Doesn’t it seem incredible to escape into wilderness close to residential areas? Vlakkenberg Peak is calling. It resides within Table Mountain National Park. This links Price Drive to Constantia Nek.
Vlakkenberg remains a seldom-visited part of Constantia Nek. You can access it across the road. Look for the pedestrian gate partway down the road toward Hout Bay. Alternatively, begin at the top of Price Drive.
Our hike takes us up Vlakkenberg Peak. We will reach the summit offering views. False Bay will stretch before us. Hout Bay and Constantia will add to the scene.
There are a number of ways to hike Vlakkenberg. Leaving a car at either end lets you traverse without returning the same way. Alternatively, start at Constantia Nek. Descend via Blue Valley Road into Hout Bay. Another option takes you back to Constantia Nek. You can use the Hout Bay Pipe Track.
Consider the initial route if hiking with children. Think about it if you are not particularly fit. Expect around three hours of tramping. You will have a good workout.
Our descent joins part of the Hoerikwagga Trail. Steps made of local wood and stone ease the path. The climb up Vlakkenberg from Price Drive is steep. Many view stops are necessary.
No one else is on Vlakkenberg today. Only a couple of beagle males join us. They run off and on chasing rabbits or mice.
During our initial climb through the forest, we spot silver trees. A plaque honors Alf Morris. It is tacked to a large stone.
Alf labored on these slopes. He worked with volunteers. Together, they cleared alien vegetation. They replaced it with indigenous varieties. Some are labeled.
About sixty years ago, silver trees covered Vlakkenberg. Pink ericas bloomed in spring. Aliens infested the area, particularly near Constantia Nek.
Alf Morris began hacking aliens in the late 1970s. From 1985, he organized a formal hack.
In 2000, a massive fire occurred. It removed residue from former hacks. The fire burned most of the pine. The mountain looked disastrous. Some houses were lost. The team rid the barren area of alien seeds. They planted silver tree sapplings. They grew these at home from cones. Kirstenbosch supplied the cones.
Their labor of love has borne fruit. Vlakkenberg looks beautiful. The work is ongoing. Any soil disturbance results in alien shootings. A voluntary team hacks every third Saturday. Join them if you want to help.
Bob Anderson built the paths. He is a retired American. He maintains and builds paths up Vlakkenberg. He prefers to work alone. The team carries and cuts logs for him.
The top of Vlakkenberg changes everything. Thick fynbos abounds. Boulders dot the landscape. I bet flowers bloom here in season. This space is beautiful. No roads interrupt the view. People are not visible. Buildings stay hidden. You are in the middle of nowhere. Yet home is minutes away. The views are incredible.
The initial walk down from the summit requires care. It is a bit of a bundu bash. Keep your eyes open for rock cairns. The path is not clearly marked. But it is fun and easy.
Enjoy this lovely walk. You can do this early. You will have the rest of the day for other things.