Cape Point Hikes

Ridgway Ramblers offers a variety if hiking trails throughout the Cape Peninsula

Day 1

The 2 day hiking trail through Cape Point is magnificent. Although only 70km from Cape Town you are truly in the wilderness. Wildlife to be seen include Eland, Zebra, Bontebok and Ostriches. The accomodation is well equipped and comfortable. Really this is a trail that has it all. 

You start at the entrance gate to Cape Point. Walk through the gate and about 800m along the road before taking a path to the left. Today you follow the coast of False Bay. Although only 13km the trail is constantly undulating throughout the day so most people take 5 to 6 hours to reach the cottages. 

The start of the Cape Point hiking trail with magnificent views over False Bay

The path takes you very quickly to a viewpoint at Smitswinkel so you immediately get a taste of the scenary to come. 

From here you head South towards Judas Peak and then inland and around the base of Paulsberg which is the highest peak in the area (367m) The path is well marked but rocky, and some of the downhills quite steep. If the Southeaster is blowing you are quite exposed in places but luckily the wind blows you inland and not into the sea! The sea views are astounding all day, with the sheer cliffs of the Paulsberg giving a great backdrop to much of the mornings hike. 

The trail leads past Judas and around Paulsberg Peaks

After 8km you reach the top of a small peak kanonkop. So called as it is home to a canon left from the early days of the second British occupation of the Cape. It was used to signal Simonstown and warn them of an approaching ship. From here you can see Cape Point in the far distance as well the Diaz and Da Gama crosses close to the Buffelsfontein centre 4 km away. 

The cannon on Kanonkop

The Buffelsfontein visitor centre offers a good place for a lunch stop and to refill the water bottles. The trail leads to a junction in the path where the centre is clearly marked to your right. The visitors centre is is a restored homestead originally built in 1809. Here you will find toilets, a cafe and a wide variety of information on the flora, fauna and history of the area. 

 To get back onto the trail after lunch go past the centre and take the path leading to the left after the wooden boardwalks. This last section of the trail is 0.7 km long and relatively easy. The last 100m or so takes you right along the top of some awe inspiring cliffs to the Rooikraans view site which is one of the best whale viewing sites in the Cape. 

From the view site follow the path to the carpark and follow the yellow feet up a small trail until you come to a tar road. Here you are directed right to Erica hut and left to Restio and Protea. 

The cottages are well equipped and comfortable

If you have the energy and reach the hut relatively early in the afternoon it is well worth dumping your pack and continuing over Da Gama peak to Cape Point itself. This final stretch will take you an hour each way and then you also need an hour to explore and visit the light houses so ensure you have enough time before you set out. 

Cape Point seen from Da Game Peak

 An important thing to be aware of is the baboons. When you leave your packs at the hut put them inside and lock the doors. Once back at the accomodation don’t work with food in the kitchen with the doors open until its dark. After dark the baboons go to bed and won’t bother you any more. 

Day 2

Day 2 on the Cape Point trail is longer with a distance of 20km being covered. However it is less undulating and should also take 6 to 7 hours to complete. Today you hike along the Atlantic coast. Much of the day is spent on the beach with a wide variety of birds including the endangered Afican Black Oystercatcher often being sighted.

Ostriches and other wildlife are a common sight in Cape Point

From the hut follow the tar road down to the boom that meets the main road. Cross straight over the road and follow the path through the fynbos and across another tar road.  45 minutes after leaving the hut you come to the Atlantic coast at Pelgrams Point. Turn right here and follow the trail to Platboom. The path is broken up in places but just keep following the shoreline until just before the beach you head a little inland to the Platboom car park. From here head straight to the beach and cross the beach towards the ocean. There you will pick up the path again heading North along the coast. The path passes some Khoi san middens and the wreck of the Phyllisia which ran aground in 1968.

Day 2 follows the coast for much of the trail

After 6km you head inland at Hoek Van Bobbejan. Continue along the path for another 6km to a clearly marked junction where you turn right towards Sirklesvlei. This is the largest freshwater body in the area and is a great place for lunch. 

Sirkelsvlei is a good place for a lunch stop

After a well deserved break you set off for the final 3km of the trail. It leads you through fields of restios covering the wide central plain called Smitwinkelvlakte, and then up onto the rocky slopes of Rooihoogte, the only climb of today. You reach a height of 275 metres and then descend quite steeply to the entrance gate where you began the trail.      

http://www.ridgwayramblers.co.za/index.php/hiking-options/walks-at-cape-point/

Looking for rainbows on a Table

 Mountain hike

Today the South Easter howled in Cape Town. If you were in the Southern suburbs or town itself you might not have realised how strong it was. But on top of the mountain it was strong and even brought a sprinkle of rain in the mid morning.

