10 %
Rating: Beauty with Cruelty
Early every week in summer, an e-mail reminder from Patrick Cox goes out to those on the Celtic Harriers trail running mailing list. On Thursday evenings the off-roaders gather at the agreed spot, guaranteed to be somewhere on the slopes of Table Mountain, at 6 in midsummer and 5.45 as the days shorten.

The Silvertree Trail is graded a 7/10 by Pat. Almost all of that 7 is in the first couple of kilometres of this undulating route that roughly follows the contour path from the Newlands Forestry station to Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens and back.

After departing the car park, the route heads off up a short tarred stretch before turning southwards. Firm, mildly uphill gravel gives way to loose, very uphill stony climbs interspersed with what seem like endless steps. Even before you've emerged from the shade to reach the high point, though, the views across the Cape Flats and Southern Suburbs towards False Bay are stupendous. At Kirstenbosch the route drops down for the briefest of sojourns alongside the garden's manicured lawns, taking a quick break at a water fountain that also indicates the return route.

There are several stream crossings, some on quite slippery rock, that could be tricky in winter. The lung-bursting inclines aren't reserved for the outward stretch, either: on this undulating route, there's plenty of uphill and similarly plenty of picking your way down steps (watch out for where the sand has eroded from behind the steps' wooden retainers, ideal for tripping up the unwary).

Several opportunities for wrong turns are available; the mountain trails are well signposted at junctions, but the running trails don't necessary follow the hikers.
All in all, a perfect way to end the day.

Argus: staying out of trouble

http://www.youtube.com/user/capetowntrax

After yet another mid-race collision a few years ago I worked out a simple philosophy about crashes: they happen because you're where you shouldn't be.

At 2.54.30 and 77 kilometres into my 12th Argus on Sunday past, that thought flashed briefly into my dozy consciousness. I couldn't focus on it, though, because my brain was hammering out a mantra: look where you want to go. Look where you want to go. Don't look at them. Look where you want to go, and that's where you'll go

As minor mayhem erupted - it couldn't have been more than half a dozen riders - bits of bike, polystyrene foam (an exploding helmet?) and bodies tumbled into my path. I leaned, swayed, and swung out to the right. Dipped urgently more right to the edge of the roadway, then whipped back left. Out of the saddle, now.

Look where you want to go. It really works.

Fortunately I captured the action - not in HD, but all I had was a lousy 2 gigabyte SD card, so I was trying to maximise my runtime by minimising resolution.

In the video linked to above, we're passing through a refreshment stop. The rider immediately ahead of me starts turning to the right as riders ahead of him collide. His rear wheel seems to lock up and lose traction, breaking away sharply to the left and swivelling him further clockwise. Meanwhile, on the right, a rider passes me. He also angles to the right, and his rear wheel breaks left. Did both of them grab their rear brake?

It all happened in a blur, but I don't recall braking. I kept it rolling, freewheeling, simply looking where I wanted to go. My body and the bike did the rest.

* Sunday was not one of my finer efforts, but it was within shouting distance of my thumbsuck target of 4 hours with an official finish time of 4.11.

Argus: expo

Day 1 of the Argus expo, and already the crowds are streaming in. Cars are parked on sidewalks, centre islands and verges. The Giro del Capo riders are hammering away in the Winelands. Lance Armstrong is out on group rides, showing his face at dinner and breakfast and visiting cancer patients.On my way in to Cape Town I pass Eddie Thomlinson, the head of Audax Randonneurs South Africa (sadly, we're both driving). When I call him up to ask if he's heading for France next year, he says, "Of course." Eddie may be heading towards 80, but he's still as keen as ever.

The expo? Well, it's always worth a look, even if only to see if there are any specials. Naturally, I couldn't resist the pack of mini Bar-Ones at R10. I'd have been seriously interested in Chris Willemse's offer of a Continental GP400 at R399 if I hadn't just spent the bulk of that on a transit visa for the UK. R575 to spend 2 hours at Heathrow... sad.
I felt a little better once I'd opened the rider goodie bag. The contents (left) included a large container of Sunsilk anti-dandruff shampoo with matching conditioner, Yardley underarm and matching skin conditioner, snack bar, mini Snickers and Bar-One, copy of Pick n Pay's Good Living, handy Cape Town guide, a couple of flyers, drink bottle and, best of all, 15 bin liners - I ripped the goodie bag to bits opening it, so I really needed the bin liners to carry all my loot from the expo.

Shortcuts

I'm all for taking shortcuts.

