Woodstock Cave Hike

About Woodstock Cave Hike

Start: Rhodes Memorial (you can also park in the last parking area, past the cable station, on Tafelberg Road on Table Mountain and approach the cave this way)
Finish: Rhodes Memorial
Duration: it takes just over an hour to reach the cave, but the round trip is roughly 3 to 4 hours
Fitness: a fairly easy hike, although there is scrambling involved and some of the hike is uphill on exposed terrain (little shade, in other words)
Our tip: go in a group, there have been muggings on the contour path; leave valuables behind; and wear a hat (the sun can be scorching)

You can actually see Woodstock Cave from De Waal Drive, it's one of the biggest caves on Table Mountain. It's less a cave and more of a horizontal crack that leaves a 50 metre-wide by four metre high fissure, halfway up Devil's Peak.

From up there the views out over Cape Town, Lion's Head and Table Bay are droolable.

And the walk is not too taxing either, although boots are advisable. The main part of the hike joins the contour path between Rhodes Memorial and Kloof Nek.

This same contour path starts all the way back at Constantia Nek. One can walk it to Kirstenbosch Gardens, then on to Rhodes Memorial, and then a further leg to Kloof Nek.

Leave your car at the parking area at Rhodes Mem (as locals call it) and then head from there up to the Kings Blockhouse (a rather steep start to the hike).

From the Kings Blockhouse the views are pretty good, so take a minute to catch your breath.

From here you follow the contour path around the mountain towards Cape Town. It isn't far from here for after about 10 minutes in you will notice Woodstock Cave above you. Look out for a path that crosses the path you are on, which leads up to the cave.

The cave itself is dark and cool inside, extensively graffitied and heavenly cool, if the day outside is hot. A perfect space from which to drink in the views and snack on something you've brought along.

The entire hike gives you access to plenty of fynbos, particularly pelargoniums and watsonias, when in flower (October to March). You might also stumble upon lizards, the odd snake and ants, if it's really hot.

Return the way you came.