Great Hikes in 1996

Ian Webb, Cape Town, South Africa

A list of my hikes in 1996 on Table Mountain and other mountains in the Western Cape, South Africa.

In 1996

However it was not my intention to develop a slipped disk and be out of hiking for a whole six months. What a waste of a summer.

• Shortly after New Year I found a wonderful spot on Middle Traverse on Devils Peak, where you can sit in the shade at midday and watch the queue of cars at the Cable Station and, with binoculars, a sweaty stream of idiots climbing Platteklip Gorge in the heat. The fire outlook house on Mowbray Ridge is no longer in use and has been heavily vandalised.
• We tried to find the B ascent on Table Mountain left face, but got on the wrong path from step one because the Platteklip Gorge path has moved since the guide book was written. Instead we ended up doing Silverstream Ravine and the top bit of Ledges. An excellent route, and we saw a pair of Thars, which you aren't likely to see if you stick to the "Approved Paths" on the awful MCSA map produced last year.
• Well, this time we got it right, and found B Ascent. A lovely route, and not another hiker in sight all day. We came down via the top bit of India Venster, and then cut across Right Face on that legendary route where the path finds a crack behind the shear rock, just when you thought it could never cross the cliff face. Not recommended if you've got a thing about heights.
• This Easter Bruce and I were back in the Cedarberg looking for a new route for participants on the Senior Scout Adventure. We spent two nights at the Cedarberg Observatory (and I've now been roped in to design their Web site...) The route we tried out was from Rondegat on the Clanwilliam Dam, over the ridge to the farm at the bottom of Krakadouwpoort. Pretty innocuous mountains, but very seldom hiked. We found an area of amazing rock formations, caves and outcrops including an arch and two or three top-class caves with bushman paintings.
• Back on the beaten track, I set off with Ben Wright to the Kalk Bay Caves. As usual I got lost in Boomslang Cave (I've done it dozens of times and I always get lost). Then we did Oread, which was beautiful, and we ended up helping another party climb out of the skylight with a rope ladder.
• Then back to the Cedarberg, camping at Sanddrif, and visiting the Observatory. Climbed the narrow Wolfberg crack and recced a kloof near Rondegat. The other car in the party broke down on the way in.
• Down at Cape Point we did a route from Skaife Centre to the Thomas T Tucker wreck and past Sirkelvlei on the way home.
• Back to the Cedarberg again to plant Cedar trees near Die Rif with the Wildlife Society. It snowed on the first night and dropped half an inch of frost on the second night. We stayed at Driehoek, climbed Welbedacht and went down from Die Rif. The next day we wandered up to the Maltese Cross. The other car broke down on the way there and the way back, in the dark both times.
• With another party to the Cedarberg, again. There has been a major road washout for several hundred metres just past the top of Uitkyk Pass. This time we did the narrow crack again, then across the top to the Wolfberg Arch, down Gabriel's Pass to Die Rif and past the Cedars back to Driehoek. Next day Bruce, Gabbie and I hiked up the valley towards Uilsgat Needles, up a wonderful old drypack stone pass. Very misty on the top, with lots of cedars (alive and dead). Then a very long descent down "Die Gat" to the cottages at the bottom of Uitkyk Pass. This is a great route.
• Now I'm in Norway! We only had time for a half-day hiking in the Norwegian forest, which was very beautiful, very lush, and full of swamps and mosquitoes. We slept in the forest and it was only dark for about 3 hours of the night. I got a look at fjord country from a bus on a package tour - wow! - but I had no time to experience it properly.
• Next, in Sweden, on the World Scout Moot. We spent 4 days on the trail, staying in lean-to shelters in a clearing next to a lake. Part of the trip included a visit to Klasbol for glassblowing and a linen factory. We also spent a day in canoes, with a howling gale at our backs to help us cover the 15km with minimal effort.
• Back in SA again, I just had to get back onto Table Mountain - so Peter Chew's visit from London was an ideal excuse to spend an afternoon visiting the Kings Blockhouse on Devils Peak and the fire lookout on Mowbray Ridge (it's now in disrepair).
• Well, I should be on the Otter Trail right now, but other commitments got in the way. House-sitting, a slide presentation, and the MSc programme eventually won out over the best trail in the world, and Peter went in my place instead...
• ..and I did two very conventional trips up the Jeep Track and Skeleton Gorge, partly for fun and partly to do an inspection of the Scout Hut.
• Then I had to stop hiking because of a slipped disk. Damn. Ouch.

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