The Table Mountain Trail
Day 4
Hike from Silvermine to Orange Kloof
Join Ridgway Ramblers on the Table Mountain trail. We will ensure you have the hiking holiday of a lifetime.
Day 4 of the Table Mountain hiking trail is 17km long and although not as tough as day 3 is still pretty demanding.
The day starts fairly easily with an hours walk on the jeep track to the lookout point above Hout Bay. This is a magnificent place and even though early in the day you must spend some time here just enjoying the view.
From here you head down the steep Blackburn ravine. (this path is the old fishermans path from Kalk Bay) You head down hill for about 45 minutes and it is worth taking your time to save your knees. At the 360m contour you follow the path straight ahead instead of continuing down the gorge. You now continue along this path another 45 minutes. (Although this stretch of the route is relatively level there are places where is quite a steep drop so be careful here.) A the next junction in the path you take the right fork that starts to lead up and around the side of the mountain. After a short climb you again begin to follow a contour path, this time heading East. After half an hour along this path you come to the only shade of the day and also the only water point. (although it is often dry in the summer) This is a great place to stop for an early lunch or mid morning snack.
Shortly after leaving this point the path joins the tar road that leads to the mast at the top of the Constantiaberg. After a very brief moment of walking in the road you take a left hand turn and head steeply down towards the nek before a final climb of the day up the Vlakkenberg.
From the top of the Vlakkenberg you can see Orangekloof where you will find your next tented camp down below. However, even though you are nearly there and it is all downhill to the camp, the path down the Vlakkenbeerg is steep and uneven as well as being very exposed and hot in the afternoon. At the bottom cross the busy road and enter the Orange Kloof reserve. 15 minutes later and you will be relaxing at the camp