13 Peaks Challenge: Peak 10 (Constantia Peak via Blackburn Ravine)

The Dilemma

By now you’ll know the 13 Peaks Challenge is less of a trail and more of a negotiation between weather, wildfire, and SANParks gate closures. The plan was simple: tick off Constantia Peak from Silvermine Gate 1.

Only one problem — Silvermine Gate 1 has been locked tight since April’s devastating wildfire, with officials whispering about reopening “maybe in September.”

So what do you do when the rules say “wait” but your legs say “let’s go”?

You listen to Papa Grizzly, of course. His solution was cheeky but legitimate: start from East Fort, the same spot where we wrapped up Peak 6 (Suther Peak) and kicked off Peak 7 (Chapman’s Peak). From there we could contour around, take on Blackburn Ravine, and link it to Constantia Peak.

Distance? Substantial – 13 kms of substantial. Effort? Considerable. Cheating? Absolutely not.

Setting Out from East Fort (Again!)

Saturday 16 August dawned grey, damp, and sulky. The forecast had threatened rain, but the kind that always sounds like a 50/50 gamble: “scattered showers,” “light precipitation,” “Cape Town winter roulette.” We rolled the dice and won the best deal possible — dry skies until we reached the top of Blackburn Ravine, at which point the wind unleashed.

Starting from East Fort gave us a sense of déjà vu. This trailhead is stitched into the fabric of our 13 Peaks story already, so it felt fitting to use it again. There’s a certain circular poetry to reusing trailheads: like picking up a narrative thread you left dangling in an earlier chapter.

From East Fort we slipped onto the lower contour path. The mountain was muffled in heavy mist, turning every corner into a portal. The sea was a rumour below us, and the sky just a blank page above. Already the air felt charged, damp, and teasing.

The Ascent: Blackburn Ravine

You don’t casually “walk up” Blackburn Ravine. You wrestle it. You coax it. You swear at it, then you thank it for the punishment. We’d been salivating at the thought of this climb since we almost accidentally took it during our Peak 7 Summit of Chapmans Peak — the kind of masochistic salivation only hikers understand.

The ravine started benignly enough: wet rocks, a cool breeze, and the kind of gradient that whispers “I’m about to get worse.” Within minutes the mist thickened, rain jackets zipped up, and the real grunt began. Hands on thighs, boots scraping against rock, we clawed upwards like damp cats.

Two hours. That’s how long it took us to reach the top of the ravine. Two hours of slogging, pulling ourselves over rocky steps, peering into fog so thick it felt like hiking inside a washing machine.

We had one saving grace: hot coffee breaks. Whoever thought to pack flasks deserves a medal. Nothing like a slug of steaming caffeine to convince you that, yes, voluntarily climbing a wet ravine in winter is a sensible hobby.

Summit in the Mist

At the top of Blackburn Ravine, we veered left. Visibility was down to a few metres. The wind had picked up, bringing with it the kind of sideways rain that makes you grateful for every centimetre of Gore-Tex.

And then came the leap of faith: we followed our hike leader’s confident stride toward a Constantia Peak we couldn’t see. It was trust that carried us over those last undulating ridgelines. At times, we might as well have been marching to Misty Mordor — hunched against the wind, soaked through, silhouettes blurred by mist.

Finally, we stumbled onto the summit cairn of Constantia Peak. No views. No dramatic panorama. Just wind, rain, and a collective cheer that was equal parts triumph and relief.

We huddled around the peak marker, yanked out phones for the obligatory proof shot, and tried to grin through the weather. The photos look like hostage images: damp faces, hoods pulled tight, mist blurring the edges. But they’re proof. Peak 10: bagged.

Descent via Vlakkenberg

The descent towards Vlakkenberg was slippery and relentless. Wet sandstone, muddy trail, and legs already jelly-shaken from the ravine made it a cautious shuffle. We kept moving, partly to escape the wind’s bite and partly to stop ourselves from freezing in place.

An hour and a half later, the trail spat us out at lower elevation. The mist began to lift just enough for us to glimpse the familiar folds of the Constantia vineyards far below. Civilization — and dry socks — were close at hand.

Reflections: Rules, Adaptability, and Rain Pants

Was it “by the book” to approach Constantia Peak from East Fort instead of Silvermine Gate 1? No. But the book had been singed shut by fire.

The 13 Peaks Challenge isn’t about ticking off a GPS-prescribed route. It’s about honouring the spirit: covering serious ground, climbing the peaks, and dealing with whatever chaos the mountain throws your way.

This was chaos, and we adapted. And in the adapting, the day gained flavour. Instead of a routine peak bag from Silvermine, we earned it the hard way — two hours up a ravine, summiting blind, trusting each other and our gear.

Also, and this deserves its own sentence: we actually wore our rain pants. For once, preparation triumphed over stubbornness. If 13 Peaks has taught us anything, it’s that hubris gets punished and coffee gets rewarded.

Practical Notes for Fellow Hikers

Start Point: East Fort (same as Suther Peak / Chapman’s Peak).

Route: East Fort → lower contour path → Blackburn Ravine ascent → Constantia Peak → descend via Vlakkenberg.

Distance & Time: About 13km, 4-5 hours depending on pace and weather.

Difficulty: Tough. Blackburn Ravine is steep, rocky, and exposed in bad weather. Allow extra time if wet.

Gear: Rain gear is essential in winter. Hiking poles help with both the ravine and the descent. A flask of coffee will save morale.

Navigation: Mist is common — carry a GPS app or map. Summit cairn can be invisible until you’re on top of it.

Safety: Slippery terrain makes falls a risk. Go in a group, and avoid this route in heavy rain unless you’re experienced.

Closing Thoughts

Peak 10 was never going to be glamorous.

We didn’t get blue skies or sweeping views. We got soaked to the bone, battered by wind, and pushed up a ravine that made us question our hobbies. But we also got the rawest version of what this challenge is about: showing up, adapting, and laughing through discomfort.

When people look back on our 13 Peaks journey, they’ll remember the vistas from Noordhoek or the ice cream after Muizenberg. But Peak 10? Peak 10 will be remembered for one phrase: our gatte was natte.

Ten peaks down. Three to go.

Shout Out

Not everyone could join us on this wet and windy adventure. Aneesa and Ash had to step back because of a family illness, and our thoughts were with them throughout the hike.

The mountain isn’t going anywhere, and we trust they’ll bag Constantia Peak in their own time before we all regroup for Peak 11 on 30 August. Wishing their loved one a steady recovery, and looking forward to having them back on the trail with us.