Khanpur Cave sits in the hills north-west of Islamabad, close to the Khanpur Dam and the green reservoir that spreads below the town of Khanpur, and it is one of the older places on this ride. Archaeological work in the cave has found evidence of prehistoric occupation, with people sheltering here long before any of the cities and monasteries in the valley were built. It is a reminder that the Taxila region was inhabited for a very long time before it became famous.
The cave is modest, a rock shelter in a dry, scrubby hill, and what makes it affecting is the idea of people living here in the Stone Age, hunting in the forests of the foothills and drinking from the Haro River. The river runs down from the Margalla Hills and the hills of Hazara, and the dam built across it in the 1980s now supplies water to Islamabad and Rawalpindi, as well as irrigating fields. On the lake, there are boats and picnic spots, and families come on weekends.
The surrounding scenery is green by the standards of the region. Low hills covered in thorny scrub and olive-like trees give way to terraced fields, and in spring the almond and peach blossom brightens the hillsides. The air in the foothills is clear in winter and hazy in summer. Monkeys sit along the roadsides, and birds of prey wheel over the lake. The area is part of the wider Taxila region, and the dam, the cave and the ancient sites make a good day out together.
For a rider the roads here are narrow and winding, with sharper bends than on the plain and sudden climbs, and the tarmac is usually decent but patched. Dust, loose gravel and slow trucks are common, and in the monsoon, from about July to September, landslides and washouts can block roads. Weekends bring heavy traffic to the lake. Ride carefully on the bends, and keep an eye out for livestock.
Fuel is sold in Khanpur and on the main road, though Islamabad, about fifteen kilometres away, offers a much wider choice, and Haripur to the north has bigger markets. Bring water and snacks, as the cave itself has no facilities.
Visit on a clear morning in winter or early spring, when the hills are green and the air is cool. A flask of tea on the shore makes a nice end.