Tips on setting up a new private hiking trail

There are hiking trails to suit all tastes, but to make its mark, a hike needs more than just good views, good paths and good overnight accommodation. That 'something extra' might be tractor transport to the start, a farm dog which accompanies the hikers, a real farm supper laid on, or an unusual overnight hut.

Of course the choice of route is vital. It needs available water, great views, good places to stop, not too much unnecessary uphill, and above all a route with a purpose. That purpose may be the views, a particular destination like a nek, peak or waterfall, or it may be getting from A to B along an interesting route. Most hikers like variation, so try to include a variety of terrains. Circular routes are usually more popular than ones where you end far away from the carpark at the start.

Related to the route, you need a decent map and route description, and well signposted paths. Local municipalities, the Forestry Department or one of several conservation agencies may be able to help with technical issues like maps and path construction.

To publicise the hike, your first prize would be to get a popular author of hiking books to review your hike, or to include it in a hiking column in a weekend newspaper. Another option would be an article about your trail in Getaway magazine, but that isn't easy to achieve - something in the letters page may be easier. Also check if SAFM has a slot for outdoor adventure in one of its magazine programmes.

Olifantskop trail

"What makes this Olifantskop trail in the Hexrivier, Western Cederberg, very special is that you are in regular contact with the river. It is a fairly leisurly walk to the cave, so that there is time for swims and exploration of the old farmstead halfway to the cave."

http://home.mweb.co.za/vi/vism/tours.html

(Sent in by Martha & Reinhardt Slabber in 2001)

Gansbaai to Betty's Bay

Start at the Western end of Gansbaai, known as Die Kelders, and hike along the beach across Walker Bay towards the mouth of Hermanus Lagoon. This should take you till the evening, unless you made a really early start from Cape Town. You can either camp at a campsite or holiday house in Hermanus, or risk a large fine and unpleasant awakening by sleeping on the beach or the shores of the lagoon. Not really worth it. The next day, take the beach paths through Hermanus - a surprisingly long hike, with many welcome distractions of beaches and holiday life. You should be able to get past Onrus by the late afternoon - it's probably not such a good idea to trespass on the reserve at Hoek van die Berg, with the vearious perlemoen wars in this area. There is a campsite at Hawston. From Hawston, you again hit a long beach passing Bot River mouth and the lagoon and ending at Kleinmond.

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 - It would be an epic hike from Muizenburg to Agulhas, and I'd like to hear more about the route.

Kouebokkeveld

The Kouebokkeveld mountains here are largely privately owned so access is pretty exclusive unless you know the right person or belong to the right hiking club.

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.

Then somewhere out there is an old shepherd's cave which has been visited maybe two or three times in a few decades. 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 slog through unmarked mountains, but only a few people know where it is, and it's not a location I would want to geocache or blog about!

Torches

For a long time I found Petzl headlamps as irritating as red BMWs. Nice, expensive, owned by chops. But that was in the days of halogen bulbs that consumed a pair of batteries in a couple of hours. Then along came LED lamps and changed the night into slightly-bluish day. Now I own two Petzls including a tiny one that seems to run on a watch battery but is still as bright as all heck.

They're still not cheap though. I have a bit of a problem with expensive torces in that they're the most losable item of camping equipment, and I've lost a couple of nice ones in my time, so I don't think it's rational to spend a fortune on them.

For caving, apart from the headlamp, I take one of those cheap plastic torches you get from Clicks (it's worked for years, so why change it). But in general, cheap torches always break at the least convenient time. So I use the cheap torch and don't mind if it gets scratched, but I carry a better torch as a spare...

In moving this post from its old home to this one, I had to delete a whole lot about halogen bulbs, taking spare batteries, twisting the head of the torch to focus the beam, and maglites, which I compared to being as exciting as wearing a Nike swoosh, i.e. not at all. But as I said before, all that has changed since LED lights came along. So I'll consign that rant to the wayback machine.

For the record

Since I've written a whole lot about hiking gear (with a South African hiking audience in mind), it seems fair enough to supply a list of my personal equipment:

• Backpacker Boulder 75l rucksack (the best bag ever)
• First Ascent Ice Breaker down sleeping bag, in Microtex fabric (what a beauty!) with an outer by Cape Storm
• Karrimor Epic 35l pack for day trips
• Petzl Tikka headlamp
  
• Lumogaz gas light by Camping Gaz- used a lot less since Petzl came out with LED lights
  
• First Ascent rainjacket
• North Face down jacket
  
• Heavy fleece top from First Ascent
  
• A couple of wick-dry T-shirts from Cape Storm and First Ascent, and a long-sleeve Nike ACG top perfect for kloofing. And a few cotton/polyester T-shirts that make good vests for winter hiking but get too hot in summer.
  
