Thirteen enthusiastic people attended this hike. We gathered in Ladismith on Saturday morning and drove the last few kilometres to the starting point on the Buffelskloof farm. The planned hike was not too strenuous, but some preferred to go up all the way to Nel’s Cave that day (1400 m ascend). The rest of us walked to the tin shelter, some 800 m up the mountain, in perfect weather. The shelter is small, so a few tents were pitched around it.

Barren Towerkop

The higher parts of the mountain burned down in March and it was still rather barren. But winter snowfalls and recent rain helped a lot to spur re-growth and germination of new plants.

The shelter group

A sky with brilliant stars added to our joy that evening. The night, however, brought a strong wind that almost blew our tents down the mountain. It was still blowing on Sunday morning. We walked up the mountain with day packs in gloomy, cold conditions. As we approached the cave, we met up with the four cave-sleepers as they returned from exploring the slopes and cliffs around Towerkop. They were making ready to head down the mountain again that same day.

The Cave party

We also followed the way around the cliffs of the Cave Buttress to the eastern scree slope, past the water cave, the view points, walking below some of the famous rock climbing routes up the Buchu Buttress and the two Towerkop buttresses.

Near Nel’s cave

The wind was still uncomfortable and cold, while the clouds still hung overhead and seemed to get lower. The planned circumnavigation of the higher peak was abandoned and we started back on the same route we came.

The pinnacle on Buchu Buttress

The eastern scree slope

After having lunch at the cave, we went down again. The wind subsided somewhat and the temperature became more comfortable.
Myself and Johan went east during the descent to a viewpoint and had a wonderful view of Elandsberg, Buffelskloof and the impressive rock arch down below.

The view towards Elandsberg from the high part of Towerkop.

Arriving back at the shelter, we found that some of the others in our group also went down the mountain (expecting bad weather), and six of us were left to spend another night at the shelter. The weather has improved and we had quite a pleasant late afternoon with sunshine and warmer weather.

The next morning we walked down the mountain and arrived at the cars before 12 am. The weather turned bad soon afterwards, with rain coming down. It snowed on the higher parts of Towerkop that night, so we were fortunate to have had rather good weather, despite the strong wind.

I just love Towerkop. Many others feel the same way. It is a challenging, impressive and magic mountain in a beautiful and dramatic part of the Swartberg. Truly one of the classics in the Western Cape.

People who attended the meet: Members: Tony Bowen, Evie Bowen, Maretha Alant, Karin van Niekerk, Derek Odendaal (leader), Charles Smith, Ann MacGregor (Cpt), Ed Shuttleworth, Janine Smith. Visitors: Johan Huisamen, Theunis Schutte, Wynne Groenewald, Jacolise Joubert.

Derek Odendaal (meet leader)