Swartkop Trail #8: Swartkop Short Stop
A short detour from the main track up Swartkop from Blockhouse Gap to a small rocky outcrop with great views. Can be well combined with other caches on the route up to the summit from Simon’s Town (Blockhouse Gap Trail) – Blockhouse Gap (GC1T6FH), Boer Block 4 (GCY8RY), Froggy Farm Traverse (GC22RX7), Swartkop 360 (GCTXJV) and MnCo’s series of caches Swartkop Ridge 1-5 along the ridge from Swartkop summit to Smitswinkel Forestry Station near Cape Point entry gate.
Park near the end of Jan Smuts Drive @ S 34 11.964 E 18 26.909 and take the jeep track heading up the hill. Follow this around and up to the right. At S 34 12.042 E 18 26.756 on a sharp left bend turn off to the right at the signpost to start up the Blockhouse Gap Trail (aka the Mule Track). This gradually ascends across the lower slopes of Simonsberg winding and contouring its way up towards the gap.
At S 34 12.624 E 18 26.739 in the Blockhouse Gap turn left heading southwards along the trail up to the summit. When you reach approx S 34 12.777 E 18 26.879 find a suitable exit left to rock-hop the 16m to the cache location – with a little care you can (and should!) easily avoid trampling any fynbos.
The cache a small camouflaged sandwich box is hidden low down under a medium-sized rock in a cleft between two well-weathered rocks next to a small shrub - close to the highest point of this rocky viewpoint. Trust your GPS to guide you there . . .