November-itis. It’s a real thing, you know. It’s that shitty feeling of overwhelming fatigue so many of us seem to suffer from at the end of the year. And this being 2025, it seems to have arrived earlier than normal.
So when I heard about the opening day of New World Crag with an outdoor climbing comp — Rock Rally style — I was not terribly excited. But then I found out there are over 60 routes (with space for lots more), and some of them are multi-pitches. Multi-pitches, guys! Multi-pitches! And when I realised that this new climbing venue is only a smidgen further than our beloved (but now lost) Chosspile, I realised I didn’t really have an excuse anymore.
I roped in my husband and entered us as Mr and Mrs Brown. (Easy, I thought — just dress in brown.) And so, Saturday morning’s “dress rehearsal” — i.e. 15 minutes before we needed to leave — saw us still sorting out outfits. Finally, suitably (and in my husband’s case, comfortably) dressed, we made the pleasant drive and arrived early enough to have a good perusal of the campsite before heading to the starting line.
The campsite is a long, thin strip spread out along a mostly dry watercourse, shaded by huge indigenous trees. As a girl, of course, the first thing I went to check out was the bathrooms — which, I’m happy to report, although rustic, are clean and work well. So much better than the “pick a tree” option we ladies often have to suffer the indignity of at other climbing venues. Each ablution block even has a small donkey boiler, so hot showers are an option after a hard day’s climbing.
Then we went to join the other competitors. Some people had gone all out with fancy dress — it’s worth checking out the photos! Such fun. Others were there for the serious part, adding up possible points, talking about strategy and focus. Rather intimidating. Mr and Mrs Brown, however, were there to use this opportunity to explore the new crag and try to climb at least one route in each of the nine sectors. (Lacking strategy and competitive spirit, this was never going to happen — but we had fun anyway.)
And so the gun went off — and being Africa, it was a real gun — and the super keen guys took off at a run, with the rest of us streaming gently behind them.
The walk-in is gorgeous. You start flat, then gently wind your way into a Magaliesberg kloof. The path is initially wide, gentle, and well maintained. As you enter the kloof it gets more and more challenging, until the upper section involves true scrambling, with creative wooden ladders and driftwood stepping stones.
Without much effort, we arrived at Beginners Buttress and knocked off a really nice warm-up climb amidst much laughter and chatter. I have to admit, it’s such fun watching someone climb in a wonderfully large red skirt and spangly top. Well done, Kayli!
Then we made our way up to the next sector — called Sauf Afrikan Wall — and knocked off a beautiful lower-grade 32m route. Moving further along, the rock changed from large and knobbly to slabby. The rock is absolutely beautiful — quite different from anywhere else. It’s twisty-turny to climb, sometimes small and on angle, sometimes bigger and truly steep and I found a couple of knee bars and heel hooks in the lower grades.
On the Beyond Limits sector, we did a magnificent two-pitch climb. Twice — but that’s a different story. The stance has been thoughtfully situated on a ledge beneath a tree, with fantastic views up and down the cliff.
Then, Mr and Mrs Brown decided to go find the cave. Honestly, I was expecting a small recess where you could huddle during a thunderstorm. What we found was a huge, overhanging, magnificent cave with stupidly hard routes going through the roof. (We didn’t try any!)
The day passed in a blur of climbing, exploring the sections, chatting to people, and eating peanut butter sandwiches.
The organisers had thought of everything. The paths are cleared and well marked. Each route is clearly labelled and even colour-coded. There’s a set of beautiful big rings at the top of each climb, making cleaning quick and easy. They even organised rain the day before, so there was fresh, sweet Magaliesberg water — delicious!
Finally, the airhorn went off and we made our way back to the finishing line to submit our admittedly underwhelming scorecard. Then, unfortunately, it was back to adulting — so we dissapointingly missed prize-giving. Sadness.
In the end, Mr and Mrs Brown may not have topped the leaderboard, but the real victory lay in the unforgettable climbs, the breathtaking views, and the laughter and camaraderie shared along the way. New World Crag truly is a gem — and I can’t wait to go back.
