After assembling near Ruyteplaats (Hout Bay) in rather windy conditions, we hiked up the southern Apostles Ridge path, deviating slightly by scrambling up the Llandudno Buttress route, then continued along the main path to Grootkop.
Here we skirted around the south side of the peak on the lovely Yellowwood Traverse. We found a relatively sheltered spot for tea, and then headed along the cliffs and yellowwoods into gale-force wind on the nek. Fortunately, once on the other side, we were more sheltered, and we picked our way comfortably up to the cave line, scrambling to the top of Grootkop where again we were whacked by the wind!
At 857 m, Grootkop is the third highest peak on Table Mountain’s Apostle Ridge, after the TM summit (at 1086 m at Maclear’s Beacon ) and Devil’s Peak (1001 m), with Constantiaberg further south on the Peninsula, topping it at 927 m!
We took the A-route down from the peak, and headed back along the main Ridge path, lunching briefly before descending via Llandudno Ravine back to the cars … a fun day with wonderful views.
Many thanks to Stefan Braun for the great photos, and to all, especially Christo, for helping with route finding on the tricky bit from the end of Yellowwood Buttress to the top … well worth the effort!