• Closed-cell foam rollmat for sleeping - a much cheaper option than those inflatable things, but not as nice
• Miscellaneous Hi-Tech boots, originally waterproof but now less so
  
• Big wide-brimmed safari hat and several cotton long-sleeve collar shirts from Cape Union Mart
  

Other gear that I've used:

• Coleman Apex II stove (benzene fueled, broken, whatever you do don't buy Coleman)
• Camping Gaz Bleuet stove (replacing the Coleman, until I decide to splash out and buy a better one)
• Dachstein boots (bought in 1995 and lasted about 10 years on their second soles)
• Ventex/Hollowfibre jacket by Drimac, warm and once waterproof.
• Karrimor Jaguar 2 65l rucksack (bought in 1985 and still in occasional use when I need a smaller pack or one to lend out)
• Two Backpacker Benedorm 3 Seasons sleeping bags (each of which lasted about 3 years of heavy use before needing to be replaced. One is now a very nice duvet.)
• Backpacker Kranz 40l pack for day trips (damn! it got stolen.)
• Backpacker Fellman 20l which was too small for most day trips but was a great varsity bag
• Two pairs of Trailbuster T3 boots (they died after 3 years heavy use.)

Boots

There are many alternatives, but the main choice (after price) seems to be leather vs. synthetic. There are many leather options, ranging from velskoen to some pretty hardcore bonded-sole, last-you-a-lifetime boots. The market moves pretty fast so I'm a bit out-of-date with what's now available. In reasonably-priced synthetic boots, the choice of brand seems to be Hitec or nothing, but there are more expensive options in GoreTex.

Jim Green boots are a top quality leather product, or so I'm told - I haven't owned a pair yet. They're made in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, and can even be ordered online. And of course there's K-Way, the Cape Union Mart brand.

Hitec has a wide range of boots. Their synthetic boots are typically very comfortable (more so than leather boots) and don't require much wearing-in. Synthetic boots definitely aren't as durable as leather, though, and unless they specifically say waterproof, they're certainly not, although even leather boots or synthetic "waterproof" boots are seldom really waterproof after extended wetting. I would recommend Hitecs over leather boots for the novice or occasional hiker. Avoid the Hitech Utah, though. I had a pair for casual use, but they were definitely not tough enough for real hiking.

For the pro hiker with tough feet, consider going for a leather boot. Various options are available, some imported and some made locally. I'm not familiar with the brands at present - for a while I had a pair of Dachsteins. They done a lot of distance in all sorts of conditions. At the moment I'm using a more mundane pair of Hitec boots.

Stoves

For the new hiker with limited budget, there really is only one alternative here: the Camping Gaz range with butane or butane/propane cylinders. Their newer range includes resealable cylinders, and there are sometimes other brands of butane stoves on the market as well.

For the pro hiker, avoid the Gaz stove - for a rather higher price you can get a benzene stove which is hotter, more robust, cheaper to fuel, less unstable and less susceptible to wind, cold and high altitude. I bought a Coleman Apex II, which looks like a moon landing unit and is hot as hell and a great talking point. BUT... read on to find out why I stopped being a Coleman fan.

Well, only 4 years into it's supposed 10-year lifespan, my Coleman stove decided to spring a leak in the fuel line, letting loose a gentle arc of benzene - very fortunately not spraying over the flame itself. As far as I'm concerned that doesn't consitute "fair wear and tear" - it's either a basic design flaw, poor materials, or poor workmanship. Nor can I recommend Coleman aftersale service in Cape Town, which is 100% non-existant, or in South Africa as a whole. Meantime, I no longer recommend Coleman products. Anything so expensive that (a) breaks and (b) can't be fixed at all is not a decent hiking product. If anyone from Coleman wants to convince me otherwise, I'm open to offers.

The top range of imported stoves comes from MSR, and includes the Whisperlite and XGK (what would we do without American outdoor technology? But that's another debate). They're even hotter than the Coleman range: my Coleman Apex II was once convincingly beaten by a Whisperlite in a time trial, boiling 1 litre of water at 800m altitude in a light breeze. The Gaz stove didn't even reach boiling point. But temperature control is not an option with MSR: if you want to get one to simmer, there's a complicated mantra and a chicken-slaughtering ritual you need to learn first. The only thing hotter than an MSR or Coleman stove is the debate over which of the two is better.

