Cave Scrambling on Table Mountain is perfect for a large group of explorers

Hiking Trail: Boomslang Cave - Part 1 of 4

Wow, what another awesome hike this was. I am sure I am not only speaking for myself.

I have broken this hike up into 4 posts, to assist the downloading of the awesome images which go with each of them.

Below is a Google Earth image of the route that we walked.

(Click on the above image for enlarged view)

Location:
Name of Reserve / Area: Table Mountain National Park, Silvermine (East)
Nearest Town: Muizenberg, Kalk Bay and Fishhoek
Province: Western Cape
Country: South Africa

Directions to get there: From Cape Town CBD, take the M3 south. At the T-junction turn left. At the next T-junction turn right. Soon you will see a sign for you to turn right into Boyes Drive. Take this scenic road and follow it all the way up the mountain and almost to the end of the road. Use the Kalk Bay Harbour lighthouse as your landmark on your left, which is also where you will see the sign and some steep stone cut steps. This is where you can park your car alongside the road. Make sure you respect the local driveways.



Duration of hike: We started around 9h00 and got back to our cars at 13h00. This included exploring the entire cave and a short mid-way stop for a bite to eat.

Best time of year to go: According to the editor of my secret map (Mike Lundy), there is water inside the caves during the winter months and could be a muddy affair during this time. We had plenty of shade especially down in the valleys and crossed a little stream every now and again during the entire hike.

Fresh Water: There is a little stream but I would not recommend that you drink it.

Difficulty: If I had to rate this hike according to the grading scale of Mike Lundy, I would give it a 2B.

The Mike Lundy rating which is a combination of the following two grades:1 = Easy stroll;2 = Moderate;3 = Streunous excersise;4 = Only for the very fitplusA = No exposure to heights;B = Mild exposure to heights;C = Moderate exposure to heights;D = Very exposed to heights;

Pets: Yes you can bring your dog with you on this hike, but please make sure they are fit enough because it is also hard for them if they are not regularly exposed to these kinds of conditions. The wooden boardwalk inside the valleys could be difficult for their paws to negotiate and is something that you can keep your watchful eye on them.

How safe is it: I would not go alone on any of these open hikes along Table Mountain Reserve, but I felt very safe here. Always make sure you have someone on the hike with you. Keep extra protection such as a mace spray and do not expose your camera and phone too openly. The caves should only be done in large groups, always.

What costs did you incurr to do this hike: none

Pics taken by: Alex Aitkenhead, Juanita Welgemoed, Brian Spratley, Iva Lopes de Sarria.

Hikers Ratings:
I would like to invite any of the hikers who joined us on this hike to email me their rating and I will gladly put it into this post.

Juanita: I loved this hike! What an experience to go through such a long cave. The narrow passageways and large chambers were awesome to see. We were fortunate enough to have a very good torch, and could see all the details. Echo Valley and Spes Bona Valley are just breathtaking yellowwood and milkwood forrests. I call them my fairytale forrests. The group that joined us were so much fun too. Its always nice to have a crowd of enthusiastic friends and makes for awesome pictures too. Thanks to Iva for suggesting this route and to everyone who joined us on it.


Rock Art along the way!

As we were walking up, I noticed the most beautiful rock art on the path. Well done to the artist who did this.

Walk for about half an hour up this path and on your right you will find a beautiful stone cut pond known as Weary Willy's.

Do not cross this little stream (yet), but continue to follow the path up the mountain in the direction of Echo Valley Forrest.

Weary Willy's Stone Pool, Latitude 34° 7'17.69"S, Longitude 18°26'46.48"E

Your next landmark is about 15 minutes away, a place called Hungry Harry's (going up) on your right. This is a cluster of boulders forming a perfect hide out where one can take a break or just explore.

(In the picture below you can also notice Ou Kraal Koppie in the middle back ground. We passed this little hill on our return route.)

