"Safety" covers two different aspects:

• Safety as in security from being attacked or robbed.  The Table Mountain Safety Action Group is focused on this aspect.  Visit their website and review the current discussion for information on mountain security issues. The key advice is to avoid walking alone or in small groups. To date, no organised groups have been attacked, so do contact one the many hiking clubs and organisations and arrange to walk with them as a member or visitor.
• Safety as in finding the way and walking safely without injury - and what to do if there is an accident. Many of the clubs and walking groups have guidelines on walking safely. Some are listed below.  Read them carefully - your life, or another's, may depend on it! 

Safety guidelines and background information:

• Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR) is the main organisation that coordinates rescue operations in the Western Cape, but do not contact them directly - contact Metro Rescue first at 10177 or 021 937 0300 who will then contact Wilderness Search and Rescue (WSAR).  (Note that the Metro Rescue number changed in August 2008.  The old number which is listed in many places still works, but use this new number in preference.)
• Mountain Club of South Africa safety guidelines
• University of 3rd Age Safety notes and statistics including information on rescue costs.
• Hikers Network has a comprehensive set of notes on mountain safety, first aid and more.
• Cape Nature also has an extensive set of notes, with particular relevance to country areas.

Grades of walks and climbs - how to use

NB Many of the walks and scrambles described in Mountain Meanders are difficult and dangerous.  Do not attempt any Grade 3 or higher route unless you are experienced with exposed rock scrambling. Read the grading of walks and climbs but realise that grading is inexact and subjective!  Different clubs using different systems with confusingly similar notation and the same route can be graded differently by different people. The golden rule is to be cautious until you are familiar with a grading system e.g. be comfortable with grade 1 or 2 before trying anything higher.  If you are unhappy at any stage, don't climb on - retreat!  One notch up is substantially different!

Accuracy of Map and GPS tracks

Be careful with the GPS tracks. GPSs do not work well in steep mountain terrain especially when walking below, or on, a south facing cliff, or in any kloof or ravine, because many satellites are obscured. Even in open terrain, reflections of the satellite signals off rock faces can cause significant errors. One must therefore always be able to find ones way without the GPS. They can be useful for finding the start of a route or the start of a descent from a ridge, but are of limited value on steep terrain.  You must be able to follow a route description … and remember it for your return!  GPSs in the mountains – the good, the bad and the ugly is recommended reading as without an understanding of the errors that can occur, you could be seriously misled by your GPS!  If you have an interest in GPS use, consider joining the GPS group.

Indemnity: With these points in mind, it is clear that no responsibility of any kind can be accepted for using the route descriptions, maps and tracks posted on this website.  There may be errors in the route descriptions and in the recording of tracks and errors may occur when using them in the mountains.  A GPS is an aid to navigation in the mountains.  If you can't navigate without it, you should not be there! It is essential that you can navigate from a contour map and route descriptions.