Twin Peaks

Last Sunday I hosted some of the Patagons and other hiking buddies at Jonkershoek for a day hike – “not too long, too high and too hard” was the request.

So I thought it would be nice to follow the eastern watershed from north of Twin Peaks to Botmaskop – not too high nor too far. I did, however, add a disclaimer: I had not walked all of that route before. The evening before I even decided to shorten it and take the jeep track up to Saaltjie instead of up Nerina Kloof. Just as well. The walk came in at 12.7 km. In fact, beyond Saaltjie it ceased to be a “walk” and a bit of a bundu bash as there’s no footpath along the ridge. Luckily the veld had burnt 18 months ago, or else the going would have been an order of magnitude tougher. And the veld was beautiful with colourful new growth. So were the views of the Drakenstein Valley to the east and Jonkerhoek to our west.

Well worth it, I thought. But that’s just me …. Photos, a Google Earth track and a profile follow…

Or download the kmz file and view in Google Earth

Our route commenced from the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve gate, followed the Yellowwood Trail and forestry roads up to Saaltjie, then followed the watershed to Botmaskop, from where we descended through plantations to my place in Rozendal.

Profile of the walk – excludes the first km.