Ever been up the Cable Car and seen people hiking/scrambling up the rocks below you?
You were probably either relieved to be in the Cable Car or disappointed you weren’t one of those adventurers down below.

The route you were looking at is India Venster. So called because India Ravine resembles the map of India when seen from the city and the ‘Venster’ (window) is a very cool framed window in the rocks (just 10 - 15 minutes above the upper contour path) providing great photo opportunities.

We started our walk next to the lower Cable Car station and a quick 15 - 20 minute walk up the steps found us on the upper contour path. Crossing over this path the route pretty much follows the cableway lines almost to the top. The enjoyable thing about this walk is that it involves a fair amount of rock scrambling and is not just a hard slog to the top (like Platteklip Gorge). This route is fun and varied and just a little bit tricky (don't try it alone and only walk it with someone who knows the route well).

We eventually landed up at a spot directly below the upper cable car station. From here we could have gone left to Right Face Arrow Face Traverse but we left that for another day and headed right, around the mountain. Brunch was had while sitting on the spine of Table Mountain where we could see Camps Bay on the one side and the City Bowl on the other (There aren't many better spots to have brunch in Cape Town but you have to work a bit for this one). Having re-energised we continued our route, pausing only to watch the abseilers lowering themselves 112m down a rope from the top of the mountain. In less than an hour we had walked up Fountain Ravine and arrived at the tabletop where thankfully the South Easter had abated leaving beautiful blue skies, with just a slight cool breeze to keep us comfortable. We then reluctantly braved the tourists, their cameras and the over tame dassies near the cable station so my walking partner could replenish her water supply. (You could also stock up on goodies or have a full meal at the restaurant on top).

Wusses prefer to take the cable car down while the energetic will pay Maclears Beacon a visit (about 45 minutes walk one way from the upper station) but we elected to descend via Platteklip Gorge. Not really my favourite route, especially on the weekend, but it is the quickest walk down.

I’m always horrified at what I see when walking down Platteklip on a busy day. People walking up totally unprepared, without water, warm clothes or even proper walking shoes (slip slops don’t cut it). Table Mountain is an awesome mountain to walk up no matter which route you take but she can turn nasty so please go prepared always, no matter what the weather is like at the bottom.

Check out WWW.HIKECAPETOWN.CO.ZA for more of Washer’s adventures on the Cape Peninsula Mountains. More importantly check out the 10 commandments of hiking safety and pass it on. I really think these should be put up on signposts at the bottom of any hiking route.

See you on the mountains

Pinar coming up Fountain Favine

Through the Venster (Window)