secret manual repair

Browse » home» Dog walk up Table Mountain

---

Dog walk up Table Mountain

5 November 2006

This Sunday my wife and I took the dog for a walk up Table Mountain.
We decided on Plattekloof Gorge since it is stepped and would require no actual climbing (something dogs find hard to do for some reason ).

The guidebook says this route can be accomplished in 1hour by fit climbers and between 2 and 3 hours by the average joe. I reckoned I was going to do it in at least 5hours
After 15 minutes of climbing I was dying and thinking of going home. The previous evening was spent at Hein’s house in the company of Christof, Ernie and Irene. My head was pounding and I believed I could drink the entire ocean dry to get rid of the after-thirst.





Nevertheless I carried on, hoping the hangover would go away on its own somehow. My hopes of making it to the top was slightly dampened by the pained, grimacing faces of descending walkers passing us from the front.
...and I had to climb down the mountain as well because the cable car will not take pets and it was closed for the day due to strong wind anyway.



We carried water both for ourselves and the dog but every once in a while we would happen across a stream where we cou ld cool down.






When we reached the top we found a sheltered ledge out of the howling wind and had a picnic.









It was a sunny day but the strong wind kept the temperature down.






My City


Camps Bay

Even before we left my wife heard about a lesser known trail that crosses the sheer cliff face of the mountain. The route is not marked on any guidebook and no signs on the mountain lead you to it.

When we did finally find the start of the trail we were warned of by a sign proclaiming “Dangerous Trail. Enter at own risk!”
We shrugged it off and continued on. The trail is quite overgrown and obviously not used often. There certainly were no sign of human activity today.
After a while we saw more signs warning us of “Warning: Steep Descent” and â €œExperienced climbers only”



But what finally began to change my mind about continuing was this sign: “This is not an easy way down”
You mean there’s an easy way down!!?? Fark me. Why are we going this way then?



When we got a precipitous crag with a framed view of Camps Bay I began to have serious doubts. When we reached a narrow ledge and the wind began to push me ever closer to the edge I stopped and called it a day. It was just not worth the risk.



So we made our way back to Plattekloof Gorge and joined the throng of tourists on the highway down the mountain. Plattekloof Gorge is sometimes jokingly called Adderly street due to the high traffic volumes.

My scrawny white legs were quivering a bit as a gracelessly stumbled and jerked down the steep steps. I really need to get more exercise.
…but I take heart in the fact that our dog could barely walk at all last night. He just laid there on his mat and gave an occasional fart. This morning he looks even more stiff than I do.

I took the GPS along:

Time up the mountain: 1hour 25minutes
Time down the mountain: 1hour 5minutes
Max Elevation: 1074metres above mean sea level
Average speed: Between 1 and 2km/h (depending on terrain)

So that was my first time up the mountain by foot. Would I do it again? For sure, m uch more rewarding than the cable car.
Next time Ill try that trail accross the cliff face though...but without the dogged wind and the windy dog.