Valken Ravine
Location: A bushed up track starts off the Kasteelspoort path where it crosses Valken Ravine stream bed. (In dry weather the stream bed can be used)
Overview: A straightforward short route which stays in Valken Ravine all the way up. The B grade route has a grotty start, and the C grade route starts in a very grassy corner but the rock is pleasant climbing.
Route Description:
Ascend the Valken Ravine watercourse up to a rock cliff at the head of the ravine. Here you have two ways of piercing the first rock band. You can climb the C graded crack in the right hand corner and scramble up a few more steps to reach the first ledge. Alternatively you can scramble (B graded) up the left hand side of the ravine and traverse the ledge to the right side of the ravine (not recommended in even slightly wet conditions). From here scramble up to the next ledge and traverse across to the left side of the ravine, climb in the left hand side (almost a hidden little gully) to reach the third ledge. On the third ledge traverse back to a break in the rock band on the right side of the ravine. Climb the break in the band and a few more steps (B+ / C graded) to reach the grassy open top portion of the ravine, which should be easy going to the top of the ravine. When the B route takes the easy finish up the open head of the ravine, the C route climbs faces on the right up to an unusual traverse under overhangs to the right and enters the slanting chimney finish of Kasteels Gully past the "thin Camel Rider" rock formation.
Photo captions: Grassy C pitch start - Andi in B gully with dark rock - Sliding around the odd Dassie traverse to get into the Kasteels Gully chimney