DRAKENSBURG MOUNTAINS
After a torturous drive (someone – not me – badly programmed
the GPS ) we arrive in the dark and rain to our hostel in the Northern Drakensberg
mountains. It is like no hostel I have stayed at. Amphitheatre Backpackers. It
is very smart and trendy – in superb expansive grounds with stunning views.
There is a jacuzzi in the bar in constant use by the travelling youngsters. It
is more expensive but we have no regrets coming here but personally I have
mixed feelings. However this is an aside! The Drakensberg mountains!
The Drakensberg’s are an extensive mountain chain. They are
South Africa’s highest. Much of their length is designated as a world heritage
site. Unlike most mountain chains they were not formed by crashing tectonic
plates and pushed up as say the Alps or Himalayas but created by a crack in the
earth’s crust formed by parting tectonic plates. The crack was filled by an outpouring
of molten rock which when cooled left a hard basalt ridge. This happened many
millions of years before the Alps or Himalayas were created making the Drakensberg
some of the world’s oldest mountains. Over the subsequent millions of years a
combination of glacial and particularly water erosion has shaped the Drakensberg
to what they are today – fantastic shapes, soaring cliffs and staggering
beauty. It makes the Drakensburg a world class place to hike and trek in.
We had three days in the Drakensberg. We were amazingly
lucky with the weather. I will write subsequent blogs about our treks to
Sentinel Peak and Tugela Falls and to Lesotho. Now I will write about our
initial trek under our own steam. We set out for Rainbow Gorge in the Cathedral
Peak area.
The hike was described as “strenuous”. There was
a beautiful drive to the start at the up market Cathedral Peak Hotel. The
reality – our first hike in SA. We were blown away by the scenery. We were in
awe. We were trekking as three brothers in South Africa. We had made it happen.
We each had cameras. Every few yards was a better picture. The light was
constantly changing. Hot. The trail was initially straightforward but became
more complicated and less defined and eventually more tiring. We decided
against the necessary river crossings to get to the gorge and eventually made
the right decision to trek back. We got back at 5. My bruvs were knackered but
in great spirits. We would later realise we had only scratched the surface of
what the Drakensberg could offer but we enjoyed a challenging but wonderful
day. Some mob photos below.
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| Me feeling elated to be here. |
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| Mike gasping |
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Rob and Mike feeling the heat.
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