Arangieskop on a rainy day

Arangieskop hiking route is not for sissies. This route is part of the Dassies Hoek Nature Reserve situated 7km outside of Robertson in the Western Cape, South-Africa and takes 2 days to complete. It winds through the chasms and over the tops of the ancient Langeberg Mountain Range.

It begins at the gate of the nature reserve where you can park your car. Don’t let the first few kilometres fool you. Soon it will become steep and much more beautiful. Different kinds of animals, birds, flowers and insects inhabit this area. If you are lucky, you might even see an evasive leopard. The first part of the route is 9.5 km long. This gave us only a fraction of the peril and the beauty that lied ahead. We started walking at 8:30 and arrived at the hut at 15:00. The other people walked much faster and arrived at about 13:30.

All along the route are water points with water holes where one can swim. This is due to the fact that it crosses over the springs that flow down the ravines. If you have no problem drinking water from the spring, then at most you will have to take two litres water with you for the whole two days. Just always remember to ask the people of the reserve whether the water is flowing or not, since any fresh water spring can dry up. It is not likely, but better be sure.

The overnight hut is on the North side of the mountain. It is a simple hut made from stone and built against the rock of the cliff. Water must be warmed by making fire under the donkey. Wood is provided. Outside is ample space to braai, sit and watch the view. Inside is a bathroom with 2 showers and 3 toilets. The kitchen is very big, but are also the place for three beds, and a place where everybody can sit and talk hidden from the cold mountain breeze, thus it is not really a kitchen. There are no stoves, but the house is equipped with water, a table top, washing basin and electrical lights. On the second floor are three bedrooms. In total the hut sleeps 23 people. We were thirteen people, but shared the hut with another group of 6. Every bed has a mattress but hikers must bring their own sleeping bags and pillows.

The second day of our trip was challenging. It started to rain at two in the morning. The night before we decided to start walking early so we set out at 7:20 and arrived at our destination at 15:00. The first part of the second day the road leads to the mountain peak which takes about half an hour. On this specific day we could not see the view from the top which is 1800 meters above sea level. At the beacon is a container where you can write your name in a book to say that you have been there. The day before when there was still a view, a few of us walked up to take some photos. Once over the top the going down gets tough. There are places where there are very little place to hold on to as you clamber over and down rocks. We never could see farther than 100 meters in front of us, since the mist was too thick. The rain and the mist added to our wavering positive attitudes but it also added to the mystique and the splendour of the moment. In short this is and experience I will never choose but are glad that I have had the chance to live through it.

As the road took us further down and up and down the mountain, the walking became increasingly dangerous. We had only a few rests and at some places the walkway is as wide as a ruler (30cm) with no substantial rocks keeping it there. The distance for a fall is about 50 meters far. Couple that with fatigue and rain and it makes a great hazard for life.

All praise to God we all made it with no major injuries. One girl’s knees gave trouble and one of the older woman tripped and fell on her knees, but we all made it.

Hiking is not the only way to get to the mountain top. There are also a trekker that goes up on Wednesdays and Sundays. Even if you take the trekker, you still have to climb the last half an hour to the highest point. The trekker comes up from the North side of the mountain and the hiking route from the South side. When we were there someone in a Toyota 4x4 drove on the trekker route to the hut. So if you get stuck on the top in the rain rather walk down the trekker route and call a friend to come pick you up in the Koo.

To book this route, you will have to phone the nature reserve beforehand. To go on the hiking trail costs R28 per person and to use the Arangieskop overnight cabin costs R85 per person per night. Management will then email you pass which you need to carry with you. There is also a house at the bottom of the trail that can be booked.

I hope that you found this article helpful. Happy climbing and be safe.