The Cape Doctor prescribed – No Knife’s Edge today

After last week’s awesome weekend of rock-climbing and Mystery B hike, I came to the decision to no longer take the group on hard hikes unfortunately.  It wasn’t an easy decision to make but I can’t be doing rock-climbing and trail running and awesome adventure hikes every few months.  I have this expensive gear that I hardly make use of.  I will however still be taking the group once a month on beginner hikes.  They need me more than the experienced hikers.

Anyway, due to road closures the Cape Town Cycle Tour brought about, the route options were quite limited and the easiest place to get to would be Rhodes Memorial.  Also, Momeena wanted to Knife’s Edge for quite a while now.

BUT

Alas!  The gale force South Easter winds had other ideas!  So much so, that the Cycle Tour was cancelled for the first time in 40 years!  That’s how bad it was.  The several videos shared on social media were hectic crazy!  Google vid some if you haven’t seen.

At 6:50am I check in with Tracking, ‘4 pax knife’s edge from Rhodes lower Parking, If wind is too strong will take another route but will update when we get there, ETA 12pm’

Just missed the elite groups before the tour was cancelled and up we go through closed gates.  The plan was to go the Reservoir and Abandoned Zoo after the hike anyway so didn’t mind walking up that far. Oh yes!  I met a fellow Iger and blog follower and Facebook friend ^_^   Check out his blog sometime That Hike Life

Up up and up we go and take the Mountain Bike shortcut to the lower contour path.  Yay! New scenery for me!  Further up we go and the route is quite desolate.  No other hikers with one or two trail runners.

When we got to the Cannon, the wind was pumping!  We didn’t even stay long enough to take photos!  We discussed taking an alternative route from there so said we can make that decision when we get to the Old Fire Lookout.

Taking the turn up from the Contour Path, we were thankfully sheltered from the wind and I take out my ‘Love Note’.  An Iger asked me on Instagram to do this for her.  Take a photo of the below note and send it to her.  Brilliant idea I think!

We could scramble up without any wind but taking one turn around the mountain and it was hectic!  I tell them to keep to the mountain and bend as they go up so that the wind blows over them instead of blowing them over!  This wind reminded me of Oudekraal Ravine.  Whenever we do that route, it’s extremely windy! That’s how I know to bend J

Get to the Lookout and thought if my cap doesn’t blow off, Knife’s Edge is doable J  The wind is actually quite bearable BUT once the gusts blows!  It’s another story!  Updated tracking that we will take the alternative path below Knife’s Edge instead and asked them to add Momeena Tracking as my phone was acting up.  My battery was on 70% but kept switching off!    I was highly annoyed!

Further up we go and now we are really feeling the brunt of the gale-force winds!  In some areas it was said to blow at 100km/hour and could very well have been that strong up on the mountain!  I took a video of this.  It was so strong that I couldn’t keep my phone steady and I had to shout over the winds!  Shamiel is smiling throughout!  He is thoroughly enjoying this adventure!

At the fork we take a right to the Upper Contour path instead of left up to Knife’s Edge.  We are thankfully somewhat sheltered from the wind in some sections.  Any photo that I really wanted, I had to ask Momeena to take it:/  Stupid phone switches off whenever I switch it back on!  Even while it’s on charge!

Round round we go and they wanted to have breakfast already and said no, we can have breakfast in Woodstock cave.  Out of the wind!  It’s also quite chilly with my fingertips feeling the bite of the cold wind.  Time to pack my gloves in my bag! Its then when I think that maybe my phone need heat as it didn’t give me any problems on the hot Lions Head hike on Friday night and put my phone in my bag for warmth.

Down we go the zig-zag path that meets up with the bottom of Knife’s Edge. I struggle here and there with my phone to no avail!  Grrrrr!!!!

On the middle contour path and forget which way to go.  I know I need to go right but do left to get to the lower contour path?  I check both sides and when I saw there are no paths going down from the left, we went right instead. Which was the right path haha!

Down down we go and meet up with the lower contour path taking us to Woodstock Cave.

Breakfast out of the wind was gratefully had!  It’s the first time Shamiel is in the cave which he can see from his house!

When the smell of urine became unbearable, we left.  Still no hikers!

I’m so annoyed with the litter strewn down the path I decided to not risk my life and pick it up.  I didn’t even bother picking up litter the rest of the way.  Let the litterbugs see the results of their rubbish if no-one clean it up!

Get to the Canon again and take a 1 or 4 photos before leaving as it’s still quite windy.  Down the contour path and when we are almost down the middle contour path, the wind starts to abate.  We check up the mountain and no cloud cover at all!  Momeena said to go back up haha!  So haha that nature called and stopped at the first tree I found suitable.

From the contour path, we took the Mountain Bike trail again and down the road we go.  Quick detour to a plaque I saw from the road and then onto the Reservoir!

Boeta Cassiem parted ways with us but we didn’t stay long anyway.  Next stop is the Zoo!

This time, I went inside as I had back-up with me!  I wouldn’t go in there by myself.  Dunno who is lurking in the shadows but we were blissfully alone at the Zoo.  After several photos inside and out, it was time to leave and we are back at the cars by 12:30pm.

Charge my phone with car-charger for a bit and check out of tracking.

Not what we planned but enjoyed it despite phone issues not being able to take all the photos that I wanted to take.  We got to experience the Cape Doctor at its worst/best without any incident.  It forced us to take paths we haven’t done in years which made for a great adventure J

Until my next mountain adventure, ciao for now and thank you for reading.