TAKE A HIKE
True peace on the Swartkop Trail above False Bay.
There’s a lesser-known trail in the mountains above Simon’s Town, with great views of False Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.
I ’ve lived in Cape Town for many years, but I only recently heard about this hike. I was excited: The trails on Table Mountain are so packed over weekends, by the time you’re halfway up, you start wishing you’d stayed at home. Good morning, goeiemôre, you say as you pass one hiking group after another, sidestepping into the fynbos to make space for runners and dogs to pass.
Don’t get me wrong: I want everyone to enjoy the outdoors, but when I head into the mountains, it’s to get away from people. I want to be surrounded by the silence of the stone. So when friends invited me to try the lesserknown Swartkop Trail above Simon’s Town, I said yes right away.
The trail starts on a fire road above the suburb of Seaforth. At the first bend, you leave the road and follow a path to the right that leads you up Swartkop for about 2,5 km. The incline is not too steep, but take it easy because you still have a mountain to climb.
About halfway up, at an old blockhouse, silence envelops you. The vehicles and weekenders scurrying around the peninsula feel far removed. Stand still and take in the view: The Simon’s Town’s naval base is in front of you, a flat rock known as Noah’s Ark is further out to sea, and the Roman Rock lighthouse cuts a lonesome figure as it weathers the onslaught of the waves. Further north: Mackerel Bay, the houses of Glencairn, Elsie’s Peak and Fish Hoek behind, then Kalk Bay, St James and the long arc of Muizenberg Beach. Far in the distance, Table Mountain looms in the blue.
Pass the blockhouse on the right. The path gradually climbs to a saddle called the Blockhouse Gap. To the north is Simonsberg (547 m), south is Swartkop Peak, below is the navy’s ammunitions stores in the narrow Klawer Valley. I can make out a shooting range, but the rest of the buildings look generic, mysterious, strictly off limits, like a Bond villain’s lair.
From the saddle, the path climbs a few hundred metres until you’re on top of Swartkop. At 678 m in altitude, it’s the highest point on the southern half of the Cape Peninsula. Now there’s sea on both sides and you’re so high up it feels like you’re looking down on a topographical map. Remember to bring your binoculars. On a clear day, you can easily see the 35 km across False Bay to Pringle Bay, where Hangklip butts heads with the heavens. Have a break on the summit then push on through the shallow valley behind the mountain, where protea bushes stand as tall as your shoulders.
I’m regretting not wearing trousers. The path has disappeared into the dense tangle. I blindly follow the others hoping that I don’t step on something venomous along the way. Then the hiker in front of me does leap into the fynbos with a scream. Yup, puff adder up ahead.
We make it through the thickets in one piece (phew) and back onto the unsheltered ridges of Swartkop. This is not a good trail if it’s very windy, or for hikers who are scared of heights. At certain points, there’s a sheer drop only a few steps to the left.
After about 7,5 km, the path slopes down steeply to where Cape Point looks like the end of the earth. Look for Judas Peak and its identical twin, Paulsberg, on the coastline. Smitswinkel Bay is now visible, but it takes a murderous decline of 3 km to get there.
By now it feels like you’re descending an entire contour line with each step. The terrain is rocky and uneven. I put my camera away – to get down safely I’ll need my hands.
When we reach the tar road, we pull ticks off each other, drink water and drive back to Simon’s Town with big smiles.
Swartkop is a tough day out and you climb high, but we didn’t see a soul.
Success!
Where? Above Simon’s Town. From the main road (Queens Road/M4), turn into Harrington Road and drive up the hill to the T-junction with Jan Smuts Drive, then turn left. Continue past Whittle Way and look for the gravel road to the right. You can leave your vehicle here. (Don’t park in front of the turn-off – it’s an access road for the fire services.)
Leave another vehicle at the end of the trail – park next to the M4 between the entrance gate to the Cape of Good Hope section of Table Mountain National Park and Smitswinkel Tented Camp.
Distance: About 10 km one-way. There’s a wide shoulder on the M4 – if you walk back to Simon’s Town along the road it’s about a 20 km circular route.
Make it an outing: Bring your swimming costume and have a dip on the way back. There are several beach options along the M4: Miller’s Point tidal pool, Fisherman’s Beach, Windmill Beach, Boulders Beach with its penguin colony… Boulders entry fee R40 per adult; R20 per child. Remember your ID. Cost: Free, but you have to arrange for a SANParks permit beforehand. The route crosses private property and the owners are informed of the number of hikers. Contact Zizipho Mfazwe at the Boulders office; tell her the date of your hike and the size of your group. She can also arrange for the gate to Smitswinkel Tented Camp at the end point to be unlocked if you’d prefer to park your vehicle there instead of next to the road.
Contact: 021 786 2329 (Boulders visitors’ centre); zizipho.mfazwe@sanparks.org