GETAWAY magazine once rated butane stoves as better than the Coleman / MSR ranges - but they did their tests at sea level, with no wind, and at 20 Celsius. Heck, no-one uses a stove in those conditions, and butane stoves hardly work in wind, altitude or cold. And when they say butane stoves are safer, I've seen several gas accidents on Gaz stoves when novice users don't know how to change a cylinder, so beware...

Backpacks

When buying a pack, size is the main consideration - 75 litres is big enough for most purposes. There is not much to choose in this market - the current generation of internal frame packs all seem well designed and durable. Locally, Karrimor and is the best known brand with a well-proven record, but other brands are available - some local, some imported.

Apart from plenty of hiking, my Backpacker Boulder has also done excellent service on several overseas trips. A friend of mine modified his pack so he can padlock it, but with a few knots in the straps and putting discouraging things like dirty underwear in the outside pockets, I reckon you can discourage most luggage tamperers.

Final comment - young hikers should not go for a small pack "until they get bigger". Packs are so pricy that they will be stuck with a small pack which becomes increasingly frustrating after a year or two. Go for a "real" pack as soon as you can, or borrow until you can afford to buy one of your own.

Day packs

There are several schools of thought here - some people prefer to cram everything into some sort of tiny hipbelt, others like to carry a full overnight bag, sometimes even stuffing it full of bricks "for training", others like a camel pack, or is it a bladder, or a camel bladder. Well, each to their own taste.

The usual compromise is to get something like a 20l day pack, which is big enough for your basic day kit and also doubles as a handy school or varsity book bag. Not a bad option, but not very individual.

On day hikes I prefer to eat well, carry lots of water, a bulky camera, map, 1st aid kit, and a few warm and waterproof alternatives in case the Cape mountains pull a fast one and it ends up snowing in mid summer. I gave up trying to fit all this kit into a traditional 20l day pack, mainly because I don't like carrying something that feels like a lead soccerball on straps.

My current day pack is an aged Karrimor Epic 35, which is a comfortable teardrop-shaped bag with plenty of space and some handy features like exterior mesh pockets. I use the Epic as hand baggage on overseas trips. It's big enough to fit a laptop inside, in the laptop briefcase, nogal.

My current favourite daypack is the K-Way Kilimanjaro, which my wife uses. It's a medium size daypack with a light frame to allow air to circulate between the pack and your back.

Sleeping Bags

Down bags are the warmest, most durable and lightest - but beware of getting them wet, and be prepared for a shock when it comes to price. A few years ago I invested in a First Ascent Ice Breaker in microtex fabric. It's been an excellent choice, and is one of the most popular bags on the market. Cape Storm makes some excellent down bags as well. Treat yourself to an inner sheet 'cos you shouldn't wash down if you can avoid it.
In the synthetic range (ignoring the cheap supermarket sleeping bags), there are good bags from First Ascent, K-Way and others. Synthetic has three advantages over down - price, washability and the ability to remain warm when wet (yes, I've been there). It has the serious disadvantages of bulk and lifespan - my hollowfibre bag lost its loft and hence its warmth after about 3 years of heavy use, even though I stored it unstuffed. Basically, avoid hollowfibre if you can afford the excessive price of a good down bag.

Whatever happened to...

Here's the bit where I show my age and reminisce about hiking equipment from the late eighties / early nineties. I get a few emails about the equipment mentioned on this page, so it seems I'm not the only one with fond memories of equipment I've used in the past. If you have any information to update what appears below, leave a comment.

Trailbusters

I grew up as a hiker with two pairs of Trailbusters T3s by AP Lubbe in Stellenbosch - you know, the classic hiking-boot-meets-velskoen approach, complete with red laces.. I found them comfortable and easy to wear in, and I've got fond memories of both pairs, although they were a bit lightweight and only lasted 3 years per pair. T5's were a heavier duty boot, but I never owned those. Trailbuster seems to have faded, although in 2005 they still had a website running.

Dachstein

When I was a lightie, Dachsteins were the serious boots the older guys were wearing, imported from Austria. In 1995 I bought a pair of leather Dachstein Semmering boots from Camp & Climb in Claremont (Camp & Climb vanished in about 2003). The boots lived up to expectations and, with the help of new soles from Rocksole, managed 10 years of hiking.