I spent the morning hiking ip Lions Head with a family from States. We decided to go up Lions Head as the South Easter cloud on the mountain would have obscured any views. As we set off the light sprinkling of rain made its presence known, but luckily the apprarance of a rainbow over the 12 Apostels made sure no one allowed the little shower to upset us.

The rain quickly disappeared so we were able to carry on the top. 

Running through my photos I’ve found a few other occasions when I’ve been lucky enough to see a rainbow on Table Mountain. Here are a few of them:

This photo is taken from Eagles Nest. This is a small peak on the back Table.

This beautiful double rainbow is also taken from the Back Table. This time from Constantia Corner.

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This photo was taken on the way to a hike from the Southern suburbs. Again we had a lovely hike with just a smattering of rain.

 This final photo was taken from the contour path. We were perfectly dry but could see the conditions at the cable car were not great

Hiking up Skeleton Gorge on

Table Mountain

Do the best hikes for the season through the local knowledge of Ridgway Ramblers Table Mountain Guides

Although the recent warm dry weather in the middle of winter in playing havoc with my dogs moulting cycle and worrying my farmer friends. From a hikers point of view its perfect. Not only because the lack of rain makes hiking altogether more pleasant, but also because we are able to do a lot of routes that are not usually advisable in the winter months.

One of these routes is Skeleton Gorge. This route is one of the most popular on Table Mountain and mentioned in a lot of guide books. However what a lot of the books fail to mention is the fact that for a large section of the walk the path leads through a river bed. This section of the path is about half way up the gorge where it is extremely steep. For this reason going down Skeleton Gorge in the winter is generally not advisable as it can be very slippery. Even going up is often not advised as you may well spend the rest of the day with wet and cold feet.

So at the moment, even though it is the middle of winter Skeleton Gorge is pretty dry and a wonderful way to go either up or down the mountain. It is found above Kirstenbosch Gardens to the right of Castle Rock (facing the mountain) You reach the beginning of the gorge from the contour path.

Skeleton Gorge is to the right of Castle Rock

The first half hour of the path is a steady slog uphill. The path is clear and the steps well spaced. Here you are going through some wonderful indigenous forest with the river running on your right. Its well worth stopping to enjoy the peace of the forest.

The first section of the gorge is steep but straightforward

Eventually you reach the first of a series of 5 ladders. This is where the gorge gets more interesting. Although still steep it seems less of a slog as you have to concentrate a bit more on where to put you feet and where to actually go.

One of the ladders on Skeleton Gorge

The ladders are straight forward, although the fall on your right could be severe so if it is wet be carefull. At the top you now have to follow the river bed for half an hour or so. The path is not always clear so you basically have to pick your way up over some large boulders and at one point over a fallen tree. Your destination is a huge old rooiels tree on a platform of rocks.

Looking back down the gorge

The path now winds its way up on the right of the river. At times you are close to the sides of the gorge which run with water down beautifully mossy slopes. It can still be  wet and slippery here although now the path is clear again.

Eventually after once more crossing the river (its more a stream here at the top. You can get quite easily across)  you get clear of the trees. Stopping to admire the view is an absolute must. Then another 15 minutes brings you to the top of the gorge.

The view from the top of Skeleton Gorge

Blinkwater Needle. A scramble hike up

Table Mountain

Get off the beaten track on a guided hike with Ridgway Ramblers

Blinkwater Needle is a tower of rock that separates Blind gulley and Blinkwater Ravine. Looking from the restuarant area on the Western Table Top the needle can be seen in the foreground of the 12 Apostles.

Blinkwater needle in the foreground looking down the 12 Apostles

To get to the needle, the best approach is up Blind Gulley. Start off by following the signs for the Diagonal path off the Pipe Track. At the first rock bands look for a small path off to the left. It is difficult to spot but small cairns also mark the route.

The path leads you along the contour and into Blind Gulley. You follow the Gulley directly up the watercourse for the next hour so this is not a route to take immediately after rain.

Follow the watercourse straight up the gulley

The route is steep and overgrown in places so be prepared for a bit of bundu bashing. As you get to the shoulder of the gulley at a height of 820m the needle stands clear on your left.

Blnkwater needle stands clear with Lions Head in the background

From the saddle the Blind gulley path leads you past the needle and to the left to reach the back table just above Echo Valley. To get to the top of the needle is quite a scramble but it is well worth the effort. The views are spectacular.

The cliffs of the Western Table

  The drop off into Blinkwater ravine shows why you didn’t ascend from this side.

