Western Cape, South Africa
Great hikes in the Cederberg
Great kloofing trips |
Day Hikes
Groot Winterhoek | Kouebokkeveld
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Devils Peak | Swellendam Trail
| Gansbaai to Betty's Bay
Table
Mountain - Some easy routes to the summit - published 1913
(260 Kb)
Hiking gear | Books and maps | Reader contributions
Hiking links
(Other hiking pages and tourist links in South Africa)
Hiking diary | Ian's
Webb
(In case you want to know more about the author)
| Some of the best hiking in the Western Cape. There are routes for all levels of fitness, all lengths, and all climates. The scenery is unique, rugged, and spectacular. |  |
Kloofing is a Western Cape sport which involves getting down a river gorge by boulder-hopping, wading, swimming, climbing, or jumping from an insane height.
An area of mountains roughly 200 km from
Cape Town where you can find peace and tranquility without having to kill yourself
climbing some huge peak. Famous for the pool "De Hel", one of the biggest pools
in the Cape, with spectacular cliffs around it and a waterfall. For the waterbabies
there are some excellent kloofing trips down
the Vier-en-twintig Riviere, ending with a jump into Die Hel.
Since it is a Wilderness Area, you may hike and camp where you like. There are a few huts with concrete floors and little else, or you can stay under the oaks at one of several abandoned farms. For the psychos, Groot Winterhoek peak at 2078m is a strenuous climb best attempted over two or more days. Beware of winter trips as you may well be trapped on the wrong side of the causeway at Driebosfontein.
The mountains
here are privately owned so access is difficult and pretty exclusive - and I won't
make it any easier for you! You'll have to join either the MCSA, Scout Mountain
Club or UCT Mountain & Ski Club to get there.
The Olifants River Dome (1621m) is a spectacular peak which is very hard to get to, along a tortuous traverse and a huge descent and ascent just when you thought you were there. The summit log shows it was climbed in 1991 (for the MCSA centenary), and next by the SMC in 1994. The peak is an 8-hour round trip from base camp at the top of Naauwkloof (where a shepherd's hut provides shelter if not warmth for 3 to 4 people, or 15 in a storm), and from the farm Schoongezicht to the camp takes 2 hours.
Another nice peak with a spectacular nek is Driekoppe (1760m?). (Spectacular is a word which you will probably use often in the Kouebokkeveld.) Unlike the Dome, Driekoppe is an easy climb and is reached in about 2 hours hiking from the campsite and about one hour back down. You can see Table Mountain easily on a clear day and all the major peaks from Sneeuberg and Tafelberg to Groot Winterhoek.
What I definitely won't describe in detail is how to find an old shepherd's cave which has been visited maybe two or three times in 50 years. It still has the original kettle, potjie and firewood supply, and a few tins of coffee. It also has some old bushman paintings, very faint, and a magnificent view. Well worth the 10km slog through unmarked mountains, but only about 5 people know where it is, and we're not saying.
First Waterfall
is a little-used climb up Devils Peak not marked on the new Mountain Club map,
but the path has been in existence since the blockhouses were built at around
the turn of the 19th Century. It is known as the 1000 Steps, which just about
sums it up - quite a climb but with a very rewarding view from the nek at the
top of the gorge. The gorge is reached from the Blockhouse above Rhodes Memorial:
a path above the Contour Path skirts the mountain and enters the gorge. The ascent
then begins in some indigenous forest, although there is a brief section out of
the gorge to pass a waterfall. Towards the top the gorge is more open and very
loose - tumbling rocks are a real danger and the party should stick close together.
There are one or two rocky scrambles and the top section is very sandy and steep.
Once you have admired the view over the city bowl and Table Bay you can descend by Mowbray Ridge or take the frontal ascent to Devils Peak itself - best attempted with someone who knows the route.
Not to be confused with Second Waterfall Ravine, which is impassable and has claimed the lives of many unwary hikers.
This is one
of the best trails in the Western Cape. There are several alternative routes,
varying from 2 days/26km to 6 days/84km. All start and end at the Marloth Nature
Reserve outside Swellendam, 220 km from Cape Town. The longest version of the
trail starts with 4km of gravel road through pine plantations (see picture) to
the first hut, Koloniesbos (it is possible to skip this bit). You then hit some
indigenous forest and soon start an unrelenting climb up the South side of the
Langeberge, with great views and fynbos. This path enters a valley and about 12
km from Koloniesbos you reach Boskloof Hut in the mountains, near a beautiful
pool. From Boskloof you can take a trip back to the start via Tienuurkop, or continue
on your way...
If you decide to continue, the next day (11km) starts with a steady climb and then a rocky descent to Goedgeloof Huts, which look over the Little Karoo and are quite close to farmland. You may choose to do this and the subsequent hike to Protea Valley Hut (10 km) in one day. That hike hike skirts the base of the range and then climbs up to a Nek into Protea Valley, one of the most scenic sections of the trail, with a flat path for the next 5 km and plenty of beautiful fynbos.
From Protea Valley you can hike to Wolfkloof Hut via three routes - Kruispad (7km) is the easiest, but still rather a long descent. Vensterbank (12km) is one of the most spectacular paths in the Cape and quite dangerous in bad weather. The longest alternative is a two-day hike via Nooitgedacht, which first climbs up towards Vensterbank and then begins a rollercoaster of neks and valleys for the remainder of the 13km. Painful, but the pool at Nooitgedacht (and the seclusion of the area) makes it worthwhile.
From Nooitgedacht to Wolfkloof is the longest day (21km). The first half skirts the base of the Langeberg, heading back towards Swellendam. Then the path starts negotiating many gorges, each with its own indigenous forest and stream - ripe for exploring, if only you had the time... The fynbos on this section also makes the long hike worthwhile.
The last day (10km) from Wolfkloof begins again with a sharp climb and then more skirting along the side of the Langeberg, back towards home. If you took the Kruispad shortcut, you could do this path on the same day without too much effort.
The huts are mainly log cabins sleeping 24, and fires are permitted at Koloniesbos and Wolfkloof (wood is supplied). Goedgeloof and Nooitgedacht are smaller stone shepherd huts. All huts have bunks and mattresses, cooking areas, long-drop ablutions and outside taps. An excellent map is available.
Well, here my description of the hike ends because we hitched from Kleinmond to our next night stop at Palmiet river mouth (a short hike, anyway) and then got rained on. After trying to take shelter in some municipal restrooms we chickened out and hitched to Betty's Bay.
If anyone knows anything about beach routes anywhere along the South coast between Mossel Bay and Pringle Bay, please let me know. Or along False Bay from Muizenburg to Gordons Bay - I'm planning an epic hike from Muizenburg to Agulhas some time, and I'd like to know more about the route.
Latest additionsThe newest part of this site is the Readers' Page, where readers can contribute their own hiking stories. Another recent addition was a new page about Great kloofs in the Western Cape, so this seemed like a good place to put this picture of De Hel in the Groot Winterhoek, in flood. Last update 12 July 2004
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Ian Webb, Cape Town, South Africa