The day dawned fresh with a high overcast, perfect hiking weather.
The party comprised Greg & Cheryl Devine, Clive Louw, Janet & Greg Moore (meet leader) Matthew Thompson (prospective member), Martiens & Stephane Bekker (prospective members) and Sandy Louw. Both Janet and Sandy electing from the start to only do the on trail portion.
This picture is a composite of three pictures but does not give credit to the ruggedness of the berg at the left end of the picture. The Attakwaskloof Trail starts at the hut, out of the picture on the right and rises across the face, to gain the ridge above the big green bush in the centre of the picture. After traversing three small peaks, the trail descends to the neck, about three quarters picture left. Here the trail leaves the ridge and continues across the shoulder behind.
The trail to the neck is easy going, although difficult to follow in places. At the neck Janet and Sandy turned around and we continued bundu-bashing up the ridge in easy conditions. From the neck we could see two peaks in front, but little did we know.
After about the fourth peak, with several more in front, we stopped for coffee and refreshment with wonderful views to the south.
We pressed on through very rugged terrain, with super views to the north and west, until we came to this, which was surely the top?
And it very nearly was, but the real top was some way over.
The highest peak, in the ridge, is almost at the end of the ridge, where it was my intention to turn around and backtrack down. From this point, it was suggested that it would be a pity not to complete the ridge and as we had the Attakwaskloof Pass below us, it was decided to complete the ridge walk and then descend down to the pass, for the return to the start.
From the neck, there were about seven false tops, before the highest peak at 1175m and the distance covered was 16km with ascent and descent of 960m.
Everybody agreed that this was a very enjoyable hike with superb views to the north, south, east and west and must be repeated. The hike was only really possible because the whole mountain burnt in January 2018.
Greg Moore – meet leader