The Dachstein brand (named after the Dachstein region in Austria) was owned by ski-manufacturer Kneissl-Dachstein. In 2003 Kneissl-Dachstein filed for bankruptcy and sold off a lot of its brands: Dachstein was sold to DeeLuxe, and Raichle to Mammut, but it seems the brands are all still functioning and closely related.

After a lot of searching, I finally found pictures of current Dachstein boots under "Hiking Classics" on the website www.kneisslandfriends.com/english/outdoor in late 2004. They seem to be panelled boots, part leather and part synthetic. However on the same website I found leather Raichle trekking boots. Raichle operates in Switzerland and some of their boots (like the Raichle Mountain Trekker) look a lot like the great Dachstein boots that were sold in South Africa in the 1980s and early 1990s. I don't know if you can find Raichle boots in South Africa in 2005 - if you can, let us know.

Backpacker

The superb Backpacker range was best known for their packs and their Benedorm hollow fibre sleeping bag. My pack is a Boulder 75l, which I've used since 1996, still going strong despite several overseas plane trips which have taken their toll on the straps. Backpacker also made a great pack called the Thar (a cylindrical pocketless pack) which was a popular serious bag. (Some day, I'll figure out what I mean by "serious" hiking equipment, and let you know. I hope I'm not just being a snob...)

My favourite daypack was the Backbacker Kranz, a 40l rock climber's bag. The Kranz was similar to the Thar or Krakadouw pack, but smaller, expandable with expedition pockets. Two problems - some burglars liked my Kranz even more than I did, and Backpacker stopped making them.

In the 1990s the Backpacker factory moved to Botswana, and they gradually faded from view. In 2004, BackPacker was bought by Scavenger and is still in business with a postal address in Centurion and allegedly something in Duncan Street, Pretoria, and hopefully they'll regain their status as a major player in the local market.

Coleman

Coleman used to be a contender in the market for serious outdoor equipment - their stoves were a competitor (and in some - but not all - ways superior to MSR). However, when my expensive Coleman stove packed up through a blatant design flaw (I've ranted about it elsewhere on this site), nearly causing a nasty blaze, I contacted Coleman's local agents. How naive. It turned out Coleman wasn't remotely interested in repairing it - not free, not for money, nada, niks. So Coleman is no longer a serious player in the outdoor equipment market either. Good riddance.

Devils Peak via First Waterfall Ravine

First Waterfall Ravine 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.

Kleinmond / Koggelberg area

Another one sent by a reader, who I have since lost touch with:

"We live on a plateau on the top of the Kogelberg mountains behind Kleinmond. It's the only farm on the mountain and surrounded by state forest and adjacent to the Kogelberg Biosphere. A truly beautiful place with vineyards, apples and pears. We have a 15ha dam stocked with telapia and a couple of houses on the farm. The farm is overlooking the Elgin valley to the north and about 7km from the beach between Kleinmond and the Botriver lagoon to the south. Some of the existing hiking trails go past our farm, but are seldomly used, and we've always thought it a good idea to have hikers over for a night or two on their way to Betty's Bay, Kleinmond or Gordons Bay. Would like to hear from you."

Rosa
24 September 2000

De Hoop Whale Hiking Trail

This was sent to me by CapeNature:

"An unequalled experience awaits hikers who embark on the new five-day Whale Hiking Trail

that has been developed by Cape Nature Conservation at the De Hoop Nature Reserve near Bredasdorp. The trail traverses one of the Western Cape's most unique and diverse nature reserves, while providing nature lovers and those who love the outdoors with unique comfortable overnight accommodation situated at spectacular locations. The route stretches over 54 km from Potberg to Koppie Alleen, and includes five overnight stops.

And, yes, of course the whales! De Hoop is world-renowned as one of the best whale-watching spots. Between June and December, this coastline is transformed into one of the world's most important nursery areas for southern right whales. Whale watchers regularly stand in awe at the sight of more than 50 of these sea giants lying a mere kilometre from the coast."

http://www.capenature.org.za/whaletrail.html

Engela Botes (enbotes@pawc.wcape.gov.za)
Western Cape Nature Conservation Board
26 July 2001

Gecko-Trail, Langeberg

This one was sent in by a reader:

It is completed...

