A hidden force threatens to pry us from the mountain and send us careening into the valley below. We are following an almost non-existent, narrow path that contours a sheer grassy slope, directly above a cliff band that creates a large drop-off just below the path. The going is slow, as the extreme wind speeds make it hard to take a straight step. At times we must get on our knees and hold onto tufts of grass as the wind is so strong. A pattern develops of walking about twenty steps, feeling the first ‘warning’ gust of wind, quickly grabbing a big handful of grass to anchor yourself, then being absolutely smashed by a bullet train of wind for about a minute. We repeat this process while heading for the lower valleys, hoping for some protection from the wind, but it forces its way down every gully and depression that exists in the landscape.
Our 4-day Drakensberg mission started off at Silverstream’s campsite, in the Southern Drakensberg, close to the town of Underberg in Kwazulu-Natal. Day 1 brings wind, rain and cold conditions and we sort our gear and food in the alcove of the kitchen area, feeling in two minds about how fun this day of walking would be. After signing the Mountain Rescue register, we set off into the wilderness, keeping close to the Ngwangwane river, until we move away and up into the higher escarpment.
We had originally planned to sleep in a massive cave called Tarn cave, but another group of hikers had settled in there already, so we decided to search for another less popular cave nearby called Gargoyle cave. After a largely unsuccessful search for this cave, we stumble upon a very sheltered shepherds cave, not on our map, hidden in a gully with a strong water drip behind it. This seems like it is probably a much better option than Gargoyle anyway, so we settle in. The cave is tall enough for Lauren (my partner) to stand up in, but I must walk around hunched over (like a gargoyle!). A decanted bottle of wine is produced from my bag, and we enjoy the last light of the day sipping wine while cooking dinner with our Jetboil stove.
On Day 2 we awaken to good weather, and we walk along the Lesotho border to link up with a faint path that traverses the lower grassy slopes of three 3000 metre basalt peaks called the Devil’s Knuckles.
A large flock of Cape Vultures soars above us, and we are thrilled to see some Bearded Vultures amongst them as well. We stand and gape at them in awe, they are majestic birds! The walk along the faint path proves easier than expected, and we reach the Citadel, our next planned stop, by around midday, giving us the rest of the day to explore. The Citadel is aptly named due to its large rock formations that look like battlements on a castle or fort. It is also perched high up on a ridge with massive sandstone overhangs standing guard over the steep valley below. One of these, called Citadel cave, makes an excellent place to sleep.
The top has some big potholes full of water, which are known as Tarns. These supply drinking water for our stay, but it should be boiled or sterilized somehow before use. We find a school of large tadpoles swimming around in them, so we use chlorine tablets to be safe, no tadpole-pee-water for us thanks!
After a blustery night in the cave, we witness a beautiful sunrise, starting as dappled red and turning orange as it vanquishes the thin stratus clouds. A family of Grey Rhebok emerges to graze on the slopes opposite our cave. It includes three very small baby Rheboks, following their two parents about on the slope. A lone Jackal Buzzard waits low in the valley below us for some warm updrafts to begin, then soars majestically skyward. A Rock Martin in our cave peeks out at us sweetly, then flies off to begin his day.
We pack up and begin our 3rd day of walking. This takes us onto the saddle between Senotlolong peak and the Devil’s Knuckles. The saddle is very exposed, and we get blasted by wind so strong I can lean over into it fully and not fall over. We scuttle around off the saddle and eventually find ourselves at a cave called Goat’s cave. This is full of animal droppings and is rather dusty, so we continue down another valley to look for Lammergeier cave, our next refuge for the night.
The wind has worsened now as the valley is acting like a large funnel and concentrating the wind right where we must walk. After multiple strong gusts almost sending us head over heels, we stumble into Lammergeier cave, which is a huge slot cut into the rock face, about 100 metres long and 20 metres deep. Unfortunately for us, the wind is penetrating deep into the cave without any sign of slowing down. We decide to press on to another cave tucked away deep in a valley that should be well sheltered.
After a quick lunch behind a Therm-A-Rest Z-Lite pad, which we propped up to make a wall with our bags, we move out onto the ridge, getting absolutely pummeled by the wind. We contour out above a steep drop and must sit or kneel with our bags and grab tufts of grass to stabilize ourselves, as the wind threatens to blow us over. We try to descend quickly into the valleys below, but the wind offers no escape, penetrating every cleft available to shelter in.
Eventually we make it into a steep narrow valley, where a cave called Daniel’s Cave is situated. There we manage to find respite from the wind. The cave has a large boulder on either side of it, making it beautifully protected. After a few hours, the wind dies down and we swim in deep clear pools a few footsteps from the entrance. This is by far my favorite cave of the trip – It even has an upper level where another party of people could sleep, in addition to the main cave, which could accommodate around 12 people. We fall asleep to the sound of gurgling water rushing past in the stream. I sleep the best sleep in weeks.
The final day of the hike sees lower temperatures. The weather report had predicted snow, which we were somewhat excited about, but discovered that the weather forecast for this area was generally quite unreliable. Although cold, no snow was to be had. The walk back was mild, with mostly descending or flat terrain that crossed some beautiful streams with tiny minnows and frogs frolicking about. After a relatively uneventful walk, we arrive back at Silverstream’s campsite. That night, it buckets down with rain. We arrive back in Cape Town with sore legs, dirty clothes and a massive bag of wet hiking gear but with smiles on our faces, feeling very content.