As you know, In Life There Are No Shortcuts.

Fortunately, we're not talking about life. I mean shortcuts that make runs interesting. A bit like Alice slipping through a wormhole and ending up in a parallel universe.

One shortcut we took a couple of years back occasionally has me waking up sweating. I can still hear Nick's reassuring voice while, at that precise moment we were unable to see the outside world - bear in mind that the Blue Route and high-speed traffic lay possibly 50 metres away to our left - and were badly in need of machetes to hack our way through head-high vegetation. I imagined I could hear the whup-whup-whup of Hueys and an occasional whoosh and whump from the rocket launchers, the crackle of automatic rifle fire, and I could have sworn I felt the heat of napalm-fuelled brush fires. Perhaps I shouldn't have stayed up to watch those re-runs of Platoon, or perhaps it was that extra slice of pizza that did it. After all, it was just a 16-k run that turned out to be 22.

Shortcuts. The thought struck me on this morning's run (which largely reversed our regular "Up Bowwood" route) as we prepared to cross the Liesbeeck River near the Vineyard Hotel. There's a neat little bridge in the shade that takes you to the road that itself leads to our watering stop at Paradise Motors, the Shell garage at the bottom of Wynberg Hill.

So, I'll dig out some good shortcuts. They're the kind of thing you don't see unless you're out running. You rarely see them while riding, and almost never while driving. Some of them take you to interesting places, and some are interesting in and of themselves. I'll be listing a few in due course, and I welcome additions from those with suitable inside knowledge.

Oh, and water points. That's another one. So stand by for a listing of water points, commercial and non-profit. To runners, they're like gold.

Pick 'n Pay Cape Argus Cycle Tour

If you want to make racer dudes roll their eyeballs just ask them: "So do you do the Argus , then?"

We normal people understand that, for the lean, hungry, hollow-eyed whippets up front, the Argus may represent not much of a challenge. For the bulk of the field, though, it's hard work. And it's a lot more than just a 109-kilometre tour of the Cape Peninsula.

For a start, this is The Most Beautiful Place On Earth. Parts of it, anyway. And just being there at the start with the music and announcements booming across a sleeping city is occasion enough.

Then there's the lung-bursting dash off the start line (why?) followed seconds later by a desperate clawing at the brakes to funnel safely across the timing maps and through the straw bales. By that time, even if you've arrived more than an hour early to ensure you start near the front of your group, you look up -- to see the leaders 100 metres ahead, surging up the ramp to Eastern Boulevard. Like I always say, if you can feel the pain, at least you're still alive.

On the subject of sayings, I like this one, from a friend remembering her first Argus and passing on some wisdom on the eve of my first Argus: "Everybody talks about Chappies. And Suikerbossie. Even Wynberg Hill. BUT NOBODY TOLD US ABOUT F***EN SMITSWINKEL."
The last bit was accompanied by shrieks of laughter. Actually, Smitswinkel isn't funny at all. But it helps to know that there's a bit of a kind-of-flat on the last couple of hundred metres of run-in to the top.

Find out more the next couple of days as I explore some of the memorable bits of theArgus.

Black Monday

It's Argus time. Which means it's the time the cry "rider down" goes up more often than usual.
Even so, by any standards, news of the deaths of 3 riders at Oudtshoorn on Monday morning was devastating. There's little doubt that we'll be hearing talk about action. Sadly, the time for talk is long past. What we need is action about action. For what it's worth, I'm committing myself afresh to being a responsible, aware, courteous road-user whether I'm on a bike, on foot - or driving. No excuses.

Hot, hard and... er, hilly

SportTracks (Elevation Corrected)

Location: Geneva Drive, Camps Bay

Activity: Cycle 
Category: Climb

Distance: 2 km

Altitude: 10-168 m
Gain: 158 m

Gradient: Average 8%; maximum 12,7

Rating: Cruel

Decisions have a funny way of leading you down paths you didn't expect. When I reached the top of Suikerbossie, it was either turn around and head for home via Constantia Nek, or press on around Camps Bay and Cape Town. With a scorching (mid 30s) Ou Kaapse Weg, Chapmans Peak Drive and Suikerbossie behind me I was in no mood to tackle the awkward (sometimes there's a verge, often not) climb up to the Nek. I voted for Cape Town and the combination of downhill and flat.

But when I reached Camps Bay, actually halfway through, it struck me: I've been threatening to climb Geneva Drive for ages. So I turned right at the sportsfield and zigzagged through the houses until... well, I told myself I could always turn around.

