Rising Like Fynbos: Noordhoek and Muizenberg Peak – Peaks 8 & 9 of Our 13 Peaks Challenge

Saturday, 2 August 2025 – 20km, 2 Peaks, 9 Hikers, 1 Fish and Chips Feast

When you sign up for Cape Town’s iconic 13 Peaks Challenge, you sign up for more than just summits. You sign up for windless miracles in the middle of winter, green shoots pushing through scorched earth, friends arriving on motorcycles, and fish and chips that taste better than anything you’ve ever had before. On Saturday, 2 August, we ticked off Peaks 8 and 9: Noordhoek Peak and Muizenberg Peak, and let me tell you — these peaks had personality.

We hiked 20 kilometres. We descended through fire-ravaged Silvermine. We got a gentle scolding from two separate rangers. We climbed, we cramped, we laughed. We ended singing by the roadside, waiting for Butch, before devouring battered hake and ice cream like absolute legends.

Trailhead Swag and the Return of Papa Grizzly

We were nine hikers strong that morning, reuniting after a short break from our 13 Peaks mission.

And who should rejoin us, fashionably late to the overall journey but right on time for today’s hike? Papa Grizzly — our seasoned trail brother, fresh from making up his missed peaks while we’d been adventuring in Namibia.

And he didn’t just show up — he arrived.

Peak 8 started with horsepower and hiking boots!

Honestly, what is it about boys and bikes? One moment we’re checking our water bottles, the next there’s a full-blown MotoGP fan club forming at the Chapman’s Peak trailhead where we paused our journey.

It was like a scene out of Top Gun — except with snacks, sunblock, and trail maps.

Peak 8: Noordhoek Peak – Views and Verdant Comebacks

We started at the Chapman’s Peak trailhead, where we finished after tagging that peak. It was a nice warm up.

But what really stole the show was the sight below: the scorched landscape of Silvermine, blackened from a recent wildfire. Charred shrubs, smoky rocks… and green shoots everywhere. Tiny specks of life pushing through the ash, stubborn and hopeful.

Breakfast View

We took our breakfast break right there at the peak.

Is there anything better than a coffee flask and a smashed banana sandwich 700m above sea level?

It gave us the fuel we needed for the long descent through Silvermine Nature Reserve.

Bushwhacking Through Silvermine – And a Gentle Ranger Surprise

The descent from Noordhoek Peak took us to Gate 2 via the Wagonwheel Trail, into the heart of a fire-scorched Silvermine.

Trails were faint. We did our best to follow the usual routes, but it quickly turned into a bit of a bushwhack through the ruins.

Despite the devastation, the trail had a quiet beauty — a reminder of nature’s fierce resilience.

After B Cassiem showed us how one jumps over a river, we met… The Ranger!

Apparently, the section we had just hiked was still closed to the public. Oops!

There was no signage at the Chapman’s Peak side warning us not to enter, so we assumed we could. We apologised earnestly, and the ranger, vexed, let us off with a warning.

Peak 9: Muizenberg Peak – Long Climb, Big Views

It was just past noon, and the sun was letting its presence known. Our legs had taken a beating from the bushwhacking descent, and Muizenberg Peak’s steady incline now loomed ahead.

The climb is long and relentless — not particularly steep, but just enough to zap your morale if you’re low on electrolytes (which a few of us definitely were).

But like all good peaks, it gave more than it took.

Four-and-a-half hours after we started, we stood at the top — basking in our achievement, views of False Bay stretching into the hazy blue, wind still absent, hearts completely full.

Singing in the Road and Butch to the Rescue

The descent was merry — tired legs, sun-warmed faces, snack packs nearly empty, we laughed most of the way down.

When we reached Gate 2, we were once again gently reminded by another ranger that the Gate 1 section of Silvermine was closed. Maybe we didnt look contrite enough the first time?

We assured them we wouldn’t be back until September. (Promise.)

Then came the real highlight: singing in the road while waiting for Butch, our dedicated support crew driver, mountain logistics wizard, and knight in a shining Honda. Or Quantum. This boy can drive!

The Real Summit: Fish & Chips and Ice Cream

No hike is complete without a post-trail reward, and today’s feast was Fish On The Rocks — golden fried hake, mountains of slap chips because when you’ve walked 20km through fire-scarred landscapes, you’ve earned it.

The ice cream was the cherry on top. Well… the swirl on the cone.

Lessons From the Trail: Fynbos Wisdom

This hike gave us more than two peaks — it gave us a metaphor.

Fynbos doesn’t grow despite the fire — it grows because of it. It takes the damage, absorbs it, transforms it into strength.

And maybe we’re doing the same. Peak by peak, challenge by challenge, song by song.

We’re now 9 Peaks down, 4 to go, and stronger than when we started.

Quick Tips for Peaks 8 & 9 – 13 Peaks Edition

Start early — this is a full-day 20km effort.
Check trail updates: Silvermine is still partially closed (check SANParks).
Hydrate — especially before Muizenberg Peak.
Pack food: Breakfast on Noordhoek is a must.
Respect the regrowth: Stay on path (where there is one).
Keep it light: Sing. Laugh. Make up trail nicknames. You’ll need it.

Thanks

Pic and video credits:

Anni

Saeed

Marie Claudette Davidsoniķlĺ

04/08/2025 at 10:59 pm

What can I say? Fantastic, Amazing.Thank you for keeping us with you while you are doing a hard and enjoyable adventure. I am very proud of you all.Thank you .Until the next hike.Good luck.Totsiens.Aurevoir.