As expected the mountain is looking spectacular and a new wave of colour has hit these parts.

Dominant species across the spine include Cape Anemone, Star-eyed Aristea and the striking Witmagriet. In damp areas you'll find Bulbinella nutans and Sterretjies in abundance. A seriously impressive sight.

The silver hairs on the leaves of young Conebushes, standing just about 10 cm high, shimmered in the gentle sunlight. Vibrant yellow Spiloxene littered the damp plateau, with a splash of purple and white from flowering Romulea and Cape Anemone.

At our somewhat sheltered lunch spot a Klipspringer kept its eye on us while we enjoyed multiple cups of tea that got cold faster than you could sip it finished.

The regeneration up on the Apostles Spine is remarkable! Well, although it is rather expected, one can still get excited when thinking back 8 months when the area was a typical post-fire moonscape.

Immediately the blue of Aristea capitata caught the eye in among the intense greens on the south facing slopes where recovery is incredibly fast.

These slopes are rocky and steep, but slowly the vegetation is reestablishing itself.

The striking yellow inflorescence of Bobartia indica is unmissable as these tall Irises flower abundantly across the burnt slopes of the southern Twelve Apostles.

Watsonia tabularis is in flower and it is an absolutely spectacular display up on the Apostles spine. These geophytes (of the Iris family) thrive after fire.

The Fire Lilies had finished blooming, but the emergence of Watsonia tabularis ensured that there were still splashes of orange on the mountain slopes.

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, the Fire Lily blooms along the 12 Apostles!

The contrast between burnt fynbos and unburnt forest is striking...and was expected!

After 5 days of burning the Twelve Apostles Fire finally abated.

The fire line crept closer to Hout Bay on the second night of burning.