...mid December 2003 after roughly 220 man/hours of blood and sweat hacking away bush, digging into the mountain slope and clearing alien trees we made the final push and completed the first section of the Gecko-Trail.

The Gecko-Trail is connecting Simonskloof Mountain Retreat at 780m (19°43'41" E 33°36'55" S) via the Nuy River Gorge to Nuy Valley Guest House at 300m (19°38'00" E 33°39'25" S) on the southern side of the Langeberg 20km from Worcester. Traversing the western end of the Langeberg the trail reaches it's highest point at 890m with an optional detour up to 1113m.

The trail can be hiked from either side taking between 6-8 hours depending on fitness and your resting time. Accommodation and safe parking is available at either end. For Nuy Valley Guest House log on to: www.nuyvallei.co.za and for Simonskloof Mountain Retreat visit: www.simonskloof.com

Jurgen
March 2004

(The www.montagu-ashton.info site is also under my wing which has Bloupunt and Cogmanskloof hiking trails on it.)

Table Mountain Maps

The definitive map is the 1:20000 Table Mountain map from the 5-map Cape Peninsula National Park series by Peter Slingsby - see www.themaps.co.za. It's a very detailed and beautiful map, with every last boulder and gully marked, endorsed by the National Park and paths approved by the Mountain Club. Also known as "Ziggy" maps, Peter Slingsby's Table Mountain maps have been in print since 1972 (I've got the 1974 2nd edition), and it sure is nice to see them back in circulation, updated and improved. In the same series are a number of Cape Peninsula hiking maps and Western Cape touring maps.

For Table Mountain there are also two other maps that I know of - Shirley Brossey's map, and the Mountain Club of SA's "Approved Paths on Table Mountain" (1993) at 1:12500 scale, which both leave out most of the more exciting routes. Great for keeping the public where the Mountain Club wants them - safely on the ground and out of the newspapers.

A good place for second hand maps (and older hiking books) is the Cafda Bookshop in Werdmuller Centre, Main Road, Claremont. They're tucked away in the bottom of the building, and the maps are tucked away behind the counter and in a courtyard out the back. You can pick up a few gems here if you make the effort.

Hiking books

New hiking books keep coming out, but these are the main items in my library:

• The most comprehensive national hiking book I know of is Jaynee Leyvee's "Complete Guide to Walks and Trails in SA" (1987 and probably republished since then).
• Mike Lundy's "Weekend Trails in the Western Cape" is excellent (and in at least its 6th edition by 2004)
• Peter Slingsby's "Walks with a Fat Dog", which was going to be called "Walks with a Fat Wife", but the idea was vetoed.
• David Bristow's book "Western Cape Walks" (1991) is one of my favourites.
• Shirley Brossey's "Guide to the Hout Bay and Simonstown Mountains" (1989) is the only one I know of for that area, although Peter Slingsby publishes an excellent map of the area.
• Tony Lourens' book "Classic Table Mountain Routes" (1998) revives interest in many of the hikes from the old Mountain Club guides, and adds rock climing routes ranging from easy to insanely difficult. It's a must for a serious Table Mountain hiker, but many of the routes are too difficult for an inexperienced party. Never underestimate Table Mountain.
• Karen Watkins' "Adventure Walks and Scrambles in the Cape Peninsula" (2003) is also aimed at hikers looking for the more exotic and adventurous routes.
• The "Table Mountain Guide" from the Mountain Club of SA is excellent although now out of print. My edition is from 1967 but it was reprinted in about 1980.
• Peter Slingsby and Ed Coombe's "Beyond the Cederberg" isn't a hiking book, but it covers the fascinating Agter-Pakhuis/Biedouw/Wupperhal area which some hikers will know.
• PM Leary's "Don't Die in the Bush" (1997) is a survival handbook by a local author, with an emphasis on 1st Aid in the outdoors.
• Jose Burman is always good for an anecdote on the trail. Two that I own are "Cape Trails and Wilderness Areas" (1987) and "The Table Mountain Book" (1991), but there are many more.
• Colin Paterson-Jones' "Table Mountain Walks" (1991) is beautifully illustrated in colour - more of a coffee table book than a hikers' handbook.
• Tim Anderson "Day Walks in an around Cape Town" (1988) is very comprehensive, and Tim Anderson and Colin Dutkiewicz "Cycling in and around Cape Town" is also worth having.
• John Kench "Know Table Mountain" (1988) isn't a hiker's guide but has some great historical insights.
• "Don't Die in the Bundu" (Col DH Grainger) is a survival guide from the 1960s/1970s, covering survival in the northern parts of South Africa and Zimbabwe (then Rhodesia), but now we're gettig off topic, so that's where I'll leave it.

