Monday 18 June 2018

TABLE MOUNTAIN TRAILERS Saturday 23 June Newlands Forest Parking start 07:30

If you stand anywhere in the magnificent city of Cape Town and look up at that mountain we all love so much, look a bit left and you will see a very big pointy rock.  This big pointy rock is called Devil's Peak.  There are several reasons why it is called Devil's Peak - here are 2 of them.

 

If you are out at sea, from a certain angle, Devil's Peak has 3 points - a central taller point and 2 lower points on either side - something like the Devil's spear. What rubbish.

 

The TRUE story...

There was a formidable Dutch pirate called Jan van Hunks who retired with his plundered wealth and lived on the lower slopes of the mountain with his wife. He loved to smoke his pipe which his wife did not enjoy at all, so he would walk up to the saddle between Table Mountain and Devil's Peak and sit and smoke his pipe there.  One day on the saddle he came across a man dressed in black who also liked to smoke pipe, and they fell into a wager about who could smoke the most. The man in black turned out to be the devil, who won the competition after several days and much smoke, and so took Jan van Hunks soul. Jan was never seen again.

 

Now when you look up at that saddle between Table Mountain and Devils Peak and you see that first wisp of cloud coming over the saddle which eventually turns into a full on tablecloth that lasts for several days, know that Jan van Hunks is back up there trying in vain to get his soul back. Don't mess with the devil, it seems.

 

But back to Table Mountain Trailers.

On Saturday we are going to circumnavigate that big pointy rock and pass the spot where Jan van Hunks lost his soul.

 

We start at Newlands parking at 07:30 (where the helicopters are), turn right and go UP. UP the jeep tracks and left onto a single track which takes us UP to the turnstile. Then we go UP to the King's Blockhouse (more history).

From the blockhouse we go UP Mowbray Ridge (mild exposure and rock scrambling), then UP some more to the abandoned fire lookout.

(If it is raining we might give Mowbray Ridge a miss and turn right along the contour and up to Oppelskop).

Then we go UP a little bit more to a T-junction where we turn right. This is a beautiful scenic route that brings us to the Devil's Peak path which takes us down to Jan van Hunk's site of demise, and then we go down Newlands Ravine (also stunning) back to the cars.

 

There will be a car guard, please bring him something.

 

This route is only about 10km, but be warned, it is a reasonably tough 10km which will  take a bit more than 3 hours.

 

Weather:

The weather people - at this stage - are calling some possible drizzle but not much wind, so bring something warm and waterproof, plus all your normal safety gear, water, whistle, munchies, etc.

 

Groups:

We will start off as one running group. If a faster group forms on the first jeep track uphill, we can split into two group depending on someone knowing the route.

Relaxed group to be confirmed.

 

Geoff

082 570 4405

Please phone / email / whatsapp if any questions.

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