The tip of the Devil’s Horn or the sharp point of his teeth, Devil’s peak brings to mind ominous gloom and impending doom. Yet we urge you to still that racing heart and begin your ascent up its slopes. Your journey might begin with the beckoning hand at Tafelberg Road. The path is lined not be roses but by prickly shrubs in shades of dusty yellow and pale green, winding up switchbacks and small pockets of forests. Thick fleshy leaves and bright pink bulbs are an odd sight but are in fact the prized adornments of the trail down Newlands Ravine. Bursting with plant life, the path down the ravine is a discovery of some of the most critically endangered plant species, some of which are found almost exclusively on Devil’s Peak. Be careful of where you step though. The misleading delicate white petals of the Drosera Cistiflora are in fact a masquerade for what is a carnivorous plant dotted across the fynbo. The most imposing of the 3 gates is likely Mowbray Ridge, involving rocky paths and steep inclines.

Yet all 3 gateways converge at the peak of 1001m. Fingers gripping onto your hat against the fickle pockets of wind, the gatekeepers reveal a view sought after by even the devil. In the far distance an earthen lion rears its head. Robben Island is a mere speck beyond the painted white strips of Table Bay. Swirls of white are drawn across the flat blue, creating a portrait that almost immediately draws out the camera hanging by your side. One might even say a view of such beauty had to be the work of the devil.