Elandspad kloof

Elandspad is an easy day hike close to the Du Toits Kloof tunnel. The path follows the valley above the river, and after an hour or two you rejoin the river at a very welcome pool at Fisherman's Cave. The river just above the cave is quite easy to explore, with a bit of wading, and some nice landmarks like the "Gog and Magog" rocks overlooking the river. You'll probably see some disas on the cliffs in summer. A steep tributary to the right goes off into a very spectacular narrow gorge ending in a very high waterfall which few people ever visit.

In the main kloof, there are some wonderful pools, waterslides and one or two optional jumps. Remember that you can't go too far past Fishermans Cave, as you will reach private property, and your permit doesn't allow you to go this far.

On your way down, you can actually follow the river all the way back to the road. the lower reaches are quite mellow and calm, and make for pleasant wading, although this annoys the trout-fishermen who share the lower parts of the river with you. Since the bottom part of the kloof is quite accessible from the road, there are often crowds of day-trippers in this area, who (unlike you) didn't pay for a permit to be in this area. Grrr.

Swellendam Trail

Swellendam Trail 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. 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.

Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area

Groot Winterhoek is 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 - although there are huge peaks there if you want them. 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.

Northern Cederberg: Pakhuis / Heuningvlei circuit

There's an interesting 3-day circuit in the Northern Cederberg, starting at the campsite on Pakhuis Pass - the first day is along a new path from the pass to a surprising cave half way along Krakadouwpoort. The second day heads up the kloof towards Heuningvlei village. It's not too far from there to Krakadouw Peak, which I'm told is fantastic. The last day heads along a gravel track back to Pakhuis - where there are hot showers. A big plus.

The three heaviest rainstorms I've ever camped and hiked in were all near Heuningvlei. On one hike we got so badly lost in a storm that we were 8 hours late in our return, and spent the night realising that caves are formed by running water. The hikes were still worth it, even with soaking socks and frozen toes.

Sleeppad Hut

Sleeppad Hut is one of my favourite mountain huts. You can reach it in half a day by climbing Welbedacht Kloof and walking up the jeep track (sleeppad) on the shale band. From the hut you could visit Sneeukop, or just enjoy a magnificent sunset view down the valley towards Clanwilliam. The next day you descend into the valley and then up again towards Middelberg Huts. Finally, a sharp descent takes you down to Algeria Forest Station. There are several other huts in this part of the central Cederberg, and many interesting routes, but I haven't had a chance to visit them yet.

Tafelberg in the Cederberg

This is a big climb but definitely worthwhile: Tafelberg is unique. The 1968m summit is one huge rock slab, totally flat and more than 500m across, with shear sides which can only be scrambled in one confined gully. The sandstone top is sculpted into amazing shapes and rainwater pools formed by wind and chemical erosion, and the view is stunning.

To find the gully taking you to the summit, aim for the nek between Tafelberg and the Spout, then follow the base of the cliffs to a rock formation called the Pillarbox. To your left is a gully - it really is the only way up. (Unless of course you're a rock climber. Then Tafelberg and the Spout are just about paradise.)

The shortest ascent of Tafelberg is from Welbedacht kloof, but there is a nicer circular route starting at Driehoek farm, and ascending through an amazing valley of cedars among red sandstone formations. This takes you to an excellent overnighting spot in a grove of cedars called Die Rif, below Gabriel's Pass. From there it's a fairly long walk on the shale band until you meet the path up to Tafelberg. Come down viaWelbedacht kloof and either walk back to Driehoek or have a car waiting for you.

Sneeuberg

Sneeuberg is the highest peak in the Cederberg, at 2027m. It's a big climb best done in two days from the valley, overnighting at Sneeuberg Hut. The climb is either from the Maltese Cross path, or from Eikebome up an amazingly twisted gravel pass built by Thomas Bain, ending at the hut. Sneeuberg hut is literally 3 walls and a roof - the fourth wall is a huge boulder and the floor is straw. Interesting small rodents and running water (in a rainstorm) are an added feature. This is a Real Mountain Hut and one of my favourite places to stay.

The climb to Sneeuberg from the Maltese Cross / Sneeuberg Hut level is steep and straight. The final rocky stretch to the summit is tricky, especially in bad weather - but the summit is very worthwhile.

