A short hike on Table Mountain

A short hike on Table Mountain is sometimes all you have time for, and with the variety of trails and views throughout the Table Mountain chain its perfectly possible to really feel you are escaping into a wilderness even on a walk of 2 hours or less.

One such hike is the Bokkop circuit in the Silvermine area of the National Park. Silvermine is the area found at the top of Ou Kaapse Weg. Sort of the middle of the chain, thus Table Mountain herself and the city are to the North and Cape Point to the South.

To get there drive out of the city on the M3 towards Muizenberg. At the end of the freeway turn right and follow signs to the scenic route of Ou Kaapse Weg. This is a mountain pass that takes you over the mountain into Noordhoek. At the top of the pass you turn right into Silvermine. There is a small entry fee, then follow the road further up the mountain to a carpark at the end.

From the car park walk South towards the reservoir and then take the 2nd path off the jeep track that leads down the hill. It is signed as a mountain bike route so for the first 15 minutes beware of speeding bikes. After this 15 minutes you continue straight on whilst the bikes turn left. From here on you are on a small path with amazing pristine fynbos on either side. The path meaders gently down the valllwy with magnificent views, first of the Southern Suburbs and then of Clovelly and Fishoek.

False Bay

The views from Silvermine are amazing

 

Bokkop, after which this hike is named is the small hill directly ahead of you here. After about 20 minutes on this path it splits. Keep to the left and shortly afterwards where the path splits again keep left again. You continue on a gentle down hill through some amazing mimetes and pincushions that at this time of year (early spring) in this sheltered valley are ahead of the rest of the mountain in their flowering.

A pagoda tree

The fynbos in Silvermine Nature Reserve is quite outstanding

After another 15 minutes you join the “old wagon road”  Here you turn left and after 5 minutes left again onto the river trail. This wonderful boardwalked route will take you right back to your car

For more information on half day hikes on Table Mountain click here