Just in time for the weekend, the Lion’s Head summit can once again be accessed by hikers and trail-runners from today onwards.
The spiral pathway, which leads from the carpark to the summit, has been re-opened after being closed for maintenance and due to fire damage. However, SANParks warns hikers and runners to look out for signs showing the parts of the path still being worked on.
They also ask that everyone sticks to the paths, as venturing off them would do damage to fragile vegetation of the mountain.
The pathway leading from the Kramat on Signal Hill to the spiral trail is still closed for rehabilitation after it suffered from the fire.
Some people have already seized the chance to reunite with their favouite trail:
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SANParks has been doing maintenance on the spiral trail since 2017. During that time, it has completed tasks such as closing unauthorised pathways, putting up new signage and assessing climbing infrastructure on the mountain.
In January 2019, the trail had to be fully closed so that SANParks could complete maintenance to make sure the trail was sustainable and safe.
However, less than a month later a fire erupted on the mountain. It lasted three days and caused damage to the pathways and vegetation.
SANParks had to extend the closure time so that they could assess and improve safety and ecological dangers. They also had to close paths not originally scheduled for maintenance, like the paths around the Kramat, Top Road entrance and Kloof Road entrance.
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Image: The view from the summit of Lion’s Head makes the trail worth climbing. Photo: Nadine Hondebrink.
