Led by Jonathan Ray and Paula Clarke
A spirited group of 9 set off on Saturday morning to tackle Spring Buttress, an always enjoyable scrambling route tucked into the upper flanks of the Twelve Apostles. Despite a strong northerly wind sweeping over the mountain, the autumn weather was otherwise near perfect—clear skies, crisp air, and superb visibility all morning.
Most of the group were new to the route, which made the morning feel like a shared exploration filled with engaging scrambling and expansive views.
The scrambling sections on Spring Buttress offer just the right balance of exposure and variety. One of the highlights is always the step around the exposed corner onto a block cantilevered over Camps Bay below. We had our tea break in the cave overhang before tackling this.
Further up, a short detour to the right took us up the fun corner system of rock spires and chimneys, all with excellent handholds but offering a slightly more technical, but still accessible option, for those looking to spice things up.
Despite the wind occasionally gusting over the ridges, the route was sheltered enough in places, and we took full advantage of ledges and alcoves to regroup and admire the views.
By the time we topped out onto the Apostles Path, there were smiles all around and a collective sense of achievement. We descended via Woody Ravine and the walk out was calm and filled with trail chat. We reached the boom at Tersea Avenue by late morning and after saying our goodbyes went our separate ways to enjoy the rest of the day.
Overall, it was a excellent weekend morning on the mountain—good scrambles, relatively fast paced and good company.
