Across the River
This hike is from the rest camp up Old Woman Stream and then climb Gibisita Ridge to the caves. It is a 6 km return and can this moderate hike can take up to 2 to 3 hours to go up and 2 hours to return. As a half-day outing this is a short but steep trip to these interesting caves in a narrow valley below the Little Berg plateau.
To make a day outing you can return via Cataract Valley to make it a 13-km round-trip, taking about 5 hours, or 6 if you're a slow walker. There are also other routes you could take, including round-trips via the Contour Path to north or south. The walk staffs next to dormitory unit number 2 and crosses the Del'mhlwazini Stream via the footbridge.
Along the first 500 m you have to cross the stream once more (to the right-hand bank), going through a small wood. Where the path crosses the river a third time, head up towards Gibisita Ridge, you can't miss it as it'll be staring you in the face. The lower slopes are covered in tall grass, with large boulders and shrubs, mainly protea trees.
Do not take a path that turns off to the left, as it goes nowhere, but carry on up the ridge for a few hundred metres, where the path veers over to the right-hand side of the ridge and continues climbing up above the Old Woman Stream.
Staring Down the Valley
About 25 km from the start the path takes a turn for the worse, i.e. it heads steeply up to the left away from the river, then zigzags back to the right and continues ascending for another 500 m until you reach the first cave, It's one of the biggest in the area, and comfortably sleeps about 12 people.
The second cave, about 30 m further on, is smaller and seldom used. Staring down the valley, between the stunted protea bushes, is Monk's Cowl which makes a lovely sight when caught, as if in some devious act by the golden dawn light. The main cave gets its name from the old grindstones found there, two of which you can still see. The way back home via Cataract Valley is to carry on past the second cave, keeping to the contour, rounding a spur to reach the river after 1.2 km.
Cross the Old Woman Stream just below the cliff line, head up the opposite bank, and climb out the other side of the gorge, heading up steeply to the Little Berg summit. At a nek, where a Pimple rises up to your right, the route veers left for 500 m to reach the Contour Path about 3.5 km from the caves. Turn right here, away from the Contour Path and down the slope to your right, zigzagging down the Little Berg again to enter Cataract Valley.
The path heads towards the river and crosses it a number of times, as many as you need, for several hundred metres before taking you to the left-hand, right-sloping side of the valley, zigzagging through the steepest part, and to the confluence of the Del'mhlwazini Stream, where you cross Cataract Stream and head down the right-hand side of the valley, away from the Del'mhlwazini back to camp, 2 km from the confluence.
The path does seem to exit the valley to the right, but 1 km above the rest camp it goes back down towards the river, home and mortgage bonds.
By David Bristow