Cape Town Hiking Trails - By: Hayden Seek

Afton Grove Country Retreat is surrounded by the Table Mountain National Park and provides the perfect "home-base" for Cape Town hiking. Most of the South Peninsula hikes are between 5 and 30 minutes drive from the guesthouse.

Premium hiking sites abound in the area and can be done independently or with a qualified guide. Hiking with a guide will give you the opportunity to learn more about the diversity, density of the fynbos vegetation, birdlife, ecosphere and natural history of the region. The Cape Floral Region is a UNESCO World Heritage site due to its status as one of the richest areas for plants in the world. Despite representing less than 0.5% of the area of Africa, it is home to nearly 20% of the continent's flora. This world heritage site displays outstanding ecological and biological processes associated with the Fynbos vegetation, which is unique to the Cape Floral Region

Afton Grove is a tranquil haven in close proximity to some of the hiking trails mentioned below and as with all our information this selection is by no means a comprehensive list but does indicate some of our favourites that are close to the guesthouse. For trustworthy advice regarding the outdoor activities available in and around the Noordhoek area, contact us today.

Cape Town Hikes near Afton Grove:
1. Silvermine Nature Reserve (10 mins drive)
2. Silvermine River Waterfall route (10 mins drive)
3. Kalk Bay Caves (15 minutes drive)
4. Peers Cave, Fish Hoek (10 minutes drive)
5. Cape of Good Hope
6. A sandy walk to the Kom
7. Elsies Peak
8. Chapman's Peak
9. Walking with baboons, Glencairn

Hiking trails less than 20 Minutes Drive from Afton Grove:

Silvermine Nature Reserve
This enjoyable, all-seasons hike takes you through rare indigenous forest to the most splendid viewing positions surveying the Peninsula. The route along the central stream takes you to a mountain reservoir which has its own sense of peace and tranquillity.
You can follow these amazing views towards the Constantiaberg with a retreat into a well-known cave known as the Elephants Eye.

Silvermine River Waterfall.
Opposite the entrance to the Silvermine nature reserve is the entrance to the Waterfall route. During winter this route is a must as the volume of water that pours over the waterfall is impressive. The route is really a circular jeep track that touches the mountain edges above Muizenberg, Kalk Bay and Fish Hoek. There is no strenuous effort required and the area is very tranquil. A pleasant light walk of 75 mins round trip.

Kalk Bay Caves
This is one of the best hikes in the peninsula and features a short step hike of about 4km. You start directly above Kalk Bay harbour, on the scenic Boyes Drive and look for the Echo Valley sign which will lead you up to six caves. The caves are safe and well ventilated but take torches, old clothes and some string as they are sandstone caves with sandy floors. An unusual diversion is to go into Boomslang cave which is a short distance of about 100 metres but literally goes completely through the mountain, with most adults having to crawl the last 10 metres.

Peers Cave, Fish Hoek
This short, easy stretch above the dunes in Fish Hoek will take you to Peers Cave, one of Fish Hoek's most important sites. Walking up takes about 20 minutes. This was the site of the 15 000 year old human remains of "Fish Hoek Man" found in 1927 by Victor and Bertram Peers. The cave is now a national monument and affords wonderful views across the valley and a peep in to stone-age history. Parking can be found on 21st Avenue, Fish Hoek.

Cape of Good Hope
The Cape of Good Hope is the south-westernmost point of Africa in the Table Mountain National Park. Enjoy a short walk along the hiking trail from the car park in front of the sign to the top of the mountain. The walk is less than 1km but fairly steep with phenomenal views and the bonus of arriving at the original lighthouse.

Cape Point Nature Reserve
For those with more stamina, hiking in the Cape Point Nature Reserve involves a good six hours of rambling through unspoiled flora and fauna, juxtaposed by beautiful beaches and a welcome sense of remoteness. There are many trails in the park, beautiful beaches and cliff areas to explore as well as spotting antelope, over 1200 species of vegetation and birds such as the Cape Siskin and Cape Sugarbird.

A Sandy Walk to the Kom
Starting along Noordhoek Beach, this scenic beach walk takes you past the wreck of the Kakapo, an unfortunate ship that steamed onto the beach in the early 1900's. Meandering around the next corner reveals Bokram beach, a surfers hideaway close to the quiet resort village of Kommetjie. Further still is a tall lighthouse marking a rocky outcrop known as Slangkoppunt. A superb place to see the sunset.

Elsies Peak
This is a great walk if you are looking for something moderate and not too strenuous. Climb up the steps adjacent to the carpark on Kommetjie road onto the open mountain. The walk is steep in places but well defined with great views of Fish Hoek. The view over False Bay gets better as you reach the summit with panoramic vistas of Simon's Town and Glencairn. Approximately 2 hour hike.

Chapman's Peak
This walk is easier than it looks and takes about 2 and half hours round trip. The carpark just before the top of Chapmans Peak Drive is your starting point. There is a short steep start that deposits you on a flat plateau with lots of proteas and birds. Fabulous views of Hout Bay as you round the first peak, then suddenly Chapmans Peak pops into view and a final assault up the saddle gives you views across to Fish Hoek and even Gordon's bay on a clear day.

For a hike with a difference contact Baboon Matters to walk with the last remaining Chacma baboons on the Cape Peninsula. You will be guided through mountain fynbos on a specialized walking tour for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to sit and watch these fascinating animals as they eat, play and socialize. The experience lasts between 2 and 3 hours depending on the location of the baboons.

Afton Grove Hiking Tips and things to take with you

We recommend getting a copy of Mike Lundy's book:
"BEST WALKS in the Cape Peninsula."

Advise someone of your expected departure, route and arrival time and plan for emergency contact contingencies.

Make sure you know where you are going as the Cape mountains can be very deceptive. Please check with your hosts.

Because weather conditions are rather unpredictable, take a sweater or windbreaker, even if the day is warm. Either shorts or long pants, depending on the kind of plant life you are walking through, will prevent your legs from being scratched.

A good sunscreen (SPF 30+) is an effective antidote to the unforgiving African sun.

Also bring a bathing costume or you'll be kicking yourself when you find that perfect pool or that ideal strip of beach.

And lastly always remember to take a water bottle.

TABLE MOUNTAIN - WHY YOU NEED A GUIDE

Table Mountain is a wilderness area, and can be extremely dangerous.

Every year we see fatalities on the mountain caused by people losing their way, falling and various other accidents.

The mountain is a sacred space and there's nothing that can ruin the experience as having to share it with a thousand other tourists when doing the "usual" routes. There are however hundreds of ways of climbing the mountain, and our expert guides will share their secret spots and knowledge with youWe offer various grades of climbs, from simple walks ("A" grade hikes), to "B", "C" and "D" grade scrambles, right through to traditional climbs.

Whatever your skill level, we have something for you!

Security on the mountain is paramount and our guides will ensure your safety at all times. Our guides have thousands of hours of experience all over the mountain and can pick routes best suited to your skill levels, weather conditions on the day and various other factorsTable Mountain forms part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, a UNESCO World Heritage Site - our guides can educate you on the incredibly diverse flora and fauna to be found.

Did you know that there are more verities of indigenous plants in the Cape Floral Kingdom than in any other place of the same size on the planet! There are almost 10 000 plant species in the Cape Floral Kingdom and more than two-thirds of them can be found nowhere else on Earth.

If you're a plant lover, why not join Warren, our flora guru, for an adventure not to be missed. Warren can guide you to specific orchids, for example the red disa when it's in season, as part of your hike

About the Author

Afton Grove Country Retreata tranquil Cape Town guest house is surrounded by the Table Mountain National Park and provides the perfect "home-base" for Cape Town hiking.

Article Directory Source: http://www.articlerich.com/profile/Hayden-Seek/82823

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