Less-obvious day routes in the Cederberg

The Uilsgat Kloof route starts at the oaks below Welbedacht Kloof, and heads northwest along an old track up a wide, deserted valley. The track then turns into an old pass, climbing past Uilsgat Needles to the 1400m level. The route passes many cedar trees and there are turnoffs to Sleeppad Hut and Crystal Pool. You can either carry on to Middelberg Hut and then turn down to Algeria, or take a left turn and do a huge descent to the bottom of Uitkyk Pass. It's called Die Gat - I wonder why.

The Old Uitkyk Pass itself is an interesting variation, if you can find someone to drop you off at one end and drive to the other via the new pass.

Maltese Cross by Moonlight

This picture of the Maltese Cross was taken at 1 a.m. close to full moon, by Russell Mayne in March 1997, using a 18 second exposure while he ran around the base 'painting' the Cross with a separate flash.

Cederberg routes

This is about some of the more obvious routes in the Cederberg.

One of the most well known routes is the Wolfberg cracks. It's so well known I'll give only a summary: go to Sanddrif, look up, and keep climbing the 1-in-1 slope till you get to the cracks about one or two hours later. To do this route in really bad style, you can forget to take a waterbottle, go at midday, be totally unfit, gawk at the rock climbers, and only do the wide crack (Adderley Street, also known as the Gaper Crack). Some tips on good style: rather go up the narrow crack (it's a bit off to the right and quite tricky and tight in places), and try a tributary of the wide crack on the way down. And don't forget the waterbottle - it's a dry route.

If you decide to go to the Wolfberg Arch, be warned that it's a Long Way from the cracks - but well worth it. For the adventurers, try a scramble up to the Wolfberg summit about 1 km from the arch. It's like another planet - called The Maze...

Wolfberg Arch can also be reached from Driehoek farm at the other end of Wolfberg. The route is still very long, but it takes you through a fantastic valley of cedar trees and rock formations. Overnight at Die Rif if you prefer not to do a day walk.

The Maltese Cross is another popular sight, but such a straightforward climb that there's really nothing to tell. Maybe you should try this one by moonlight instead.

By the way, the Wolfberg Cracks include some of the best rock climbs in the Cedarberg.

Cederberg

Some of the best hiking in the Western Cape are in the Cederberg, about 250 km from Cape Town. There are routes for all levels of fitness, all lengths, and all climates. The scenery is unique, rugged, and spectacular.

Mountaineering attractions include Wolfberg Arch and Cracks, Maltese Cross, Tafelberg, Sneeuberg, Sneeukop, Krakadouw peak, about 72000 ha of wilderness area, and the elusive Clanwilliam Cedar. For the less-fit, there's also Maalgat pool and Stadsaal Caves. In the remote Eastern area, there are several farming villages connected to the Moravian Mission Station at Wupperthal.

For the Trippers ("Don't forget to pack the coolbox, Marge"), there's also shorter walks, the Cederberg winery, Cederberg Observatory, Algeria forest station, Sandrif holiday cottages, Kromriview guest farm, Driehoek farm and campsite, and some simply gorgeous Kodak moments.

Wit Els

Wit Els is the king of the Cape kloofs: the ultimate 3- to 5-day kloofing experience.

The trip begins with a tough ascent of Waaihoek in the Hex River mountains, and a descent into the river, which will take most of a day to complete. The ascent has some charming names like Hagga's Hill, Little Agony and Big Agony. Because of the heat, the ascent is often done at night.

In the course of the river there are more than a dozen "compulsory swims" and many kilometres of the best kloofing in the Cape. Landmarks include Barrier Falls, Emerald Pool, Boulder Pool, the Supertube, and Bumslide Rock. There are many beautiful camping spots beside the river. The waterfall in the picture is called Disa Falls, it's huge, freezing, and the best thing in the world after the 900m ascent and descent into the kloof.

Since you'll be swimming and carrying a full pack, you'll have to do some serious waterproofing, and think about carrying a lilo.

The landowner once asked me not to include their contact information on a page about this kloof, so you'll have to track them down yourself. I'm fine with that. Frankly, it's a very tough hike putting parties very much at the mercy of the landscape and the elements, and I don't want to take the blame for the next kloofing accident.

