Le Volcan

The volcano was really what swayed the decision to come to Reunion. Unfortunately, the weather wasn't great - so no commanding views of the island from the top, and not even a clear picture of the summit. On the plus side, it did make the hiking easier.

The route is very well signposted and with a trail of people, it's not difficult to travel. There are two ways to access the site - from a car park that deposits you about 5mins out, or from the gîte that's about 15-20 mins hike away. 

We started at the gîte, so it's a small uphill first followed by a very steep downhill. The hike up the volcano is itself not that steep; but the terrain is very difficult. The main volcano crater is somewhat hidden from the highest point in the outer crater which was interesting, although without any clear views, this was not immediately noticeable. 

We started early - we left the gîte around 06:40, and yet by the time we got to the entrance people were already finished!

The gate at the start gives an ominous notice.

It's a very steep path down, and a very annoying climb up. The guard rails are a bit weak - a few more tugs and pulls may lead to some dangerous results. the landscape is very alien while the flora is very similar to fynbos. The fynbos like flora makes sense - this is a landscape with very little water. 

Probably my clearest picture of the volcano summit and the path there. The part in the foreground is Formica Leo - not sure what it is other than a ochre coloured heap of interesting rocks of gravel like consistency. It's fun to see - unfortunately the colors didn't come out as well as I would have liked.

There are many nooks and cracks and other strange rock formations. At the base of the outer crater climb is Chapelle de Rosemont, which from the distance does look like a chapel, and could be a handy shelter in the rain.

This is an active volcano, and there are numerous observance zones and measuring devices (I assume) around the place. The place is mostly barren past Formica Leo, but sometimes there are a few plants trying to take over!

As you go further up the crater, there are far more interesting rock formations. Some are very colourful, and surprisingly light.

Despite the bad weather, the crater was fully visible and well worth the hike. The colours of the rock were amazing, and you can even see the evidence of the most recent eruption from this crater at least. There was however, no visible lava flows.

This was one of my most interesting hiking experiences, and is certainly a highlight of Reunion.

Roche Marveilleuse (Wonderful Rock)

It's about 3km hike up from the spa, or a short drive with absolutely stunning views of Piton des Neiges and the Cirque de Cilaos. We did it fairly early, so it was quite cool (needed an additional layer of clothing) and the hike is mostly through the forest, so it's shaded most of the way up.

The view of Piton des Neiges is immediately to the left as you finish the hike. There is an awesome view point (a short climb up some steps) and a picnic area a bit further up the road. The view point gives a full 360 - so worth coming here, especially on a clear day. We walked the road back - Buttner distance was more or less the same.

Bassin Bleu

One of the shortest hikes is to the top of the waterfall (if one can call it a waterfall), which is a short detour to the slightly longer hike to Roche Marveilleuse. There are great views of the mountains and it is a relatively easy hike.

Hell Bourg's Old Thermal Baths

The village of Hell Bourg started as a spa destination for the rich and famous, with a natural hot spring. Over time, the hot springs lost its mojo, and then a few failed attempts to fix and a cyclone caused landslide ended the baths permanently. Now the village is the centre for hiking and related activities and the ruins of the old baths are one more addition on the tourist stop. It's a short hike from the main village street, and can be accessed as a loop with the road around Hell Bourg.

3 Cascades

Hell-Bourg is one of the key villages along the hiking routes on Reunion, so there are a number of options for hikes ranging from under an hour all the way to full day hikes (and off course the multi day hikes). The 3 Cascades (waterfall) hike was labelled as a short, easy 90 minute return hike by the tourist office. The 90 minutes was spot on, but it was hardly easy - while not technical, the hike has a very steep ascent from the start point with very short respites all the way to the waterfall. The route itself is mostly in the shade, surrounded by large bamboo.

You can hear the waterfalls before you see them, with the main trail ending rather abruptly by a small shrine. There is a small pool, with cold fresh water - but not more than just wetting your feet. At the far end, is the main waterfall - spectacularly set against the lush vegetation. Just to the left, is a steep drop to an amazing looking pool - though I could see now way down.

We met an older French couple on the trail, who spoke a bit of English, and had a small printout of the trail. Just before the end of the trail is a small detour by a bamboo grove and behind a fence, there is a short lookout by a dam, providing a better view of the main falls. Without this information, I don't think I would have found it - haven't seen it written elsewhere in English!

The return is uneventful, although the steepness of the climb is equally difficult to go down. There are great views of Hell Bourg once you clear the trees.

Constantia Nek to the Dams

It has been more than a decade since I had gone up all the way up the trail at Constantia Nek. The weather started off as perfect for hiking - warm (but not hot), cloudy with a light breeze. By the time we got to the top, it was foggy, cold, with a steady drizzle. So, unfortunately there were no amazing views of the bay and Cape Flats or of the dams. We took refuge at a small museum chronicling the building of the dams, including a steam engine, an ironsmith's forge and a few other bits and pieces; to wait out the drizzle before heading back. 

Poor weather aside, it's a good hike with a lot less people - need to do it again on a day without the tablecloth.

Uitkyk

The views from the top are stunning, especially on a clear day. Unfortunately, there's not much more to say about the hike up to the top - the rest of the scenery is rather drab, and the hike itself is not very exciting. It is basically up and down, and although it's a steep climb, it's not much of a challenge if you are not unfit. In terms of logistics, secure parking is available at the start at the Risski Estate; and the trail is relatively well marked and maintained. Reservations are required, and the minimum group number is 6; although for us, there was no one there to check either the permits or the group number. See the Footprint page for more details.

Table Mountain via Kasteelspoort and Corridor Ravine

I have hiked up Table Mountain numerous times, but yesterday was the first time I went up on the Camps Bay side of the mountain. Thanks to R, who seems to go up on the various routes up table mountain often, K and I got a different experience up the mountain.

We started at intersection of Kloofnek, Signal Hill and Table Mountain - and the first few kilometres is quite an easy countour path (I see it is often referred to as the pipe track); with glorious views of Camps Bay and Lion's Head. Unfortunately, the thick tablecloth at the top meant that the views from the top were non existent.

The push up Kasteelspoort is relatively steep, but well maintained path. With the strong wind and thick cloud, I found the last push to be difficult but I think this route is actually easier than Platteklip Gorge.

We stayed only for a short while at the top (given the absence of any views); and and down the Corridor Ravine - about 1 Km away. The descent was steep, on a rocky and sandy trail which eventually meets up with a jeep track around the base. Once we cleared the cloud, there was a great view of the 12 Apostles Hotel and surrounding area.

I am not sure I can rely on Strava's data from yesterday, but it looks accurate based on the other data I have seen. The full path was approx 14 Km, with the one major ascent, which is a good distance and route profile for a day hike.