Klaassenskop: Tree Scrambles, Banana Rocks and the Many Ways to the Top
There are thirteen peaks in the 13 Peaks Challenge. There are also about thirteen different ways to get to each one.
And if there is one thing we have learnt during this challenge, it is that there is rarely a single “correct” way up a mountain.
Some people like the straightforward route.
Some like a little adventure.
Some like stairs.
Some prefer a jeep track.
Some see a rocky ravine and think, “Excellent!”
Others see the same ravine and think, “Absolutely not.”
And then there are people like Aneesa and I, who will look at the mountain in front of us, look at each other and say:
“Are we sure?”
We were not sure.
But we were there.
And sometimes that’s enough.
Peak 11: We Are Officially Getting Excited
Sunday, 23 August 2026.
Peak 11.
Klaassenskop.
At this point in the 2026 13 Peaks Challenge Cape Town, something has changed.
The finish line is no longer some distant, abstract idea sitting at the end of a very long hiking calendar.
We can see it.
We can smell it.
We can practically hear the (non-alcoholic) champagne corks popping.
Okay, maybe that’s premature.
There are still two peaks to go.
But when you’ve spent seven months climbing, scrambling, carpooling, getting lost, finding yourselves again and occasionally questioning your life choices, eleven out of thirteen feels rather significant.
We are officially in the home stretch.
And nobody was going to let a little thing like a mountain stand between us and Peak 11.
One Start. Two Missions.
Today’s logistics were slightly different because not everyone was doing the entire leg.
Some hikers had signed up specifically for Klaassenskop, Peak 11 of the 13 Peaks Challenge.
They would start and finish at Constantia Nek.
The rest of us would continue beyond the peak and make our way all the way through to the Newlands Forestry Station.
Because, naturally, why would a hiking challenge involving thirteen peaks be allowed to have straightforward logistics?
We parked our vehicles at Newlands Forestry Station and shuttled everyone to the start at Constantia Nek.
Cars at the finish.
Hikers at the start.
A beautiful linear route connecting two sides of the mountain.
Simple.
Well…
Simple by 13 Peaks standards.
Cape Town Wore Her Sunday Best
After Saturday’s rain and mist, Sunday arrived looking like a completely different city.
The clouds had cleared.
The air was crisp.
The mountain was washed clean.
Cape Town was wearing her Sunday best and the mountains were her crowning glory.
It was one of those mornings that makes you stop for a moment and remember why we put ourselves through all this.
The views.
The fynbos.
The sandstone.
The enormous blue sky.
The fact that all of this is sitting right on our doorstep.
Up the Bridle Path... Sort Of
We set off merrily up the Bridle Path.
Well, most of us did.
The group naturally split into two.
Half continued along the Bridle Path towards De Villiers Dam.
The other half looked at the hiking stairs disappearing upwards on the left and decided that apparently we hadn’t suffered enough yet.
Guess which group I joined?
After spending Saturday running up the Bridle Path during my PUFfie race the day before, I was still traumatised.
My legs had not forgotten. They had opinions.
So when I saw the stairs, I thought:
“Nice and steep. Let’s take those.”
This is apparently what passes for logic in my hiking world.
Belle Ombre: Because Apparently We Like Options
The second group took the spicier route via Belle Ombre.
And this is where today’s theme really began to emerge.
There wasn’t one route. There didn’t need to be. The mountain gives us choices. We take the ones that suit us.
Some people want the gentler gradient.
Some want a challenge.
Some want the scenic route.
Some simply don’t know where they’re going and are hoping someone else does.
Aneesa and I fell firmly into the last category.
We had memories.
We had confidence.
Unfortunately, these things were not always in agreement.
We kept second-guessing the route. And the people with the All Trails app.
Then second-guessing our second-guessing.
At some point Akbarie basically beseeched us to trust her.
We did.
Well…
We had no choice.
We were on the mountain.
That seemed reassuring enough.
The Banana Break Rocks
There is a particular place on this route that deserves to be recorded for posterity.
What we have dubbed, The banana break rocks. Because we wanted to take a break to have a banana.
Two enormous rocks with a gap between them and distinct ledges that have, on previous adventures, served as an entirely respectable breakfast table.
If you’re hiking with us, apparently this is important navigational information.
I now know exactly what I need to remember for next time:
We passed the banana break rocks.
Which means that if I ever get lost on this section, I can simply wander around until I find the rocks and ask myself whether I have recently eaten a banana.
