The Rocklands season

When exactly should you come?

June to August, if you can pick your dates — the coldest, driest window and the best friction of the year. May and September are the shoulder: still good, noticeably quieter, and the trade-off is warmer, more variable weather. Note that April is almost entirely out — the season only opens on the 30th — and October closes on the 1st, so neither month gives you a usable trip. The bouldering follows the cold: the colder and drier the air, the better the rock feels under your fingers.

What is the weather like in Rocklands?

Cold mornings, mild sunny middays, and rain that arrives in fronts. Through the climbing season the nearest weather station, Clanwilliam, averages daily highs of 20-21°C (68-70°F) and lows of about 7°C (45°F) in June, July and August. Rocklands sits several hundred metres higher, up and over the Pakhuis Pass, so reckon on 3-5°C (5-9°F) colder than these figures — and colder again in the shade of a north-facing boulder at eight in the morning.

Averages for Clanwilliam, ~25 km down the pass and ~700 m lower, from Weather Spark. Celsius is the South African unit and the source figure; Fahrenheit and inches are converted and rounded. Rocklands runs colder. These are averages, not a forecast — check one before you drive up.

Dress in layers you can shed by ten and put straight back on at four. The pattern that matters is the cold front: it sweeps in, dumps rain over a day or two, and then leaves behind the crisp, cold, dry air that gives you the best climbing of the trip. Plan for it rather than against it.

Does it rain in Rocklands during the climbing season?

Yes — the wet months are the climbing months. The Cederberg has a winter rainfall climate, which is the awkward bargain of the place: the cold that gives you friction is delivered by the same fronts that give you rain. June is the wettest month at about 64 mm (2.5 in), July about 56 mm (2.2 in), August about 43 mm (1.7 in).

What this means in practice: wet sandstone must be left alone. Rocklands rock is fragile when saturated and holds break off it — climbing on it wet damages the problem permanently, for everyone after you. Give it a day of sun and wind after real rain. Build rest days into the trip so a wet spell costs you nothing you had counted on. What to do on a rest day →

Can you climb in Rocklands in summer?

No — the boulders are closed. CapeNature issues permits only between 30 April and 1 October, so from October to April there is no legal climbing at Rocklands, whatever the guidebook photos make you want to do.

It is also simply the wrong weather. January and February average highs near 34°C (93°F), and the valley pushes higher on a bad day; the sandstone turns slick and greasy and the friction that makes Rocklands special is gone. Come in winter. It is not a compromise — the cold is the attraction.

Is it busy in the peak?

Yes — June to August brings climbers from all over the world, and daily access is capped at 100 climbers a day. In the peak, buy your permit online ahead of time and book your bed well in advance rather than leaving either to chance.

Last updated August 2026 · conditions vary year to year with the weather