ONe tree hill info
Time needed: 4 -5 hours
Difficulty: Uphill and Strenuous
Hike Type: Day Hike
Pack Recommendation: 30-40L
Starting at the Cathedral Peak Hotel it’s a gentle walk for about 30 minutes passing Lake Jarred on your right, with One Tree Hill laying ahead of you. From here you’ll veer down towards the river where you’ll have to play a game of hopscotch over the rocks to cross without getting your feet wet (this didn’t work so well for me though).
From here on you’re in for a climb and it’s not a small one. The way to One Tree Hill is completely uphill, with the trail leading in a zig-zag pattern up the sheer cliff like face of the mountain. However as strenuous as the climb is, it’s so very worth it! It’s also because of elevation that it’s important to pack accordingly, taking a big pack on an uphill hike like this is not logical. You’ll need water and some snacks and maybe a small lunch to enjoy once you reach the top. For this reason we recommend the Zulu and the Jade range of packs
The view from One Tree Hill is spectacular! Not that I actually got to see much of it though, as the day we went for the hike was overcast and raining which meant that we saw clouds, mist, fog and not much else from the top. Benefit though is that we were super cool when we reached the top for lunch.
The view you should see is the entire range that makes up the Amphitheater, as well as the Cathedral Peak – Don’t worry, we’ll be heading back soon to do the full circuit and we’ll check out the view then.
One Tree Hill is part of a much longer circuit which takes you right around the the range and back to the hotel from the other side of the valley. the entire circuit is roughly 20 – 25 km’s and is more of an over night hike especially with the climbs.
Written by Gregory Packs South Africa.