Hiddingh Ascension

Route Description:

Approach the route via the Contour Path above Newlands Forest Station. Walking along the Contour Path in the direction of Kirstenbosch you will encounter a gully with a rock indicating the name Ascension Gully, pass this ravine. The next ravine is Ascension Ravine, which also needs to be passed. The route starts at the next ravine, which is Hiddingh Ravine.

The original start mentioned in some guidebooks was beyond the ravine, around the corner and then ascending an easy slope in the trees until possible to cross into the ravine. This was however blocked by a rockfall in 2019. The route currently starts along a steep track up the slope on the right side of the ravine, also currently partly blocked. Alternatively start in Hiddingh Ravine's watercourse if conditions are dry enough to safely proceed, and higher up stay close to the right hand rock face and follow cairns (beacons). 

Continue on the right side of the ravine bed for another 10 to 15 minutes until it seems that the path ends and the ravine becomes impossibly steep. At this point (an elevation of about 540m) the route traverses out to the right on a ledge with beautiful rock overhangs. The traverse keeps close to the rock face, which will be on your left hand side as you traverse. 

At the corner of the buttress on your left you will observe a small subsidiary wooded gully, which is where the route continues up. The lower section has some easy scrambling but the upper section is severely eroded with loose rocks, and should be done with extreme caution. 

At the top of the gully (elevation of about 645m) there is a lovely rock platform with great views. Here the route splits and the path continuing straight up leads to Ferny Gully (also called Ferny Dell).

This variation is quite steep, eroded, overgrown and slippery and is not recommended except for very experienced hikers practised in awkward scrambling. (NOTE that the slideshow includes the Ferny Gully section).

The recommended route traverses to the right onto a steep grassy terrace, which will bring you to the crest of the buttress, where Devil's Peak comes into view. From here you should scramble up the boulders leading along the crest of the buttress. Continue along the crest until you reach the foot of a high cliff, from here go right into Ascension Ravine.

This part of Ascension Ravine is mostly a stone scree with short leafy bushes penetrating the rocks. Ascend the scree, keeping an eye out for a path on your left that leads onto the narrow terrace with the Pulpit. This is a worthy detour if you aren't pressed for time. 

Continue up the scree / ravine until almost under the overhanging cliff face at the head of the ravine, at which point you can't go any further. Traverse out to the left onto the grassy terrace for about forty meters, where you will find a break on your right. Climb this pitch, which has a slightly awkward step, onto the narrow ledge just above it. From the small ledge, scramble left and up until you reach a needle with a narrow crack on the right side, climb this crack and another easy section to the top.

From the top a path leads you to the Smuts Track, which continues to Maclear's Beacon. Carrel's Ledge is sometimes done after the route, as it is near to where you have finished.

Descent:

The most common (and recommended) descent is Skeleton Gorge or the Cable Car (need to shuffle cars). Descending Ledges to the Saddle and then Newlands Ravine is the quickest, but definitely not the easiest as you have to climb down the Ledges 'C' grade rock pitches and route finding along the descent is very tricky.