Hell's Gates

Location: The section of the Disa River Gorge between the Orange Kloof Ring Road and the back of the Slangolie Gorge fissure below the 1891 entrance to the original Woodhead Tunnel.  OSM map

Overview: A summer route in a delightful indigenously wooded kloof, with pleasant pools and relatively easy rock scrambling, provided it is dry. Some sections are steep in places and need careful climbing.

Route Description:

Very important: Make sure you get your permit for Orange Kloof, as it is not worth risking the hefty fine if caught without it! See the Orange Kloof main section for details on the permit.

Park at Constantia Nek and follow the Ring Road until it descends to a concrete causeway across the Disa River, which runs down from the Woodhead Dam. Enter the kloof here and follow the stream, either in the river bed, or on a path along the sides. The slideshow gives an idea of some of the obstacles you will encounter, the most notable being the slippery traverse on a very narrow sloping ledge next to a deep pool, where one false step will result in an unexpected swim and possibly a ruined camera or cellphone!

As at December 2024, the steep section that needs to be ascended between the big waterfall and the Hell's Gate cleft is quite tricky to navigate due to landslides that occurred recently. Take care while scrambling up this exposed, eroded section with some dislodged trees.

After viewing the Hell's Gate cleft, retrace your steps and traverse out onto a bushy slope with a faint track that leads up to the People's Path, close to where one can go view the original 1891 entrance to the Woodhead Tunnel. From here you can either follow the path up to Woodhead Dam wall, or descend to the Ring Road and return.