It is a bit of a scramble to the top of the needle

 Continue up the path and the final scramble up onto the Back Table. This final section is the most difficult scramble of the day as the path is narrow and has a bit of a drop. Once at the top you can choose to go left and towards the cable car or right towards Kasteelspoort.

The final and most difficult scramble of the day

There are so many interesting facts about Table Mountain. Here are just a few of them.

The first sailor on a Dutch East Indiaman to spot Table Mountain on the horizon was rewarded with ten guilders and 6 bottles of wine.

The first European to climb the mountain was Admiral Antonio de Saldanha. He also named Table Mountain

The first European woman known to have climbed Table Mountain was the wife of Ryklof Van Goens. (the governor general of the Indies)

The English originally named Lions Head  “Ye Sugar Loaf” and Devils Peak was called “Herberts Mount”

The first slaves arrived in the Cape in 1667.

The mountain range above Camps Bay was known in Jan Van Riebeecks time as Gevelbergen or Gable Mountain. They were renamed the 12 Apostles by Sir Rufane Donkin when he was acting governor of the Cape in 1820.

A cave in Fountain ravine was home to Joshua Penny for 14 months. An American pressed into service by the British.

Excavation of the Woodhead dam began in 1894 and was finished in 1897.

The Hely Hutchinson dam was opened in 1904.

The Table Mountain National Park, which includes the entire mountain chain from Signal Hill in the North to Cape Point was created in 1998.

The rocks that make up Table Mountain are +/- 600 million years old.

 The original San name for the mountain is “Hoerikwaggo” It means mountain of the sea.

The cableway originally opened in 1929.

King George 6th and Queen Elizabeth 2nd have both visited the top of Table Mountain

It is estimated that some 800,000 visit Table Mountain annually.

The highest point on the mountain is Maclears Beacon at 1087m.

Walk on Table Mountain at sunrise or

 sunset

Whatever time of day you walk on Table Mountain, it will be the highlight of your trip to South Africa

It has been a week of Platteklip Gorge hikes. Yesterday I climbed the gorge twice. Once in the early morning and once in the afternoon. Both times I was able to cheat and take the cable car back down, hence my legs are still functioning today!

The first hike began at 7.45 am. Therefore we were driving along Tafelberg Rd at 7.30, just as the sun was rising over the Hottentot Holland and Stellenbosch mountains. What a beautiful sight.

At that time in the morning numerous people are out running or cycling and just enjoying the beautiful scenary on a beautiful winters morning.

The afternoon hike began at 2.45 so we were on top of the mountain by 5pm, and caught the cable car down at 5.30. The sunset over Camps Bay as seen from the cable car was terrific.

 What a perfect day for hiking on Table Mountain

Hiking up Platteklip Gorge in Cape Town

It would be untrue to say that we don’t get miserable days in Cape Town. We do have winter rainfall and sometimes it does rain for several days in a row. It can also get pretty chilly. Not really cold, nothing below freezing but enough to make you bring out your thermal underwear.

However, most of the time winter is a wonderful time to be on Table Mountain. The past week has been perfect. Blue skies and light winds. During the day temperatures have been as high as 25 degrees C.

Today I hiked up Platteklip Gorge with a group of young lacrosse players from the states. They have been in South Africa on a volunteer programme introducing the sport to our disadvantaged communities. What a wonderful way to meet people and see our beautiful country.

Now, at the end of their time in South Africa, they have taken some well deserved time out. And being the sporty girls they are they opted to hike up Table Mountain as oppose to just taking the cable car.

We began the hike as the sun was rising over Table Bay

All very relaxed at the half way point

We made it. What a view!

Last group shot before the cable car ride down

What is the rock of Table

Mountain?

A guided hike on Table Mountain is so much more than just a walk. All our guides are knowledgeable about the natural history of the mountain and love to share this information with you.

Table Mountain in the Western Cape of South Africa is one of the oldest mountains on earth. It is 6 times older than the mountains of the Himalayas and 5 times older than the Rocky mountains. The rocks that make up the mountain are about 600 million years old, whilst the mountain itself was raised up 60 million years ago. (Numbers like these are impossible to comprehend. Sufficient to say Table Mountain is pretty old!)

The main rock type found on Table Mountain is sandstone. This was laid down underwater initially. This rock was then underlayed by a much harder layer of granite originating from molten lava. These 2 rock types are plain in the mountain today. The lower layer of granite is visible in the rounded grey rocks seen at the base of Lions Head and in the sea around the coast, whilst the upper layer of sandstone is the reddish rock we walk and climb on over most of the mountain itself.

