Safety for beginner solo overnighting in capetown/stellenbosch area?

Safety & Awareness
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Hi, relatively new to the forum and hobby

I’m 21, a student, and have picked up a fondness for hiking/thru-hiking while studying abroad, and have recently come back home to SA. I still live and study in stellenbosch, and don’t yet have a car.

Since coming back and trying to involve myself here, i’m appalled at how expensive, inaccessible, and dangerous (people-wise) hiking in the capetown->paarl area is? (why do I have to wait a year and pay 2 grand to walk a trail???)

I’ve brought my tent and gear back and want to get out into the mountains.

At the moment I just plan on pitching overnight at victoria peak in jonkershoek a couple times to get used to the area (i’ve done the pano loop day hike a dozen or more times). I don’t know what other areas are immediately accessible and safe in the stellenbosch vicinity (other than maybe stellenboschberg)

I’m not very experienced, but have done a fair few solo hikes overseas (maybe 30?), and maybe 5 (solo) overnights. I am atleast as prepared as I can think to be. But also, europe is a completely different landscape.

I’ve done almost everything solo there so far, and so haven’t had any guidance really - just feeling things out and playing it safe.

I don’t fit in with the BTK here at all, and UCTM&S won’t admit me because i’m not a student there - are there other student-y groups that fly under the radar? Any groups where people who want to learn proper practice and safety can join? / kinda beginners?

But mainly, I’m looking for all the local-specific safety advice /safe areas/ that you can think of. For gear I have most things except a sat communicator (can’t afford yet, nowhere rents), and a water purifier.

Also, what areas are safe for solo hiking/pitching? or safe for 2 people max?

Which areas are risky for people/muggings and should be avoided?

I’m not used to having to worry about this while hiking, very frustrating, and makes me very nervous to go outside.

Looking forward to your help

Warm Regards and happy hiking,

Mike

2

Hi Mike

I am also a student at Stellenbosch. I started hiking in 2nd year and joined BTK (I know you said you don’t “fit in” with them, not entirely sure what you mean. Is it because you prefer hiking solo?) and have only been on 2 weekend hikes and 2 day hikes with them, but I really enjoy that they organise everything and you can go on a 2 day hike with transport and food organised for only like R250.

In terms of overnighting, I know that people overnight on Stellenboschberg starting at Coetzenberg stadium (there is a “cave” just past Tweede Kruis, but people overnight on the peak as well). For Jonkershoek, you might want to check if they allow overnighting, same with other nature reserves like Simonsberg and Helderberg (but those two are fantastic day hikes! Planning on doing both in the near future).

I found a group of hiking buddies through geocaching and I think that just finding a few friends is the way to go. (As the saying goes, “4 is the ideal party”: if a person gets injured, 2 stay with the person and 1 runs for help). Being in a little group also helps with safety and muggings. If you’re alone, you’re way more vulnerable, especially when tired and with a big bag.

Even if you don’t join BTK, I’m sure you can ask them or the mountain/hiking club of SA (whatever they’re called) for ideas, trips, advice, etc. Having a hiking friend who has a car will help you. There aren’t that many places you can hike in the area without a car. You can do Jonkershoek (Twins, Botmaskop, Haelkop, and all those other peaks in the back). But ig you can uber/liftclub to Tokara and do Simonsberg, to Helderberg and do the Dome, and of course the table mountain & peninsula though it’s a bit further, or the mountains in Paarl (the Paarl Rock, mount rochelle, du toitskloof, Huguenootskop etc).

Hope this wall of text is useful :slight_smile:

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Also, opentopomap.org has every hiking trail loaded, accessible for free! :smiley: