Hiking Cape Town
by Evelyn John Holtzhausen, Penguin Random House R290 in bookstores
There are hundreds of day hikes in the Cape – how on earth do you choose which trail you'll tackle next Saturday? This guide features 35 of the most scenic options and it makes the decision-making process much easier.
It's mainly aimed at hikers who want to explore Table Mountain and the Peninsula, but there are also a handful of trails in the nearby Helderberg, Hottentots-Holland and Kogelberg nature reserves.
A key at the start of each route description lists all the basic info you'll need: the location of the trailhead (with GPS co-ordinates), the distance and duration, a difficulty rating, the terrain and whether or not dogs are allowed. But Holtzhausen also includes an important factor that many other guides overlook: What does the weather typically do on this trail? Does the southeaster pump in the high mountains? Do you walk in the sun or is there shade? Likelihood of mist and mud? Is it dangerous