The sandstone horizontal bands are clearly visible on parts of Table Mountain today

Initially both rock layers were found at sea level however when the continents divided, the accompanying shift of the earths crust forced the rocks to be pushed up and a mountain was formed. The subsequent erosion  of the sandstone mass has created the mountain as we know it today.

Table mountain as we know it today. Towering over the city of Cape Town

Hike from Silvermine to Constantia Nek

A Table Mountain walk away from the crowds

The walk from Silvermine to Constantia Nek is 14km long but apart from a bit of a climb at the end is mainly on the flat. It takes you right around the side of the Constantiaberg and over the Vlakkenberg to the top of Constantia Nek. This route includes a short walk through some indigenous forest, then the thick and lush fynbos of Silvermine before moving onto the tougher mountain fynbos of the Constantiaberg and Vlakkenberg. The views are just as varied with the final views of Table Mountain herself from the top of the Vlakkenberg Nek being spectacular.  It is an A to B route so you need to either drop a car at the end or arrange for a driver to pick you up at the end.

Park your car at the entrance gate to Silvermine and begin walking on the river trail. This a beautiful boardwalk along the Silvermine river through indigenous forest. During the winter you may get your feet a bit wet at plpaces but it is well worth the discomfort.

The boardwalk alongside the Silvermine River

After about 30 minutes you meet the jeep track at the Silvermine dam. Turn right and follow the road for 100m to the main carpark. Turn left and follow the path towards the Constantiaberg mountain. You follow the jeep track up a switchback hill for about 40 mins until taking the path signposted to the Elephants Eye cave. On either side of the track the Fynbos is colourful and abundant.  Follow this path for 10 minutes until you come to a junction where you turn right. This path leads you to a steep and uneven drop onto a path below the fire lookout hut and elephants eye cave. This path now follows the contour at 450m  right around the Constantaiberg overlooking the Tokai plantation. You walk along this path for around an hour accompanied by stunning cliffs on your left and clear views across the forest and False Bay on your right.

The path follows a contour around the Constantiaberg

The final 15 minutes lead you steeply up to the tar road that leads to the tower. Turn down the hill and continue on the road for 10 minutes until you come to a sharp bend to the right. You turn left onto a path here. Almost immediately you turn right and head down a short incline and across a river,  before heading steeply up to the Vlakkenberg Nek.

The final haul up to the Vlakkenberg Nek

 Here at 530m you reach the highest point on the hike. This climb is the toughest of this route but is relatively short. (+/- 150m)

Relaxing at the Nek

From here you head steeply down towards Constantia Nek. The path has recently been improved and is part of the Hoeerikwaggo Trail so is in good condition. You pass alongside some Vineyards and into the Silvermist estate so need to keep dogs under very close control here.

The path past the vineyards to Constantia Nek

Shortly after getting onto the Silvermist estate you reach a gate and walk onto the busy road that goes over Constantia Nek.

Hike from Kalk Bay to Ou Kaapse Weg.

Explore some of the beautiful hiking trails in the Cape Peninsula on a guided hike with Ridgway Ramblers

The route from Kalk Bay to Ou Kaapse Weg takes you through 7km of breathtaking and changing scenary with views of both oceans and nearly the whole peninsula. This route is fairly short with no really steep climbs. Its great for a gentle Sunday stroll or for an introduction to hiking for those out for the first time. This is an A to B route so you do need to drop a car at the finish point or have a driver to collect you at the end.

There are several paths leading off Boyes Drive into the Silvermine Nature Reserve. All start with a bit of a climb. The closest of these paths to Kalk Bay is the Ou Kraal Path. Follow this path up a set of steep stone steps for 20 minutes until you cross a small stream at a cross roads of paths. (This area is called “Weary Willy’s) You cross the river and continue straight on. The path is on a much more gradual climb now. After a further 10 minutes you pass a path leading up the hill towards “spes bona valley”. Again keep straight on here.

The path levels out after an initial steep climb

The path continues on a gradual incline for another 30 minutes until it reaches the jeep track in Silvermine Nature Reserve. Behind you are the most amazing views of False Bay and the villages along the route.

The view of False Bay from the path

At the junction with the jeep track you follow the jeep track straight on. This takes you past the beautiful Nellies pool and down a small hill to junction pool where you turn left and down the hill towards Noordhoek.

Nellys pool offers good place for a tea break

 Now the beautiful scenary is in front of you and is the other side of the peninsula. On either side is beautiful, pristine fynbos. Often more colourful than the fynbos on Table Mountain as it is more sheltered in this reserve.

You now look down onto the Atlantic side of the Cape Peninsula

Another 40 minutes on the jeep track will bring you to the main parking area of Ou Kaapse Weg.