Hike up the Helderberg mountain

The Helderberg Mountain are found in the Western Cape of South Africa in the town of Somerset West.  The mountain stands alone with 3 distinct peaks in the middle of the town. Clearly seen from the top of Table Mountain it offers some wonderful hiking with some of the best views of the area.

Somerset West is found an hours drive from Cape Town along the N2. Once in Somerset West the best place to begin hiking is in the Helderberg Nature Reserve. The reserve is found on the slopes of the mountain and has a sort of botanical gardens feel to it. Lots of picnic places, ponds and birds. To get onto the mountain you just head towards it. There is a myriad of pretty little trails that eventually get you the gate and start of most of the hikes. (note: no dogs allowed here)

The Helderberg Mountain with 3 clear peaks. The Dome is the one on the right

On the shoulder of West Peak.

Once on the shoulder you can either go left and up West Peak, or right and take the longer and more challenging route up the Dome. The path to the Dome is quite clear.It now leads you around the Cape Town side of the mountain on a traverse above Stellenbosch. The views are amazing. The path remains quite clear for about 40 minutes until you reach a cairn and the path disapears. Here you head up the steep erosion path to the next level. The path is rocky and tricky in places but after about 30 minutes you reach the neck, and cannot not be amazed by the sheer cliffs towering in front of you.

 

The view of False Bay and Table Mountain from the Helderberg

Here again the path seems to disappear. Keep going though and it leads around a corner and begins a very steep ascent up. It is not difficult although you definitely do need to be prepared to scramble in a couple of places. At the top you may well be fooled into thinking you are at the top of the Dome. However you still spend another half an hour hiking along the spine of the Dome to the highest point. This is where the path is the least well marked due to large boulders littered all over the area. There are cairns so if you keep your eyes open you should be fine. (if visibility is not good make sure you keep an eye on where you have come from so you can find your way back)

 

Sheltering from the wind at the top of the Helderberg

Getting to the top should take you around 4 hours if you maintain a good pace. So start early.

 

Ridgway Ramblers offer a variety of guided hikes in the Cape Town area. Join them to see the best the Cape has to offer.

http://www.ridgwayramblers.co.za/index.php/other-hikes-in-the-western-cape/

 

Hike up Kasteelspoort and walk to the Table

 Top

The hike up Kasteelspoort overlooking Camps Bay and then continuing through Valley of the Red Gods and Echo Valley to Maclears Beacon is a Table Mountain classic hike. It is a long day out but is well worth the effort as you really do see some of the best that Table Mountain has to offer. 

Park your car at the top of Kloof Nek and start hiking along the Pipe Track. This is a relatively flat path that takes you along the foot of the 12 Apostles. Even at this level the views of the 12 Apostles and Camps Bay are magnificent.

The view of the 12 Apostles and Camps Bay from the Pipe Track

You follow this path for about an hour until you get to the Kasteelspoort turn off. There are a number of paths leading off the Pipe Track but the Kasteelspoort one is well signposted. Here is where you begin your climb. Kasteelspoort is one of the most popular and easier ways onto the back of Table Mountain. The first half takes you up and to the right with a couple of places where you need to use your hands to get some larger steps. After about 40 minutes climbing you come to a large flat rock. This is about half way up. Take a break here and then continue straight up the gorge on the left of the stream that tumbles down the mountain here.

At the top of the gorge you cross the stream and then get to a junction where the Kasteelspoort path meets the 12 Apostles path. Turn left here and continue to follow a small stream up a gentle hill towards valley of the red gods. After 20 minutes the path takes a turn to the right and starts to lead more steeply up hill. At the top of the rise stop to admire the view before dropping into the beautiful valley of isolation.

At the top of Kasteelspoort

The Echo Valley path on Table Mountain

Off the Beaten Track up Table Mountain

Duration: 3 hours

The India Venster route up Table Mountain is for those with limited time but looking or a bit of adventure. It is described as a scramble route which means you need to be prepared to use your hands to get up and over some obstacles. There is some exposure on this route so it is not suitable for those with a fear of heights.

The view from the India Venster route

The path follows almost directly under the cable car and then follows fountain ledge around the side of the mountain over looking Camps Bay. The views are fantastic.

One of the steeper sections on the India Venster path

Cost: R450 per person. (inlcudes snacks) Transport available at no extra charge (by arrangement only)

Table Mountain is a natural wonder of the

 world

Table Mountain has been selected from 440 magnificent sites  as one of the New7Wonders of Nature. The other 6 wonders are: the Amazon, Halong Bay, Iguazu Falls, Jeju Island, Komodo and Puerto Princesa Underground River.

Table Mountain - A new 7 wonder of Nature

The selection of Table Mountain is not only as a result of the amazing sight of the mountain standing alone on the Cape Peninsula and its position slap bang in the middle of a large and vibrant city. It is also due to the wonderful diversity of the Fynbos plant kingdom.

Come to Cape Town and enjoy a hike on Table Mountain. It really is a wonder of nature

Scramble up Table Mountain above

Kirstenbosch Gardens

Nursery Buttress offers a wonderful scramble hike up Table Mountain above Kirstenbosch Gardens. Although no rope is required it is quite technical and definitely not for those with a fear of heights.

Nursery Buttress is also called Castle Rock and dominates the view of Table Mountain from the botanical gardens.