Kloofing safely

A few words about jumping safely. Remember that Cape mountain water is very dark due to the natural tannins in the water, and the rocks underneath can be invisible, especially in shadows. Before you jump, be sure that someone has tested the depth of the water below you. Never dive: it's just not worth it. Land feet first, legs together, with your arms at your sides. Spinal surgeons will tell you that anything over 5m is risky, and anything over 10m is inherently unsafe. Believe them. And remember, you can't go back up a compulsory jump: once you've done the first one, you're committed to the rest of the river.

Another warning about jumping. Some people seem to think that jumps are the only worthwhile part of kloofing, that higher is better, and so on. These adrenaline junkies have very little relationship with the kloof they are "doing". For them, I suggest a trip down Suicide gorge (but only if they are sure they can live up to their own big talk) and then sticking to sensible adrenaline sports like bungee and skydiving. Real mountain experiences probably aren't for them.

Another general rule about kloofing safely is that kloofing after rainfall can be extremely dangerous. The power of a kloof in flood, the speed at which the water level can rise, and the height it can reach, will exceed anything you can imagine. If you can't escape from the kloof, retreat as far up the bank as you can go, and sit it out. Pushing on in these conditions can be fatal.

Suicide Gorge

Suicide Gorge is without doubt the most infamous of the Cape kloofs, and it's name is quite appropriate. It's a very steep kloof and in a short distance, it has a sequence of notorious compulsory jumps: several are over 13m, although some insane kloofers add to this by climbing even higher up the sides of the gorge before jumping.

Die Hel

Die Hel is a famous pool in the Groot Winterhoek mountains (not to be confused with De Hel near Oudsthoorn). It is the biggest and best rock pool in the Western Cape, surrounded by cliffs and a large waterfall. It's about a 15km hike to this point, so you should plan to camp out or spend the night at De Tronk or another hut in the area.

Although many people hike to Die Hel, few go down the Twenty-four Rivers kloof which ends in this pool. The kloofing trip begins at the road bridge which you cross just before you get to De Tronk. (Above the bridge is the Klein Kliphuis River, also a pleasant half-day kloofing trip.) In many places you can clamber between and under the boulders of the kloof, wading and swimming through caverns and tunnels between the boulders. Your trip ends spectacularly at Die Hel, where the only way you can get down to the pool is a jump of about 5m.

After the jump there is a steep climb out of the gorge , but the view and sense of achievement are well worth it.

Bobbejaans River

Bobbejaans River is a tributary of Bains Kloof and it falls under Cape Nature.

You start with a steady uphill hike of an hour or two parallel to the river. At the top is a waterfall which you can see for some distance, and just before this is a pool which can only be reached by a swim and a scramble - at least, that's what they say, because we didn't manage to complete the scramble. If you want to shorten your trip, you can also cut down into the kloof from an earlier point on the path.

Since it is a fairly steep kloof, in a few places you need a definite head for heights and an ability to scramble down the steep rock sides of the gorge. There are no compulsory jumps, but a few optional ones, and lots of scope for exploring. It ends up in Bains Kloof, at which point you turn upstream and return to your starting point.

Above the Eerste Tol village, Bain's Kloof (Wit River) also makes a pleasant kloofing trip. You can walk up a gravel road and path as far as Junction Pool, and come back down the river. Halfway down is an unusual aqueduct dug through the rock, ending at the site of an old mountain mansion, now demolished, overlooking the pass.

Kloofing

Kloofing is a uniquely Western Cape sport. Well, at least the name is unique - in the rest of the world they call it Canyoning. The Cape mountains, warm climate, cold mountain water and hard quartz sandstone have come together to form the unique river gorges and valleys which make great kloofing possible.

Kloofing involves getting yourself down a river gorge - one that is fast-flowing, but with too little water for kayaking or any other boating. Sometimes you just boulder-hop, sometimes you wade, or swim, sometimes you have to climb, and many kloofs have "compulsory jumps" from an insane height.

Some things set kloofing apart from ordinary hiking: there is no path, so you have some freedom to choose your own route and challenge yourself with the obstacles along the way. You're always constrained by the sides of the gorge, so it's hard to get lost in a kloof, but there is an enormous freedom to explore: tributaries, waterfalls, potholes, jumps, or just to stop at a perfect pool for a three-hour lunch break.

Great Hikes has moved

This blog has been hosted privately at a small ISP by a friend, Bruce, who is a long-standing hiking partner, but after many years the server Bruce provided at that ISP is moving on to greener pastures and it's time to move to a new platform. Now I'm copying the content from the old location to this blog.