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A Table Mountain circuit

Ralph — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 17:51:13 +0000

Bakoven from Kasteelspoort

In all the years of walking on the mountain I have never climbed Platteklip Gorge. At Peter’s suggestion we parked at Kloof Nek and tackled the 15.4 km circuit up Platteklip, through the valleys of Isolation and the Red Gods, to the reservoirs and down Kasteelspoort, and back along the Pipe Track. It was two days after Christmas and the mountain was topped by the table cloth (which made the steep Platteklip climb a whole lot easier). What struck me, however, was the high number of young people walking on the mountain and how representative they were of Cape Town’s cosmopolitan culture. Twenty years ago most hikers on any given day would have been members of the white middle-class; now there are kids from the townships, the Cape Flats, the suburbs, all obviously wanting to be on the mountain, all celebrating this wonderful place and all visibly enjoying a day out in nature. I can’t help but wonder whether the SA National Parks’ “people in parks” programme is actually working …

A Google Earth track of the walk and some photos follow..

Table Mountain cableway from the Pipe Track

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Or download the track of this walk and view in Google Earth

Platteklip Gorge (up) and Kasteelspoort (down) track profile

Peter at Woodhead reservoir

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Cape Point’s east coast

Ralph — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:41:32 +0000

The 13 km walk down Cape Point’s east coast from the gate to the restaurant at the point is possibly the most scenically spectacular hike in the country. Besides the vistas across False Bay, the precipitous drops to the rocky coast below and the way the peninsula unfolds as one skirts Judas Peak or Die Boer, the weather can be very diverse too – wild and windy or tranquil and impossibly blue on any given day.

A Google Earth track and photos follow …

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Or download the Google Earth track and view in Google Earth (the track also includes the west coast trail)

Da Gama monument

Classic kombi camper

Rooikrantz ("red cliff")

Pirate of the Cape

On the edge

Lighthouse

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Scherpenheuwel circuit, Franschhoek

Ralph — Thu, 18 Aug 2011 20:48:01 +0000

The Mountain Club’s plan was to head up to Perdekop in the hope that, it being midwinter, there would be snow on the peak. Instead an unseasonal black south-easter raged, clouding in all the peaks around Franschhoek. So, plan B was activated. It amounted to a very pleasant 13.5km circuit of Scherpenheuwel, which is one of small peaks in the valley. Scherpenheuwel separates the town from Assegaaiboschkloof and the new Berg River Dam and offers some unusual views of the Franschhoek valley. An easy and pleasant walk.

Robertsvlei and Berg River Dam panorama

3D Google Earth track and more photos follow …

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Or download the kmz file to view in Google Earth

Swiss Farm Excelsior

Centre Peak from Keerwedernek

Assegaaiboschkloof

Roberstvlei and Berg River entering dam

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Simonstown to Smitswinkel on foot

Ralph — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 20:10:21 +0000

Swartkop to Hangklip and beyond

We took the Old Mule Trail up to Blockhouse Gap where two old blockhouses, apparently built at the beginning of World War I to guard the eastern approach through the nek to the naval ammunitions magazines that scar the high valley above Simonstown, slowly weather away. From there a breathtaking walk along the Swartkop Ridges, up to Swartkop peak (678 m) and south to the spur north of Smitswinkel Bay afforded stunning vistas of the Cape Peninsula as well as across False Bay to Hangklip and beyond to Gansbaai. We left a second vehicle near the Cape Point gate and reached it about six hours and 11.4 km later. Photos and a Google Earth track follow …

As you can see from the photos, it was one of those azure days, illuminated by diamond light, that only the Cape can conjure up…

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Or download the kmz file for viewing in Google Earth

www.flickr.com

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Victoria Peak with the Patagons

Ralph — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 19:30:41 +0000

Kelson above Jonkershoek valley

At the beginning of the week that I finally became a member of the Mountain Club of SA, some of the Patagonian trekkers and I headed for Victoria Peak, the highest peak in the Jonkershoek mountains. It was a warm day with high cloud and haze and no wind. Pretty perfect. Our route followed the eastern contour path to Bergriviersnek, across Dwarsberg plateau to the peak (where we saw three klipspringers warily tracking our progress), up to the peak, and then continued along the Panorama route and down Die Kurktrekker (the Corkscrew). 18.6 km through 1200m elevation up and down, 8 hours – the sort of hike that you feel in your legs for the next two days at least.

Patrick Shone, the reserve manager, subsequently told me about an endemic protea that occurs only on the shale, grassed dome that is Victoria Peak. I believe that we saw some – survivors of last year’s devastating fires.