Castle Rock dominates the view of Table Mountain from Kirstenbosch Gardens

 From Rycroft Gate you head towards the mountain and after about 15 minutes hit the contour path. Turn right towards Nursery Ravine. Go straight past the ravine and after about 5 minutes you pass another small water course. This is where you head up the mountain. There are a few cairns but here you just follow the stream until the first rock bands.

Go left at the rockbands and scramble up a 10m pitch. You then follow a faint path and cairns through some thick fynbos to the next rock band.

The first rock Bands of Nursery Buttress

Here there is a large window formed by a huge boulder resting on top of others. Scramble to the right of this window onto a ledge. From here to the right there is a crack you squeeze up to reach the top of these bands.

Again follow cairns up a few small scrambles until you reach the largest face of today. Its 15m, but with plenty of good foot and hand holds. At the top you are on a ridge. Follow this ridge until an easy chimney which takes you to the top of the lower buttress.

For much of the route you follow cairns up the buttress

From here its easy. Just head up the slope and slightly to the right to the top of Nursery Buttress. Take a break here to admire the views down over Kirstenbosch Gardens, the Southern Suburbs and False Bay.

The view from the top

Once rested follow the path to the junction with the path that joins Nursery Ravine and Skeleton Gorge.

Hiking from the cable car on Table Mountain

Sometimes it is nice to take the cable car up Table Mountain and hike the length of the mountain to Constantia Nek. Although it is a bit of a cheat to take the cable car up this is still not an easy hike. The distance is +/- 16km over some fairly uneven and tricky ground so be prepared for a long but supremely enjoyable day.

Although there are lots of routes you could take, I recommend a visit to Maclears Beacon as a first stage of your hike. To get there you follow a fairly flat path for about 45 minutes across the top of Table Mountain. Maclears Beacon is the highest point of the mountain (1086m) and offers some truly spectacular views of the back table, Table Bay and the city, False Bay and the Hottentot Holland Mountain.

Enjoying the view from Maclears Beacon

Looking back at "dog head rock" from the Echo Valley junction

The path now continues to lead you gradually down hill, past the Aquaduct and another small scramble to Window Gorge. Here you cross the stream that tumbles down Window gorge. At certain times of year this little river is filled with the beautiful red disa’s.

 

Just before the Aquaduct and small scramble to Windo Gorge

From Window Gorge the path climbs slightly before dropping quite steeply to the top of Skeleton Gorge. Pass straight on over the stream and past the patch of indigenous forest up and over a small climb and then another drop down to the top of Nursery Ravine. From here the view down the steep gorge and into Kirstenbosch Gardens is worth a break.

 

Looking down Nursery Ravine

 

From here the path continues to a junction. Turn left. After 5 minutes the path again begins to head South and after a further 15 minutes the Overseers Cottage comes into view.

 

 

The Overseers cottage comes into view just before you join the concrete rd

 

The path you are on takes you onto the concrete rd. Turn left onto it and follow it as it takes you gently down towards Constantia Nek and the end of your hike.  Although you can follow the road the entire way down. I prefer to turn off the road after about 20 minutes just after a sweeping turn to the left. Here there is a path that takes you a much more direct route down than the road which takes a number of huge switchback turns.. It rejoins the road after about half an hour. You follow the road to less than 20m around a corner and then take another small path directly down to Constantia Nek.

 

 

Hiking on Table Mountain above Camps Bay.

A lovely day hike on Table Mountain takes you along the Twelve Apostles which overlook Camps Bay. Strangely named, as there are 17 buttresses none of which are named after anyone in the bible, the routes along this side of the mountain are steep with dramatic scenary.

Most of the paths up Table Mountain on this side lead from the Pipe Track, which contours around the mountain at a height of +/- 200m. The Pipe Track begins at the corner of Kloof Nek and Tafelberg Rd. After 5 minutes on this path you get over the brow and are immediately struck by one of the most beautiful views in Cape Town.

Overlooking Camps Bay and the 12 Apostles from the Pipe Track

The Kasteelspoort sign up Table Mountain

You should reach Kasteelspoort after about 45 minutes on the Pipe Track. The climb up onto the Back Table should then take you another +/- 2 hours. This route is fairly straight forward with some places of very very minor scrambling.

 

Almost at the top of Kasteelspoort

At the top of Kasteelspoort turn right onto the 12 Apostles path and continue South. After 5 minutes walking you come to a cross roads. It is well worth taking a short detour to the lookout point here.

 

Take a short detour to the lookout point at the top of Kasteelspoort

 

Return to the corss roads and continue South. The path is clear and leads past Woodyand Slangholie ravines. Both are signed as dangerous descents. At Slangholie you turn inland for a short distance and scramble up a small incline before returning to the path which leads to Corridor and Oedekraal ravines.

 

The top of Slangholie Ravine

The 12 Apostles path continues as far as Llundudno, however in order to complete the full 12 Apostles you would need to have arranged a car at the end point as the Pipe Track only extends as far as Oedekraal Ravine. Assuming you are doing a circular hike you will then descend down either Corridor or Oedekraal ravine. Corridor comes first and at this stage is the slightly better path. Both are loose underfoot and care needs to be taken.

 

Once back on the Pipe Track you head back towards Cape Town. This section of the walk has some of the most outstanding views found anywhere in the Cape Peninsula.

 

A view of Lions Head from the Pipe Track

Once back on the Pipe Track you head back to your car. In total the hike should take around 6 hours to complete.

 

Explore Table Mountain on a guided hike with Ridgway Ramblers.

http://www.ridgwayramblers.co.za/index.php/hiking-options/full-day-options/