This is how hiking navigation works in the Sunday Tribe.
Maps are useful.
Landmarks are useful.
Snacks are essential.
Camel Rock and the Turn to Klaassenskop
We continued beyond the banana break rocks, past Camel Rock, and eventually turned left onto the path that would take us to Klaassenskop.
Some kind soul had even built a little cairn in the path.
A tiny pile of stones.
A small act of kindness to the hikers who would come after.
We followed it.
Then we heard voices.
The other group.
We couldn’t see them yet, but we could hear them somewhere ahead.
And so we followed the sound of our fellow hikers through the mountain.
Which, I suspect, is a more accurate description of our navigation strategy than any of us would like to admit.
Eventually we found them.
Beyond The Climbing Tree.
The Climbing Tree
This is the bit.
The reason Klaassenskop is Klaassenskop.
The summit itself isn’t the whole attraction.
The tree scramble is.
A huge tree has grown between the rocks, creating a natural bridge that gives you access to the beacon.
And it is fantastic.
There is scrambling.
There is climbing.
There is squeezing.
There is the inevitable moment when someone looks at the route and says,
“Do we actually have to go through there?”
Yes.
Yes, you do.
This is Klaassenskop.
Below is Meenakshi giving a masterclass on how to negotiate it.
The Great Klaassenskop Race
By the time the two groups met at the summit, Group One had already arrived.
Naturally, they were very pleased with themselves.
They informed us that they had beaten us.
We were not remotely interested.
Because we had more important questions.
Where are the snacks?
This is another important lesson from the 13 Peaks Challenge.
There are two types of hikers.
Those who want to be first.
And those who want to know what everybody else is carrying in their backpacks.
I know which team I’m on.
We tagged Klaassenskop, Peak 11, took the obligatory summit photographs and admired the views.
Then it was time to reverse the tree scramble.
Because getting to the summit is only half the entertainment.
Eleven Peaks Down
There is something wonderfully satisfying about writing that.
Eleven peaks.
Eleven.
When we stood on Signal Hill in February, thirteen seemed like a lot.
It was a lot.
We’ve climbed through heat.
We’ve climbed through cloud.
We’ve climbed through wind.
We’ve navigated ravines.
We’ve scrambled over rocks.
We’ve negotiated ladders and trees.
We’ve walked long distances between peaks.
We’ve learned about leadership.
We’ve learned about logistics.
We’ve learned about ourselves.
And now there are only two peaks left.
Two.
The end is no longer merely visible.
It’s approaching fast.
Down to De Villiers Dam
After the excitement of Klaassenskop, the group made its way towards De Villiers Dam.
And, because one set of route choices wasn’t enough for the day, the group split again.
Some hikers took the Bridle Path.
The braver ones opted for Rooikat Ravine.
Different routes.
Different levels of adventure.
Same destination.
Eventually everyone converged again in Newlands Forest.
And this was another lovely reminder that the 13 Peaks Challenge doesn’t require everyone to hike in exactly the same way.
We don’t all have the same fitness.
We don’t all have the same confidence.
We don’t all enjoy the same terrain.
We don’t all want the same level of adventure.
That’s okay.
The challenge isn’t about making everyone hike identically.
It’s about getting everyone to the peaks.
Newlands Forest: A Few Surprises
One of my own little bonuses from today’s hike was discovering parts of Newlands Forest that I hadn’t explored before.
And that’s one of the great things about doing a challenge like this.
You think you know your own backyard.
Then you start connecting the mountains in different ways and suddenly you’re walking trails you’ve never seen.
Cape Town keeps a few secrets up her sleeve.
Even for those of us who spend a suspicious amount of time wandering around her mountains.
There Are Many Ways to the Top
If I had to choose one lesson from today’s hike, this would be it.
There are many ways to the peak.
There are many ways from the peak.
There are many ways to approach a challenge.
Some people will take the Bridle Path.
Others will choose Belle Ombre.
Some will scramble through a tree.
Others will happily walk around it.
Some will continue to Newlands.
Others will turn back at Constantia Nek.
We each choose the route that works for us.
And, if we’re lucky, we meet up at the same place anyway.
That’s the beauty of this challenge.
And Maybe That's Life Too
We’re often far too concerned about whether we’re doing things the “right” way.
The right pace.
The right route.
The right training plan.
The right time.
But perhaps there isn’t one right way.
Maybe there is simply the way that works for you.
