Table Mountain: On the Contour from Platteklip to the Saddle via "Puff Adder Alley"

Date: 30 January 2009

Location: off Tafelberg Road, Table Mountain

Walkers: Dorothy and Helen

At least once a week we try to walk after work. The route described here is our favourite, as it is right on our doorstep, gives a good workout in just over an hour and has amazing views.

The start is up Platteklip Gorge. The path heads straight up Table Mountain.


(Photos by Helen)

The waterfall and shady spot are early highlights. This is the only place to get water on this walk.


(Photos by Helen)

After the short but steep climb we meet the contour path. Here we leave the Platteklip Gorge path and head left on the contour towards Devil's Peak.


(Photo by Helen)

Behind us we can see the Platteklip path zig-zag all the way up to the top. It is quite a climb.


(Photo by Helen)

The contour is very easy walking. At this time of year - midsummer - there are very few flowers about, but a lot of different grasses to be seen.


(Photos by Helen)

We reach a cave with a rocky overhang. This is a good spot for a stop to admire the view. We can see Signal Hill, Robben Island, Table Bay and the City Bowl below.


(Photo by Helen)

Shortly after the cave, the path forks. The lower contour is the shorter route. The upper contour is the route we prefer. It takes us up a little higher and adds about fifteen minutes onto the walk. This is the route we have named "Puff Adder Alley" as we saw the dangerous snake on this stretch on two separate occasions last year. It likes to sun itself of the path and looks like a piece of wood. We always watch where we put our feet on this walk.


(Photo by Helen)

The path now climbs again, up steep rocky stairs. It then flattens out once more, and as we round the bend towards the Saddle we see Devil's Peak.



(Photos by Helen)

I love the view behind us of Tafelberg Road below, and Lions Head.


(Photo by Helen)

We then join the Saddle Path and head down back to the road.


(Photos by Helen)

As we walk back along the road we look up at Table Mountain, both the section we have just walked on and the main face with the cableway station. What a satisfying walk this is!


(Photos by Helen)

Jonkershoek - Part 2 (The Rivers)

Date: 27 January 2009

Location: Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, near Stellenbosch

Walkers: Dorothy, Michele, Helen, Delphi and Jo

(The first half of our day in Jonkershoek is described here.)

After a drizzly morning the sun came out and revealed the peaks.


(Photo by Michele)

First priority after our walk was a stop for lunch. We picnicked on BLTs and fruit cake on the roadside, at a small bridge.


(Photo by Michele)

After refreshments we decided to explore the stream below the bridge.


(Photo by Michele)

We wandered up the stream - it was rocky and quite overgrown.


(Photos by Michele)

There were cobbles under the bridge and a swimming hole.


(Photo by Michele)

We drove a little further on and stopped again at another stream. This one was a little bigger. We boulder-hopped upstream. It was gorgeous!




(Photos by Michele)

There was plenty to captivate our photographers' attention.


(Photo by Michele) (Photo by Delphi)




(Photos by Delphi) (Photo by Michele)

Someone had made some natural sculptures with rocks and sticks.


(Photo by Michele)

This was truly the mostly beautiful spot to spend a Tuesday afternoon.


(Photos by Michele)

We swam. The water was cold but crystal clear and wonderfully refreshing.


(Photos by Michele)

After drying off and warming up in the sunshine, we headed home.


(Photo by Delphi)

Jonkershoek - Part 1 (The Walk)

Date: 27 January 2009

Location: Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, near Stellenbosch

Walkers: Dorothy, Michele, Helen, Delphi and Jo

This was a first visit to Jonkershoek for all of us. We arrived in the drizzle, with the clouds low down on the mountains. The reserve looked green and empty, with a lonely road winding along the valley floor (this is the 10km circular drive off which the various trails lead).


(Photo by Michele)

We chose the Swartboskloof-Sosyskloof route, a circular walk of 7km, that started by heading gently up the slopes, through the proteas. Even with our rain gear on we quickly got soaked from the wet fynbos, overgrown and waist high in places, and occasional rain showers.


(Photos by Michele)

Taking a wrong turn, we wondered off along a forestry road for a km or two.


(Photo by Michele)

When we caught a glimpse past the pine trees out the reserve and back towards Stellenbosch we confirmed that we'd made a mistake and headed back again.


(Photo by Michele)

Now back on the correct path, we climbed quite steeply, past a look-out hut, and on up the slope. There was still a bit of rain about, and the cloud was low, but this made for dramatic scenes.


(Photo by Michele)


(Photos by Michele) (Photo by Delphi)

The path then flattened out and we walked along the contour for a while. It was windy and felt a bit exposed.


(Photo by Michele)

This path led us deep into the kloof and a patch of ancient forest.


(Photo by Michele)

At last, some shelter from the rain!


(Photos by Delphi)

It was magical in the forest.



(Photos by Michele)

We took the time to take in the details.


(Photo by Delphi) (Photo by Michele)

We made our way out the forest.


(Photo by Michele)

And out of the kloof. The view of the valley below showed us that we had a bit of a descent ahead of us to get back down to the road.


(Photo by Delphi)

But it was an easy walk down and before long we were back at the cars. And the sky was clearing!


(Photo by Michele)

Part 2 of our day in Jonkershoek to follow.