Hike out from Agtertafelberg (32/38)

The rain had set in so we packed up, cleaned the hut, donned the rain gear and set off in steady drizzle to do the 9.5 k's back to the car. It rained most of the way back but was not too bad. We stopped for a few brief rests and made it back to DTK hut by about noon.  Goodbyes and thanks and home - a really nice weekend.

Tafelberg summit and down to Agtertafelberg Hut (31/38)

Second day of the MCSA Agtertafelberg meet.  It was very warm in the old down bag with inner liner and long thermal underwear, but it was a long night of many turn overs and uncomfortable legs from the efforts of the previous day. Still, I got enough sleep and felt fine in the morning, getting up once daylight came.

The morning eastern skyline from our camp. 

This was our communal cooking/dining area of the previous night where some of the group are now waiting for their coffee.

You don't get a better hiking campsite than this one on the edge of the Winterberg lakes at 1400m altitude. 

This is what our "lake" looks like, with these amazing restio "islands" in the shallow water.

What a place to camp!

On our way again, having a look a the second lake just around the corner to the north.

We dropped some of packs/loads at a return point, then descended steeply to the Tafelberg nek followed by a rough, tough, long climb to the summit. No photos on the way up - it was hard work!

View from the top, with the clouds rolling in.

We added our names to the notebook register in a little canister under a rock next to the beacon. No one had been there since May 2014.

Mike Hall and I, with Wemmershoek dam far down below.

Our snack/lunch stop was a short way down, where we found some shelter from the biting wind.

 Down down down - no path or cairns. Looking for the best line down and hoping to not be confronted by any rock cliffs.

 Eventually we reached the hut with the sun almost setting. We had a cosy night here and hiked out to the cars in steady drizzle the next morning.

Du Toits Kloof to Winterberg via Agertafelberg (30/38)

Some weeks ago Martin mentioned that he was planning an MCSA meet to do the classic Hex Traverse (4 days/3 nights: Worcester side - Thomas Hut, Perry Refuge, Milner vlakte, to Ceres valley), and orienteering friend Mike and I immediately expressed interest.  As time came closer, various equipment items needed to be acquired.  Mike and I both have aged Kestrel tents which are no longer waterproof, and in the end he decided to invest in a new tent that we would share. New down bag, or add inner lining? Clothing: new thermal base layers, new long pants, socks, borrow Benjy's breathable rain jacket...

Watching yr.no forcasts, it became apparent that the weather was going to turn against us on day 3 when we would be at high altitude in rugged terrain with difficult route finding.  Martin came up with a plan B, and so on Saturday morning we drove out to the Du Toits Kloof mountain club hut and parked our cars, before setting off on the 9.5km uphill slog to the Agertafelberg hut where we had our lunch alongside the Elandspad river. 

After lunch we started the serious climbing on the ridges up towards Winterberg summit, which we reached at about 4pm. Then we descended a few hundred metres in altitude to the Winterberg lakes (clearly marked on the 1:50000 map) where we made our camp for the night.

Rest stop at Kraalstroom drift halfway on the 9km hike in from Dutoitskloof parking to Agtertafelberg hut.

Elandspad River swing bridge at Agertafelberg hut.

 Lunch stop at Elandspad River.

Well up above hut, on the way to Winterberg.

Unfortunately quite a few scattered pine trees, but a picturesque little valley

There was a lot of steep, rough scrambling and ascending of ledges and boulders, the camera mostly got used on the gentle ravines and vlaktes!

Finally a glimpse down a deep ravine to the other side.

Summit of Winterberg. Tafelberg our goal for the next day, in the left background.

 On the way down the north slopes of Winterberg, a first sight of one of the Winterberg lakes/tarns, where we hoped to make camp for the night.

Diagonal Route (29/37)

Sunday afternoon hike, just Bridget and me, up Diagonal route from Theresa Ave Camps Bay. Down Kasteelspoort. A beautiful sunny, calm winter's day.

Our lunchtime selfie in Valley of the Red Gods.

Pink Watsonia flowering (early or late?) at top of Kasteelspoort.

Sugarbird sporting its long tail plumage, and not moving from its perch while we passed a few metres away.