Table Mountain
By Tim Lundy
Cape Town,South Africa
I've spent over four decades hiking Table Mountain and never tire of it. I've walked various routes in South Africa and other countries, and there is nothing like hiking at home in Cape Town. One thing that is important when hiking is looking after your feet
4:30 hours of hiking.1000m elevation over rocky terrain
8 years of hiking from rescues to Fish River Canyon
Comfort and endurance was critical. I love the fact that after hours of hiking the comfort levels remain the same.
Route:
The route begins in Camps Bay, and we slowly trail our way to the foot of the mountain before the climb starts. The first goal is to get to "Breakfast Rock," where we take our first break with epic views of the Atlantic Seaboard. Once you reach the back table, you realise that we are only halfway there, but the second half of the route keeps you so busy that before you know it, you've reached the summit at the upper Table Mountain Cable Station.
The value of this route is not reaching the finish line in your best time but a winding journey that takes walkers through various astonishing views that change every 15 to 30 minutes. This hike provides many of the elements I love about hiking. The route is perfect for tourists looking for a not-too-difficult outdoor experience while giving them bragging rights for conquering Table Mountain and incredible instagrammable moments, and it also provides an excellent workout for locals who want to be distracted by great views while exercising
Follow The Route
Field Notes:
There is a lot of climbing, but the secret to this route is to stop often to catch your breath and then have it taken away again by the view. Once you reach the summit, the sense of achievement makes it all worth it.
Merrell Rogue boots are essential for serious hikers who want the best experience. Excellent grip, comfort, and durability are not easy to find in one product, and this boot will go the distance, time and time again. If there is one thing I have learned to value in more than 40 years of hiking, it is a good boot
Trail Log:
At age 6 I started my hiking career. Little did I know that 30 years later I would turn it into an actual career. What better way to earn a living while doing what you love doing.
It only made sense that if this is what I was going to do as a job that I look after the most important thing, my feet. I could justify buying a great set of good quality boots for work. I splashed out and bought top of the range hiking boots. Those were a brilliant pair of boots that took me on loads of adventures over 5 years before the Fish River Canyon finally finished them off. So you do what makes sense and buy another pair to take on even more trails.
This time though I really pushed them to their limits and maybe too hard on rescue missions and loads of trails including the Amatola trail (SA’s toughest trail)because after a very busy 2 years the Leopard trail finished them off. So time for my third pair and someone said to me why don’t you reach out to Merrell and see if they are willing to work with you.
So I did and now we will have many trail adventures to come with my new Merrell Rogues. These boots are light, well build and super comfortable. One of the comfort features is the FloatPro Foam on the midsole to create a really comfortable walk that eliminates all the rough terrain and keeps your feet as comfortable as possible. I love the look of these boots so much I now wear them even off the mountain and use them in every day use!
