15 of us set out from Theresa at 07h00 in ideal conditions, the previous night’s gale having abated just a few hours earlier.
We used Kasteels Gully on the way up stopping in the overhang for a short break. Everyone managed the Cups & Saucers pitch comfortably at the top of which we took a 20 minute beverage break. The scramble up to the top was evenly paced and the pitches well managed by all with high elegancy levels.
At the top, the remarkable difference to the gale we experienced a year ago was noted by those who unavoidably braved the windy walk down to join KP. This time in breathless conditions we had a few healthy red disas displaying at the stream crossing just before joining KP.
We then headed up to the Apostles Path and continued directly to Valken having our lunch break in the shade at the Labyrinth. After lunch and a bit of exploration we used the scenic route down to the Diagonal Path. There the group split with four hikers choosing to descend on KP with the balance opting for Diagonal. The KP participants reached the cars around 14h00 whilst the principal fragment made it back around 14h20. This endorsed the view that from the top of Diagonal it is quicker (and shorter) to descend via KP. There were no trail runners in either group.
We saw no mammals. We had a feeding group of Common swifts interspersed with Greater striped swallows and Alpine swifts at the base of Valken. We saw a pair of jackal buzzards at the top of Valken and a single Booted eagle shortly after starting the descent of Diagonal. At lunch some of us saw a Rock kestrel prey on a swift.
Pictures: Dennis Cope and Ruth Knoblich