KNOW BEFORE YOU GO
Distance: It’s a circular route of 21 km – 10 km on the first day and 11km on the second.
How to get there? Follow the R60 from Robertson towards Ashton and turn left at the circle. Follow Johan de Jongh Drive – it eventually becomes Paddy Street and then a dirt road. The Dassieshoek 1 Hut is on the left. The road is traversable in a sedan. Dassieshoek 2 (no longer in use) is on the right a kilometre further – if you see it, you’ve gone too far.
Best time to hike the trail? It can get very hot in summer and it often snows on the upper parts of the trail in winter, but this is also when you’ll have a better chance of having the hut all to yourself. The weather is more moderate in September and October and the trail is at its most scenic when the fynbos is in bloom.
Where can I stay the night before the hike? Even though the Dassieshoek 1 Hut at the trailhead can accommodate 30 people in six rooms with two bathrooms, the municipality has limited the number of hikers allowed on the trail to 20 per day. The hut has bunk beds, power points, an indoor braai and an outdoor braai, a fridge and a stove. Bring your own cutlery, crockery and firewood.
Where do I leave my car? Park your car at the Dassieshoek 1 Hut. Don’t leave valuable items in your car – there have been a few break-ins.
How fit do I need to be? It’s a tough hike – you should be fit and fairly experienced.
Water? There are streams along the route and water at the overnight hut. Bring two litres of water and refill your bottle along the way.
Cost: Conservation fee R63 per person. Accommodation at Dassieshoek 1
Hut costs R203 per person; Arangieskop Hut R132,50 per person. You can make all the arrangements and payments online – you’ll receive an e-mail with all the necessary information, plus a map.
Contact: 023 616 8000; trailbookings@langeberg.gov.za