Klein Swartberg (incl. Toverkop)

This group of properties is in the spectacular Klein Swartberg, an area that boasts six peaks over 2 000m! A rewarding wilderness experience is on offer across four individual MCSA properties – including the one named Toverkop – and the adjacent northern ridgeline managed by CapeNature.

A note on spelling
On this site we are following the spellings as published on the 1:50 000 survey map, 3321AC Vleiland, on which the property is marked ‘Toverkop’ and the bewitched peak itself marked as ‘Towerkop’.

Properties
Six of the eight highest peaks in the Western Cape are in the region. From west to east they are: Towerkop (2 189m), Toorkop (2 143m), Peak Wood / Peak Plaats (2 241m), Hoeko Peak (2 141m), Steenslang (2 228m) and Seweweekspoort Peak (2 325m).

In the west you can hike up to the iconic Towerkop and overnight in the shelter halfway up, or in Nel’s Cave at the base of the peak. At the eastern end there is a beaconed 8 to 9 hour route from Broad Acres farm to the cave on Seweweekspoort Peak. There is a shelter about one third of the way up. It is advised that only experienced mountaineers should undertake the traverse and/or either of these routes, preferably with a leader who has previous experience in this area.

In the adjacent Groot Swartberg range, between Seweweekspoort and the Gamka River, are two further peaks you can climb: Bloupunt (1 979m) and Blouberg (1 880m).

History
In the 1906 Journal of the MCSA, GF Travers-Jackson describes ascending yet another peak in the area, visible on the map and marked as Toringberg. This name is completely unknown to the local population who refer to the 2 127m high peak as Elandsberg. The peak is not climbed often, but is worth the effort for spectacular views of the gorge between Elandsberg/Toringberg and Towerkop. Travers-Jackson describes it as ‘A savage place as holy and enchanted as ever beneath a waning moon was haunted…’.