#cats path trail

[montrochelle]

NEW TRAIL NOW OPEN

We are excited to announce that the reserve has a new trail: THE WINELANDS TRAIL. Starting at the MRNR car park and connecting with the LOWER CATS SE PAD TRAIL, this new trail is in full view of the Franschhoek valley at all times and is a lovely 3,5 km circular route with a spectacular view from start to finish.

If a 3,5 km hike is a bit short for you the Winelands Trail can also be walked as part of the Lower Cats se Pad trail. At its lower end the Winelands trail branches off the Lower Cats se Pad trail close to the Franschhoek Pass road, the upper end of the trail is close to the MRNR car park.  It is about 1,8km long one way with a vertical reach of about 110 metres.

ROUTE OPTIONS

One way walk (as part of Cats se Pad): You will need to park your car at the top of Reservoir Street in Franschhoek and arrange for transport back to the village for this option (or you can start at the MRNR car park and walk down hill back to the village). Total one way distance from Reservoir Street entrance to MRNR car park is about 5.5 km. Vertical reach is about 400 m.

     OR

Circular walk:   Drive up Franschhoek Pass & park at MRNR car park.  Best to do the walk in the direction as given below but the other way round is also fine.

Start the WINELANDS walk at the MRNR car park. At the junction with Cats se Pad Trail (this is near the Franschhoek Pass road) go up the wooden steps, cross the road, go up the steel ladder and continue on towards the Cats se Pad memorial monument. Follow the footpath and cross the pass road again to finish at the MRNR car park. Total distance about 3,5 km. Vertical reach about 110 m.  

[montrochelle]

If you have driven up the Franschhoek Pass in the last two weeks I am sure you would have seen the damage rock- and mudslides have caused the road. Unfortunately the rains also caused major damage to the Cats Path Trail. It is still possible to walk the trail but hikers should be aware that it is more difficult in parts than usual and some scrambling may be required. We will try to have the path repaired as soon as possible.

[montrochelle]

Cats Path Hiking Trail

The Cats Path Trail follows the historic 1819 wagon track. It can be divided into two separate walks (Lower and Upper Cats Path) or combined into one longer hike:

Combined Duration: +/- 4h (one way). Difficulty: Moderate Distance: +/- 11km (one way) Water: No

LOWER CATS PATH

The Cats Path Trail starts in Franschhoek at the upper end of Reservoir Street by the gate leading to the Fransche Hoek Estate (elevation 320m; 33-54-28 S; 19-07-52 E).

No access is granted to the Fransche Hoek Estate without a valid hiking permit issued by the Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve.

Distance from the Reservoir Street entrance to the Cats Path monument at the top of Franschhoek Pass is about 2,7 km (rising 415m). A moderately fit hiker can expect to walk up the trail in less than 2 hours.

Follow the Cats Path signage on Fransche Hoek Estate for about 820m to reach the Cats Path Trail (the path crosses the Fransche Hoek Estate).

Close to Franschhoek Pass hikers have to negotiate some steep steps, cross the pass road/R45 (elevation 660m 33-54-21 S; 19-09-15 E), and climb a short vertical metal ladder before continuing on the trail.

The last 285m section from the R45 to the Cats Path Monument (elevation 735 m; 33-54-24 S; 19- 09-24 E) rises quite steeply.

Hikers who do not wish to hike back along the same route should arrange for transport back to the Franshhoek before making the trip. A convenient roadside lay-by on the R45 is close by.

  UPPER CATS PATH

The Upper Cats Path Trail follows the original 1819 Cats Path wagon track from the top of Franschhoek Pass (R45) in a general southerly direction and ends at the historic JanJoubertsgat Bridge (built in 1825) on the Franschhoek Pass.

Most hikers prefer to walk it one way – arrange for pick up at the parking area next to the R45 at the JanJoubertsgat Bridge (elevation 456m; 33-56-16 S; 19-09-41 E).

The trail is about 7.5km long, with a fairly gentle descent of about 280m. A moderately fit person can walk the trail in less than 2h (one way, going down).

The trail starts (elevation 736m; 33-54-25 S; 19-09-26 E) at the junction of the gravel road going into the Mont Rochelle Nature Reserve off the R45 (close to and just left - east - of the pass road).

The footpath to the Karmel Youth Centre branches off to the left after about 1.4km. 50m after the Karmel junction, the Cats Path Trail crosses the R45 (elevation 620m).

After another 500m the trail crosses a private 4 x 4 track going up the slope and off to the west - hikers are not permitted to enter this track.

From here on the trail continues more or less parallel to the pass road, eventually meeting up with the R45, at this point hikers drop down to the road and follow it for about 300m to reach the end of the trail.

[montrochelle]

A 10.5km walk (one way), Cats Path was built 1818-1819 to cross the Franschhoek mountains and was the first commercial wagon route to link the Boland and Overberg regions.

Perhaps more interestingly, however, we know that it originated centuries before as a track created by elephants who wanted to cross the mountains to raise their young in the valley below.