The Kalk Bay mountains have so many beautiful trails and mountain paths to offer. The fynbos is prolific and the views over False Bay are always breathtaking. With so many trails to discover we are spolit for choice! Last weekend Luke and I decided to check out a new trail- one that starts at Silvermine gate 2 and heads up to Kalk Bay Peak. The route to Kalk bay Peak is mostly flat and easily accessible but the views are lovely! My favourite part is the pink ericas lining the sandy path.
Details:
Start Location: Silvermine East gate/ gate 2. This gate is located directly on Ou Kaapse Weg on the left hand side of the road coming from Constantia/Tokai side.
Distance: 7km
Duration: 2.5 hours
Difficulty: Easy. Path is easy to follow with a few slightly steeper sections. Noting too tricky.
Conservation fee: None
The Route:
Once you have parked your car at the Silvermine East gate or gate 2 you will see a path to the right of the wooden toilet huts. Follow this path which will soon open up to a wide gravel jeep track that veers off to the right. Follow this path for about a kilometre before you see a narrow, bushy path to the right. This path takes you down to the Silvermine Waterfall. If you want to check it out head down here and then come back up to the main path. If you’re giving the waterfall a miss you can carry on another few metres until you see a big path turning to the right. The sign indicates that this is the recommended route to the Amphitheatre. Take this path and you will cross over a bridge and stream.
Then turn left up a narrow sandy path which is also indicated as the recommended route for Amphitheatre. Walk along this single track for a few kilometres until you reach a 3 way cross roads. At the cross roads keep straight towards a black gravel jeep track. Cross over the jeep track keeping to the left for a bit before you see another narrow sandy path to your right. Take the right path and follow this track uphill.
You will then see a narrow path to your left. Take it. This will take you up and over a ridge along a marshy path that connects with the Spes Bona path. Once you’ve just passed over the top and start to see the sea you will find another map and cross roads. Take the path to the left (which indicates St James Peak etc.) and hike to the top of this ridge to reach Kalk Bay Peak.
You can then just go back the way you came or do an extra little loop to the Amphitheatre. To do this go back down to the map and cross roads and carry on straight to climb up over the rocky ridge to get over to the Amphitheatre. Head back the way you came.
Have you hiked up to Kalk Bay Peak before? What did you think of the route? Leave your comments below.
For more exciting and adventurous hikes in and around Cape Town why not check out my hiking blog posts on Bailey’s Kloof, the Red Disa Hike, Eagle’s Nest, Suther Peak, Tranquility Cracks, Cecilia Waterfall, Kloof Corner, Devil’s Peak, Judas Peak, Panorama hike in Jonkershoek or my post on the Top 10 Hikes in Cape Town.
