Drive Time: 90 mins from Cape Town
Walk-in Time: 40 mins
Facilities: Hut/shelter, camping, walking, swimming/kloofing
Size: 858Ha
Section(ownership/servitude): CT (wholly owned; servitude)

Coordinates: 33°31'16.00"S    19° 8'6.93"E (1:50 000 maps 3319 CA Bain’s Kloof)

Access is for MCSA members only. The general rules for huts and club properties can be found here. For more details contact the Convenor (see the Contact us page).

HISTORY

The mountain land STEENBOKSBERG was presented to the Cape Town Section in 1939 by Colonel W.C. Hallack, who joined the Club in 1912. It was the first property to be owned by the Club. Twenty years later, in 1959 the corrugated iron Shelter, which was intended to be the Perry Refuge, until someone tried to lift it up, was erected at Steenboksberg.  In 1999, after exactly sixty years of ownership by the MCSA, Steenboksberg was declared  Natural Heritage Site, no 297 and a certificate signed by President Nelson Mandela was presented to the Club.

See MCSA 1970 Journal, Denis Woods’ article page 14: 1984 Journal, Steytler and Nieuwmeyer article page 91: 1985 Journal, Steytler and Nieuwmeyer article page 126: 1999 Journal, Steytler and Nieuwmeyer article, page 79.

PERMITS

No permits are required but if a member intends taking a group larger than four, it is customary to check with one of the convenors, who would also know if the Shelter area was likely to be occupied by another group.

ACCESS

Steenboksberg is about one and a half hour’s drive from Cape Town. The approach is from Bain’s Kloof Pass, approx 4 km on the Worcester side past the Tweede Tol Campsite, and l km past the entrance to Steenbok Park. The very insignificant entrance gate, which is on the left, is just beyond the long concrete causeway which crosses the river, if one is travelling from the top of the pass. The gate is marked simply “Privaat”. The padlock on this gate can be opened by the MCSA key. It must be left locked at all times. The MCSA key also opens the padlock on the register box at the car park and also the padlock on the Shelter.

To reach the Club property, first drive along the gravel road (2.2km and in good condition for saloon cars). The Club has formalised access over the Killian property 210(1). The parking area is also on privately owned land. MCSA stickers must be displayed. Sleeping overnight when arriving late at the car park is allowed but no fires must be made. PLEASE SIGN THE REGISTER ON ARRIVAL AT THE CAR PARK. This is important, for safety reasons in the fire season, and for control of possible trespassers.

From the car park, first cross the main river. This may prove to be a problem after heavy rain.  Then cross another riverbed and continue a short distance to where the path forks.

To go to the SHELTER, take the right fork. This path keeps to the left of the river, climbs at one stage when a dogleg in the river is reached, and then proceeds up the valley to the Shelter, taking about 45 minutes. A notice board marks the boundary of the Club property.

The left fork is the VEEPOS path, which continues straight up the ridge first to the SPLIT ROCK CAMP, and then on to Perennial Stream campsite, the Little Kraal campsite and on to VEEPOS. Members should remain on this path, which is on private property, Steenbok Park. We do however have very friendly relations with the owners, and in fact several club members are shareholders in the Park. After climbing for about an hour or more, the path reaches the MCSA notice board, just before Split Rock.

ACCESS RULES AND GUIDELINES

1. In terms of the standard rules for Club properties, GUESTS are limited to two per member for overnight visits and four per member for day visits.
2. MEMBERSHIP CARDS must be carried at all times, and no member may lend his key to a non-member nor make a copy of  this key.
3. As a general guideline, PARTIES SHOULD BE LIMITED to not more than 12 persons. Parties greater than eight in number on a day trip should inform one of the convenors of their intended visit. Permission for educational groups to exceed this number is usually granted, provided a MCSA member is present. For Club meets, prior arrangements have to be made with one of the convenors.
4. Authorisation from one of the convenors must be obtained for any access request not covered by these rules.
5. Steenboksberg has always been managed according to the "Wilderness" concept, as it is an ecologically rich and sensitive area. (Lists of trees, flowering plants, indigenous fish etc. available from convenors). Development is kept to a minimum and CONSERVATION NEEDS HAVE PRIORITY THROUGHOUT THE PROPERTY. Flora, fauna, water sources, riverbeds, caves, rock paintings, drystone walls, fish and frogs and other natural features are to be protected and remain undisturbed. The property was declared a NATURAL HERITAGE SITE (No 297) in 1999.
6. NO DOGS are allowed on the property.
7. ALL RUBBISH is to be taken out.
8. NO FIRES are allowed on the property at any time of the year. This ruling is to be strictly adhered to.
9. THE RIVER BANKS are not to be disturbed, neither the trees nor the bushes growing on the edges, nor the rocks in the pools. No new access points to water and pools are to be broken open. Pollution of the river is to be prevented and NO SOAP is to be used.
10. There is a TOILET at the Shelter. It is a "long-drop". This means that only normal toilet paper must be used. No other material must be dropped into it, no newspaper, tampons, packaging or any kind. This must be strictly observed. Small children must be supervised. The lid must be carefully removed and carefully replaced after use.
11. The HAKEA problem. Many members have worked for many years to control the hakea, and the work still continues. The last fire was in February 1995, and there is now hakea coming up again. Please carry gardening gloves and spend some time pulling or cutting this. The situation is not in fact as threatening as it might at first appear. The beetles and moths (Erytenna consputa and Carposina autologa) which have been released according to our programme of biological control are proliferating, and the number of adult seeds is much reduced. Please report to the convenors any sizeable patches of hakea noticed, taking note also of the seed load, and also any work done or planned.
12. GROUPS. If given permission to take a group onto the property, leaders are requested to read out or to reiterate the above guidelines. The leaders are regarded as totally responsible for the behaviour of their parties.
13. Please fill in the REGISTER AT THE CARPARK and also if you visit the Shelter area, the VISITORS'  BOOK.