Pieter Both, sometimes referred to as Peter Botte Mountain, is the second highest mountain of
Mauritius
Mauritius, officially the Republic of Mauritius, is an island country in the Indian Ocean, about off the southeastern coast of East Africa, east of Madagascar. It includes the main island (also called Mauritius), as well as Rodrigues, Ag ...
, at tall. The mountain is slightly shorter than
Piton de la Petite Rivière Noire by eight metres. It is named after
Pieter Both, the first
Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies. It is located in the
Moka Range.
The notable feature of this mountain is the gigantic rock formation at the very top of it, which resembles a human head. The palm species ''
Hyophorbe amaricaulis'', famous for being the
world's rarest palm today, was once a common sight on this mountain.
The first ascent of Pieter Both was by Captain Lloyd, Lieutenant Phillpotts, of the 29th Reg., Lieutenant Keppel, R.N., and Lieutenant Taylor on 7 September 1832.
To climb the mountain following the main ridge takes about an hour, and is mildly difficult. It is mainly a scramble, and being exposed, a rope is advised. The dramatic boulder on the pinnacle is about nine metres in diameter, and has several iron spikes fixed to it to aid climbing to the top. The top is flat and about two metres across.
Gallery
File:2011-06-26 08-21-57 Mauritius Port Louis Vallée des Prêtres.jpg, Mauritius Port Louis Vallée des Prêtres
File:Mountains - panoramio - pyraniton.jpg, Mountains - panoramio - pyraniton
File:Pieter Both (6021044459).jpg, Pieter Both
File:View-from-Le-Pouce-facing-Pieter-Both-2017-Luka-Peternel.jpg, View from Le Pouce facing Pieter Both
References
Further reading
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Mountains of Mauritius
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