The route that gets you moving.
The pace you can sustain.
The challenge that stretches you without breaking you.
The people who make the journey worthwhile.
And eventually, somehow, you arrive.
At the right place.
At the right time.
Together.
A Moment on the Mountain
Eleven peaks in, I’m struck by how different everyone’s journey has been.
Some people have completed every leg.
Some have missed sections.
Some are here for particular peaks.
Some are doing the longer routes.
Some take the easier path.
Some go looking for the spicy stuff.
And yet here we are.
Peak 11.
There is no prize for taking the hardest route.
There is no medal for being first.
The achievement is showing up, choosing your route and continuing towards the goal.
Because the mountain doesn’t care which path you took.
When you reach the beacon, you are still standing on the peak.
And that, I think, is rather wonderful.
The Finish Line Is Calling
Two peaks.
That’s it.
Two.
After seven months of Sunday mornings, car shuffles, weather negotiations, route debates, snacks, scrambles, blisters, laughs and an impressive amount of WhatsApp traffic…
We’re almost there.
I can feel the excitement building.
The group can feel it.
The finish line has become tangible.
But we’re not done yet.
There are still two peaks waiting.
And if this challenge has taught us anything, it’s that the last kilometre can sometimes be the one that tests you most.
So we don’t celebrate too early.
Not quite.
We tighten the laces.
Pack the snacks.
Check the cars.
Check the weather.
And keep going.
Trail Banter: Things We Learned This Week
- AllTrails knows where you’re going.
Probably.
- Aneesa and I should not be put in charge of navigation without adult supervision.
- If someone says, “Trust me,” while standing at a trail junction, you should probably have a backup plan.
- Banana Break Rocks are now an official navigational landmark.
- Snacks are more important than winning.
Obviously.
- Klaassenskop has a tree.
Not just any tree.
A tree that expects you to climb through it to earn your summit photograph.
- The phrase “spicier route” should always be treated with suspicion.
- The Bridle Path is apparently a perfectly respectable route.
I just didn’t want to see it again after Saturday.
- There are many ways to a peak.
- There are also many ways to avoid admitting you’re lost.
- Eleven peaks makes people very excited about counting down from three.
- Nobody asked me to confirm this, but I feel strongly that Peak 13 should come with cake.
Official Leg 9 Statistics
🏔️ Peak Bagged: Klaassenskop, Peak 11
🥾 Challenge Progress: 11 / 13 Peaks
📍 Start: Constantia Nek
🌲 Finish: Newlands Forestry Station
🧭 Route Options: Several!
🌳 Signature Feature: The Klaassenskop tree scramble
🍌 Important Landmark: Banana Break Rocks
🪨 Alternative Route: Rooikat Ravine
🚗 Logistics Level: Advanced
🎯 Peaks Remaining: 2
❤️ Excitement Level: Increasing rapidly
Mountain Rating
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Scenery
⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ Navigation
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Scrambling Fun
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Group Spirit
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Snack Potential
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Anticipation
The 13 Peaks Ledger
Peak Completed: Klaassenskop ✅
Challenge Progress: 11 / 13 Peaks
Weather: Cape Town showing off after Saturday’s rain.
Best Feature: The tree scramble.
Most Useful Landmark: Banana Break Rocks.
Most Important Lesson: There isn’t one right route to the summit.
Most Likely To Get Lost: Aneesa and I.
Most Important Advice: Trust Akbarie.
Biggest Achievement: Eleven peaks down.
Peaks Remaining: 2
Best View: The finish line getting closer.
Mountain Quote of the Day:
“There are many ways to the top. Choose the one that works for you. We’ll all meet at the summit.”
Two More
And suddenly, after all these months, we’re counting backwards.
Eleven down.
Two to go.
The people who stood on Signal Hill back in February could probably not have imagined what the next seven months would bring.
The wind.
The rain.
The heat.
The long distances between peaks.
The logistics.
The laughter.
The friendships.
The tree scrambles.
The banana breaks.
The occasional argument with AllTrails.
And now, the finish line.
It’s close.
Very close.
But we’re not rushing it.
We’ve earned these last two peaks.
So we’ll take them one Sunday at a time.
One trail at a time.
One summit at a time.
And when Peak 13 finally arrives, we’ll look back and realise that the real achievement wasn’t climbing thirteen mountains.
It was everything that happened between them.
Two peaks left.
The mountain isn’t going anywhere. We’ll see you on the next peak.
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