A Google Earth track and some more photos follow below…

Klipspringers on the way to Dwarsberg

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Alternatively, download the kml track for viewing in Google Earth

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Photos of Table Mountain walks

Ralph — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:15:32 +0000

The Cape-based members of the Patagonia group are training for the trek through the Andes by taking regular walks in the Cape Peninsula’s Table Mountain National Park. Here are some photos from those walks along with some older ones…

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Climbing Victoria Peak

Ralph — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 20:37:38 +0000

At 1589m Victoria Peak is the highest summit in the Jonkershoek area. It is visible beyond the valley from Stellenbosch and is often – as it is today – covered in a white blanket of snow. The route as shown in this Google Earth track winds up the eastern edge of the Jonkershoek valley to Bergriviersnek (Berg River Saddle) and then continues easily up to the Dwarsberg plateau before one has to tackle the final 300 or so metres to the summit. From there the 360 degree panorama is simply stunning – see the photos below.

The summer fires have scorched almost all the peaks, but the expanses of green shoots promise a spring show second to none in a matter of weeks. The rains have been good and the spongy vlei on the Dwarsberg plateau, reputed to be the site of highest rainfall in the country, is saturated. The rain meter there gives the highest annual readings – but could it have something to do with the hikers’ “tradition” of topping it up from water bottles?

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If the track doesn’t appear in the window above or you don’t want to install the plugin in your browser, then download the Google Earth Jonkershoek file and view it in Google Earth (download Google Earth)

Victoria Peak with the Patagons At the beginning of the week that I finally became...
Climbing Haelkop, Jonkershoek Another mountain club uitstappie to Haelkop peak (1390 m), one...
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Hiking in Kogelberg

Ralph — Sun, 22 Mar 2009 14:06:08 +0000

The Kogelberg Biosphere and Nature Reserve is my playground. When we’re not kayaking here, we are hiking its many routes. Kogelberg is the jewel in the crown of the Cape’s floral kingdom protected areas that make up the World Heritage Site.

To quote Cape Nature’s brochure: “Kogelberg…represents perhaps the finest example of mountain fynbos in the Western Cape”. Approximately 1600 plant species of which about 150 are endemic, are found here. The reason for its near pristine condition has been its long isolation from development and agriculture, although in the last decades ribbon “development” of the coastline has boomed, resulting in the unsightly coastal towns that are common on our coast. A prime example of bad taste and low-density sprawl is perhaps Betty’s Bay, with Kleinmond a close second. One of the results has been the increased frequency of fires in the area mostly emanating from human settlements. Although the ecology is fire-driven, the fires are occurring at intervals that are too short and some species may disappear as a result.

Below are Google Earth tracks of some of the hiking routes in the reserve. With time I will add more.

If the track doesn’t appear in the window above or you don’t want to install the plugin in your browser, then download the Google Earth Kogelberg file and view it in Google Earth (download Google Earth)

Fighting the Kogelberg fire Murray, VWS crew leader, exits the Squirrel The latest fire...
Sea kayaking in the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve On most weekends, Deon and I paddle and sail this...
Jonkershoek hiking Five k’s from my home in Stellenbosch is the rugged...

Jonkershoek hiking

Ralph — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 14:19:47 +0000

Five k’s from my home in Stellenbosch is the rugged Jonkershoek Nature Reserve. The area boasts the highest rainfall in the Western Cape, and two major rivers rise at the valley head: the Berg and the Eerste rivers.

The Panorama route (or half of it) climbs the eastern slopes of the valley, traverses the ridge and descends Kurktrekkernek (“corkscrew saddle”) via first and second waterfalls . It’s a 5-6 hour leisurely hike, but fairly strenuous. I have done it many times, but the views and solitude are always worth it.

Towards Franschoek from Bergriviersnek

The Google Earth GPS tracks above show the routes up to Bergriviersnek, Swartboskloof and Botmaskop. At the top of Swartboskloof you will find wonderful vistas of the Helderberg Bowl and the Kogelberg coast. Some of these views are shown in the slideshow below.

If the track doesn’t appear in the window above or you don’t want to install the plugin in your browser, then download the Google Earth Rim of Africa file and view it in Google Earth (download Google Earth)

Jonkershoek Panorama Route The Panorama Route is one of the Jonkershoek valley’s classic...
Franschhoek to Jonkershoek via Assegaaiboschkloof The mountain club’s plan was to walk from Franschhoek to...
Climbing Victoria Peak At 1589m Victoria Peak is the highest summit in the...

Walking in Fernkloof

Ralph — Tue, 01 May 2007 20:28:32 +0000

Fernkloof is a gem of a botanical reserve above the coastal town of Hermanus. Barely 1800 ha in area, it harbours upwards of 1474 botanical species. There are many paths and spectacular lookouts for all manner of fitness levels. The sensory returns are high for relatively little physical effort.

If the track doesn’t appear in the window above or you don’t want to install the plugin in your browser, then download the Google Earth Fernkloof file and view it in Google Earth (download Google Earth)

Fernkloof’s website publishes a wealth of information. If you happen to go to Hermanus for the whales, remember to walk in Fernkloof as well.

Climbing Victoria Peak At 1589m Victoria Peak is the highest summit in the...
Hiking in Kogelberg The Kogelberg Biosphere and Nature Reserve is my playground. When...
Jonkershoek hiking Five k’s from my home in Stellenbosch is the rugged...