Hungry Harry's Rock, Latitude 34° 7'9.26"S, Longitude 18°26'34.73"E

Continue past Hungry Harry's up the valley for about 100m where you will find a fork in the path. Take the left fork and walk along the Jolulu Track.

Jojulu Track, Latitude 34° 7'7.87"S, Longitude 18°26'31.41"E

You will find it to be a little bit of rock scrambling on your way up.

Most of the route is easy walking and should not take more than 20 minutes to get to the top.

Soon you will be entertained by the magnificent views of Fishhoek, Simonstown and Cape Point in the far distance.

(Click on the above image for enlarged view)

We ended up stuck in one long row and Iva noted it would make for an awesome team photo (this one was captured by our Head of Photography - Alex).

Thanks Iva for getting such a cool shot of us!

Not even a tough guy like Mitch could resist these stunning flowers. This mountain can bring out even the softer side of a man. I just loved this shot and tweaked it in photoshop to look like a painting. Right click on it and use it for a desktop ladies. It should keep your mind entertained when work sometimes gets too much.

(Click on the above image for enlarged view)

Hikers on this route:

Alex Aitkenhead, Brian Spratley, Camilla Fraser, Elizabeth Oh, Hennie Genis, Iva Lopes de Sarria, Juanita Welgemoed, Justin Groombridge,Michell Geere, Simon Bishop, Rudi Nagel.

Our next stop was the caves less than 2 minutes walk from this spot... keep reading the next post to see what we found in the stunning Boomslang Cave.

Hiking Boomslang Cave - Part 2 of 4

Hiking Boomslang Cave - Part 2 of 4

Having just come from Jolulu Track, around the next corner we came upon these 3 caves which were less than 50 meters apart.

Boomslang Entrance, Latitude 34° 7'10.86"S, Longitude 18°26'21.92"E

The first cave was called White Dome Grotto. A large obvious hole on the edge of this rock wall.

This was not the cave we planned to explore, but the guys did pop their heads inside to have a look.

Then about 10 meters to the left of the above cave (White Dome Grotte), we passed the cave we were planning to explore (Boomslang Cave), just to have a quick look at the cave called Avernus (which was about another 20m to the right of Boomslang).

Hidden inside another stunning Yellowwood grove is the cave Avernus.

Soon the moment of glory came. In the middle of the two caves is a massive crater in the rock. This is where the entrance to Boomslang Cave is.

Looking back we saw the subburbs of Fishhoek.

Everyone got their candles and torches out and headed into the abyss of darkness.

(click on the above image for a larger view)

The most important thing to remember about this cave is to follow the direction of the breeze you feel on your face. Take it slow and you will soon know where to go.

We came upon massive chambers all over the place.

The passages soon becomes narrower and you will find yourself to be bending down lower and lower all the time untill you are on your hands and knees. By this time you will be able to see 'the light at the end of the tunnel'.

(Click on the above image for a larger view)

About an hour later, and pumped with adrenalin, we emerged from the exit point of the cave.

Boomslang Exit Point, Latitude 34° 7'7.27"S, Longitude 18°26'21.60"E

The exit point of the cave is approximately 150 meters from where the entrace. As soon as we reached the other side, it was a perfect time and spot to enjoy a snack and refuel for the next leg of our route.

From here we followed the path down the mountain back to where we came from at the Echo Valley Path which merged with the Jolulu Track.

Jojulu Track, Latitude 34° 7'7.87"S, Longitude 18°26'31.41"E

Our next adventure was the Echo Valley Boardwalk and The Amphitheatre...

Hiking Boomslang Cave - Part 3 of 4

Having just come from the exit of the Boomslang cave, we walked about 15 minutes down the mountain to reach the Echo Valley path. This is where we turned left onto the path to follow the track again upwards in the direction of the valley.

Jojulu Track, Latitude 34° 7'7.87"S, Longitude 18°26'31.41"E



Echo Valley is another wooden boardwalk built inbetween a Yellowwood forrest. I love these boardwalks and makes these walks so much more fun and interestingto explore.

