silvermine/topside 6pm closure

[GlennM]

On Wednesday while walking up the road from Silvermine gate 2 we were told by the military guys who often drive the road that SANParks no longer allows any activities up there after 6pm, and that they have been asked to tell anybody seen up there after 6pm to bugger off. We told them they were talking rubbish (politely) but they were having none of it, so we left (only to return 10 mins later). We saw them chase off a few other runners and dog walkers too.

Until recently the rule always was: Gate closes at 6pm, so if you want to be there after 6pm you park outside but activities are allowed anytime between sunrise and sunset. This is what is says on the sign at the entrance. But I lifted this off the SANParks site today:

"Due to operational constraints, the Silvermine Gate 2 parking area will now be open for entry at 08:00 throughout the year. The closing times for this access point remain unchanged (18:00 throughout the year). For the other open access points to these Silvermine trails (6 access points), entry is still permitted from sunrise, exit by sunset."
https://www.sanparks.org/parks/table_mo ... ctions.php

This seems a bit ambiguous to me, but can be interpreted as meaning that if you use this gate you have to be out be 6pm, though it does not apply to the other gates (e.g. Echo valley).

SANParks or the military peeps are only ever at this spot when they open and close the gate at 8:00 or 18:00. So you can avoid this nonsense if you avoid arriving at these times.

[Richard]

I had a similar issue on Saturday evening. They let me in with the warning that I had better not call them if I got into trouble???
I agree that it's simply best to time your arrival for a little while before, or after, 6:00pm.