I did stop riding to stretch about two-thirds of the way up after one particularly wicked switchback - the grade is seldom under 7 per cent, kicks up over 10 in places and reaches an artery-busting 12 near the top. Which isn't the top at all - it's just the intersection with Camps Bay Drive, and then there's still  a kilometre to the top at Kloof Nek. Today, I had to cover that kilometre in pitiless, absolutely unsheltered sunlight when most sensible people were relaxing in a shady spot having lunch or, at least, an icy drink. I could only dream.

Kirstenbosch Top Gate

Location: Kirstenbosch Gardens Top Gate, c/o Rhodes Drive (M63) and Klaassens Rd
Activity: Run
Category: Hills
Distance: 4,53 km from Main Road, Wynberg
Elevation: 181 metres (188 maximum)
Gain: 119 metres
Gradient: 2,6 % (max 12 %)
Rating: Hard
Saturday mornings are for scrambled eggs on toast and an Americano, usually at the Rambling Rose at the Meadowridge Shopping Centre after some footslogging with Ravens Roadies. With the Roadies gathering at Glencairn for a change, the Domans decided to sleep late and run from home.

My elevation graphic starts at Main Road where Kenilworth becomes Wynberg. There are a couple of ways to approach Wynberg Hill; we went up Riverstone Road (eventually becomes Tennant), left into Aliwal Road and right up Carr
Hill Rd for the steepest part of the run at 12 %.

A right turn at this point into Waterloo takes you up Wynberg Hill proper, with Wynberg Park on your left - also steep at around 10 %. After the slog up the hill you turn left into Trovato Road for a brief downhill respite, but once you've gone under the M3 you the road kicks up again to 10 % gradient. Fortunately, it's in the shade for most of the rest of the way. Watch out for traffic; once past the turnoff to Chart Farm you'll be able to run on the new sidewalk. At the intersection with Klaassens Road (left turn and follow the road to the T-junction with Rhodes Drive) you'll have broken the back of the climb. Enjoy the four-tap water fountain at the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens Top Gate.

* On our run we met the Celtic Harriers group under the leadership of Club Captain Anton - we hadn't run with the club for a long time, so it was good to catch up on happenings - before threading our way back down Kirstenbosch Drive and along the Liesbeeck River Canal and another water stop (this one an Energade stop) at Paradise Motors. Our return was via Tennant and Wetton Roads for a total of 16 km.

Image of the Week

Up Bowwood

SportTracks (Elevation corrected) 

Location: Bowwood Road, Claremont

Activity: Run

Category: Climb

Distance: 1,26 km

Altitude: 37-74 m
Gain: 37 m

Gradient: Average 3 %; maximum 4,7

Rating: Mild sweat

Our regular Tuesday and Thursday morning runs from Kenilworth (starting at the big apartment block opposite Kenilworth Centre) have stretched from a grudging 5 km to a comfortable 7 km. It's straight up Lansdowne Road, across Main Road at Claremont and on up Bowwood to the M3 for a gentle climb that can be taxing if taken at pace. The actual top of the run is a "fried egg" roundabout at the top of Bowwood; from there watch out for the tricky little downhill towards the M3 because there's no sidewalk or verge, but that aside it's relatively safe underfoot. Be alert to traffic on weekday mornings, particularly at the traffic lights on Newlands Rd.

Next week we'll cross the M3 and turn north to run along the canalised river all the way to Paradise Motors, stretching the distance to about 8.

* On our return to the start we were approached by a man who said he'd noticed the three of us running and was interesting in joining us. We'll see how long he lasts before losing patience...

Back on track

After 5 years of running, riding, walking and much more with a GPS, I almost felt underdressed setting off without the familiar weight on my left wrist. The battery of my Garmin Forerunner 305 died - two years almost to the day since I'd got the FR305 - near the end of a run, and a replacement wasn't available until at least a week later.
Fortunately, I use SportTracks as my workout analysis software, so I was able to draw in tracks after having gone for a run or a ride. But I pined for my GPS...
One Saturday morning I even borrowed a friend's 310 XT model. I tried not to look unconcerned about the Achilles tendon injury that had prevented him from joining us on the run. It's just a gadget, come on...
It's been a week now since I strapped on my replacement 305. (I loved the 310's feel, vibration alert and above all the thought of a 20-hour battery life, but the budget wasn't willing. Besides, I consoled myself, it didn't support Routes - and I use Routes a lot.) Ahhh... that's better.