Some Table Mountain Hikes

I was in Cape Town over the Christmas holidays and did a couple of the more challenging hikes on Table Mountain that I've been wanting to do for a while. Being from Joburg, I am always rather envious of the extraordinary natural beauty and quite challenging hiking that can be found less than a quarter of an hour from your doorstep in the Mother City.

The first hike we did was the Three Peaks Hike, beginning with the "Ridge Too Far" route up Devil's Peak. (There is also a path with less scrambling that goes up the Mowbray Ridge, which links up with this one before the final ascent.) You then descend to the Saddle and take a scrambly route known as Ledges up to Maclear's Beacon (the highest point on Table Mountain). From Maclear's we hiked across the plateau and descended to Kloof Corner via India Venster. The idea was to then go up Lion's Head, but due to practical problems the group had to split. It was a long day's hike: we started at 6, and the group that made it up to Lion's Head only got off the mountain at about 20:30. That said, only our leader had done the route before, and some of the group members were not so fit.



There are some very short pitches but nothing major:





There is a bit of exposure near the top:



Then the path winds round the back of the mountain and up to the summit:



It isn't a difficult route to find, but it would be easier to go with someone who knows it. The route up the Mowbray Ridge could probably be done without a map.

The same can't be said for the Ledges route, however, and I would caution anyone who wishes to try this route without someone who's already done it, as it is not always clear and some of the variations involve serious rock-climbing.







Here is a view looking back at the Saddle and Devil's Peak from about half-way up:





The last pitch in this narrow gulley requires some care. It can be done without a rope, but I would recommend that one be taken as a safety measure, as there is a sheer drop off to the left, and the hand-holds on the rock are rather precarious. And in a mist or a drizzle this section could be risky.

We also hiked up Dark Gorge, which for those who know Table Mountain is to the right of Newlands Ravine if you're facing the mountain. There is no sign to the Gorge on the contour path, as it is considered dangerous, but you will find the bottom of the gorge about 50m after the turn-off to Newlands Ravine. It is quite woody at the bottom, and the way is not at all clear, but if you make your way up to the right a path will emerge, and soon enough you'll come to a sign warning you off the route. I wouldn't call this route dangerous in dry conditions, although it does get very steep in places, and there is a fair bit of loose soil and stone. But in wet weather this route should not be taken. There was a death in this gorge a couple of years ago, though I can only imagine that the hiker had an unfortunate slip and hit his head, for there is nowhere that puts you at risk of suffering a serious fall.

It begins quite steeply in a lush forest:



Then the incline decreases a bit:



Then you come to the gorge proper:



The gorge gradually narrows as you ascend:



At the narrowest point higher up there are sheer cliffs on either side:



And finally it gets really steep again:



The last section goes through a small forest, and then there's a final scramble up a grassy bank:





We descended via the much easier and popular Newlands Ravine, which is to the true right of the Gorge in the photo above.

I would advise against attempting to descend this route in any conditions, because it is very steep near the top, and it would be very easy to fall. But in dry weather this is a brisk and shady way up to the Saddle.

Lastly, a friend and I did an overnight hike in the Hottentots Holland Reserve near Grabouw. This is an exquisitely beautiful area that borders on Jonkershoek near Stellenbosch, and it is a fairly large reserve with various huts, so there is lots to explore. We did a circular route to the Landdroskop Hut, which begins in a pine forest and gradually ascends to give you immense vistas of the nearby dams and farmlands. And then one heads into the mountain range itself:



There are beautiful patches of fynbos along the way:







Landdroskop Hut with Shamrock Hut behind it the next morning:



Unfortunately the key we were given failed to unlock any of the rooms, but fortunately the folks at Shamrock Hut lent us two mattresses. This was slightly inconvenient, and I am told that the all the keys have now been tagged.

Then the walk out down into an expansive valley:

Thanks for the intel, Dave. These Table Mountain routes are some that I have been looking at quite seriously after purchasing the book called "Table Mountain Classics" from Cape Union Mart. Some of it looks fairly hairy!

Yeah, "Table Mountain Classics" is great: very informative. As I think Lourens says himself in the introduction, there are something like 500 or 600 known routes up the mountain, including all the rock-climbs, and it is always remarkable to realize how many ways one has not tried!

Another route I particularly liked is the Arrow Face Traverse. You start down India Venster (if you do it going down) and then branch off to the right. Then you walk onto a narrow ledge that gradually just tapers out. So the first time I did it, when our guide stopped us there for lunch, I thought, hmmm, what a nice scenic spot, I guess we'll just turn around when we're done. But after lunch he suddenly vanished into a little crack in the cliff-face! You then find yourself in a crevice running behind the cliff which runs out onto the other side.

Sounds like loads of fun! I'll check that one out too. Thanks again.

Thanks for sharing Dave, I found that very interesting

I bagged Maclear's Beacon when I was 14:


I did cheat though, and walking from the upper station to the summit isn't exactly the most challenging hike on the planet. The Cape has so many mountains that look worthwhile, if only they were closer!

I am seriously considering switching out my December plans for a Cape Mountains trip, and posts like this make me want to do that even more!

@ Ghaz

So, if the first party placed about 3 stones and everyone else has added an extra stone, how many people have bagged Maclear's Beacon?

Good questions, Andrew. Anyone reckon that the top of that trig beacon is still exposed today? Some pretty frequent traffic up there!