The Krakadouw hiking trail
The Krakadouw peaks are found in the Northern Cederberg close to Clanwilliam. They offer some remarkable hikes of varying duration and difficulty.
Although there are a number of different places to start hiking I recommend starting at Dwarsriver farm. To get there go through Clanwilliam and at the bottom of the Pakhuis pass take a road to your right. (it is signed Krakadouw) Follow the road for +/- 12km to the farm. Here you can park right by the farmhouse and access the hike through a gate right beside the house.
Initially the path is quite indistinct as it leads across a field to a style.
The style at the beginning of the trail
Once over the style the path is clearer as it follows the Dwarsriver up the valley. Quite flat to begin with the path crosses the river on occasion until after +/-2km you cross the river and encounter 2 paths. Take the right turn and continue to follow the river. At times it is difficult to see and follows the river for a small time until starting to lead away from the river and up to the right.
The first part of the trail is relatively flat and follows the river
After another 3km you come to an old was blockhouse overlooking the gorge which you can see leading into the mountains in the distance. Drop down to the river again and the path leads you up into the gorge on a steady climb. Even in midsummer this river flows and there are several lovely little campsites in the trees.
This path leads right up the gorge for +/- 10km and down to join the donkey cart track at Heuningvlei. Although not very steep for most of the time the path can be decieving as it has several false peaks where you summit only to see the path winding on above you again.
The path leads up the gorge on the right of the river
The views are quite brilliant with the Klein Krakadouw peak towering above you on the right.
Looking back down the gorge
Once at the top of the gorge if you only have a day available it is best to turn around and return the way you came.
Looking down towards Heuningvlei
However if you are really looking for a challenge (and have a driver) you can drop down the other side of the gorge to the donkey track that links the top of Pakhuis pass to Heuningvlei. You can follow this track to the top of the pass and meet your vehicle here. Although a fairly straight forward hike this road is 10km, so to do the whole hike in one day would be ambitious for anyone but the extremely fit.