Echo Valley Path, Latitude 34° 7'4.73"S, Longitude 18°26'24.77"E

The Echo Valley path come to a t-junction. This is where you turn right towards The Amphitheatre.

T-Junction Latitude 34° 6'53.67"S, Longitude 18°26'6.02"E

The 15 mintute route to The Amphitheatre must have been the most beautiful display of flowers I have seen on the mountain so far.

Amphitheatre, Latitude 34° 6'51.18"S, Longitude 18°26'7.62"E

The Amphitheatre is an open space surrounded by the mountain from all sides. There is a stone cut beacon in the middle of the sandy pit - as you can see in the pic below. On this day it was very hot inside this wind break spot.

Once leaving The Amphitheatre, you follow the route on the left side of the mountain up towards Spes Bona Valley - I would say this was another 20 mintute walk to get to Spes Bona Valley.

Continue to read about the next part of our hike, which takes us down into Spes Bona Valley.

Hiking Boomslang Cave - Part 4 of 4

The route from The Amphitheatre is an edless display of flowers during this time of the year (January). Thanks again to Alex for capturing these stunning floral displays.

(Click on the above image for a larger view)

From The Amphitheatre in a straight path going in a NE direction. turn right into Spes Bona Valley.

Latitude 34° 6'45.75"S, Longitude 18°26'14.89"E

I can not recall any paths to turn into coming from The Amphitheatre, towards Spes Bona Valley. As you start decending down into the valley, keep in the direction of the ocean and follow this path down. Soon you will again find youself in another Yellowwood and Milkwood forrest, with an awesome boardwalk to make your route down so much easier and more beautiful.

(Click on the above image for a larger view)

(Click on the above image for a larger view)

Once emerging from a good 20 minute plus walk through the forrest and the end of the boardwalk, continue about 10 minutes with the path all the way to the gravel road. At the T-junction, turn right in a downwards direction.

Gravel Road, Latitude 34° 7'7.94"S, Longitude 18°26'48.28"E

Your next landmark is about 10 minutes away at the stone cut beacon (Ou Kraal Koppie Junction) where three paths come together.

Ou Kraal Koppie Junction, Latitude 34° 7'14.75"S, Longitude 18°26'48.43"E

Continue going straight pass Ou Kraal Koppie (which you will pass on your left), and do not however follow the path going to the left.

The picture below is the view you will find on your right of the entire route that you have just covered.

The left hill is the location of Boomslang Cave, the right hill is the location of the Amphitheatre. In between these two hills is the stone cluster called Hungy Harry's in the foreground and Echo Valley behind that. The far right valley is Spes Bona Valley.

Soon (about 5 minutes from here) you will reach a T-junction, the spot that you passed earlier on your way up, Weary Willy's stone cut pond.

Weary Willy's Stone Cut Pond, Latitude 34° 7'17.69"S, Longitude 18°26'46.48"E

At this point turn left down the mountain for a 15 minutes walk back to your car.

On your way down will see the Kalk Bay Harbour lighthouse. This is where I noticed how all the guys stopped for a breather and an oogle over how the surfers in the bay were catching a barrel in the perfect surfing conditions.

Kalk Bay Harbour Lighthouse, Latitude 34° 7'41.96"S, Longitude 18°27'4.52"E

This path will take you directly back to your car in Boyes Drive.

Thanks to the team who enjoyed this hike with us:

Alex Aitkenhead, Brian Spratley, Camilla Fraser, Elizabeth Oh, Hennie Genis, Iva Lopes de Sarria, Juanita Welgemoed, Justin Groombridge,Michell Geere, Simon Bishop, Rudi Nagel.

Once again thanks to Brian, Iva and Alex for sharing their pictures with me to document this hike.

I hope you enjoy these images and routes as much as I did.