The Langeberg lies in the transitional zone between winter and all-year rainfall regions. Grootvadersbosch has an average annual rainfall of about 1 050 mm. Drier periods are from May to July and December to January with peaks of rainfall in Spring (October) and Autumn (May). Berg wind conditions prevail from May to July. The mid- winter weather can be bright sunshine with snow on the mountains so do not expect the cold damp winter weather often typical of Cape Town in winter.

The southern slopes of the Langeberg are covered with sandy, leeched soils known as Table Mountain Sandstone or TMS and are often strewn with rocks and boulders but are covered with Cape Mountain Fynbos. The Worcester Fault separates this from the more threatened bokkeveld shale which is more fertile and as a result has been heavily planted for crops, making its typical grassveld - renosterveld - one of the most threatened biomes in the country. In the fault itself there is Afromontane forest where most of the 35 typical forest tree species are present, including stinkwood, yellowwood, red alder and the dominant ironwood.