Flow’s Cape Town office has a close affinity to Table Mountain – not only because we can see it out of our office window, but also because the Table Mountain Aerial Cableway has been a long-standing client of ours, and one we have been very proud to work with over the years.
We have helped them build tablemountain.net from scratch, got involved in the campaign to get Table Mountain voted as one of the New7Wonders of Nature, and more recently propelled them into the mobile arena by developing a handy mobisite.
Last week, the team decided to switch from staring at pictures of the mountain on our screens, and instead experience it in full-resolution 3D – by going for a hike!
This wasn’t just any hike, however. One of our favourite contributors to the Cableway’s blog, Dominic Chadbon, was our guide for the afternoon, and he revealed a side to Table Mountain that many people completely overlook.
Dominic is better known as “The Fynbos Guy”, and for the past year, he has been dropping his botanical fact-bombs on tablemountain.net under a series of posts called “What’s blooming on Table Mountain?” From that, we already had some idea of the expertise of this qualified tour guide, but experiencing a hike with the The Fynbos Guy first-hand was, well, bloomin’ brilliant.
His knowledge of the local plant life is encyclopaedic. This is even more impressive when you remember that there are more species of flora on Table Mountain than the entire British Isles. Add to that his keen enthusiasm, and you won’t find a better way to discover what makes this corner of the planet so special. It’s like combining David Attenborough with the Crocodile Hunter, and adding flowers.
“For me, the best thing about being outdoors in the fynbos is the fact that no two walks are ever the same,” says Dominic. “Seasons, geology and even the time of day ensure different flowers, animals and views throughout the year.”
Being in the company of anyone who is truly passionate about their work, and can talk with ease and complete confidence about their subject matter, is always refreshing, and in this regard, The Fynbos Guy lives up to his name. We stopped to look at what seemed a fairly nondescript clump of trees (at least, to a plant-pleb like me), only to be told that we were standing in front of the largest natural grove of silver tree on the planet.
It was a good reminder that the Cape floral kingdom contains 3% of the world’s entire plant species and 20% of all of Africa’s, has the highest concentration of plants per square kilometre, and a large number of endemic species.
Dominic’s eye for detail revealed stories that would escape the casual hiker. We learned about how different plants can be found at different altitudes on the mountain, and how this has led to very different methods of encouraging pollination. The different soils that make up the base of Table Mountain also have a role to play, and hearing about how the mountain formed millions of years ago and how this relates to its unqiue biodiversity today was fascinating.
“I thoroughly enjoyed the tour,” says Flowstar Riefkah Adams. “You realise how many hiking paths you have yet to explore!
“We learned about all sorts of natural herbs found on the mountain, that can heal almost any sort of ailment you might have (almost any).
“This specific hike was a mix of all Cape Town’s beauty: scenic, terrific plant species and loads of natural waterfalls. You have an unreal view of the cable car hovering over your head. Loads of fun!”
There’s no better way to experience Table Mountain than spending a day with The Fynbos Guy – besides taking a ride on the cable car, of course! Hike up and take the car down to combine these two must-do activities when in the Mother City.
Visit The Fynbos Guy’s website here, and book your cable car ride on www.tablemountain.net.
