“A
mass of Spears. Named thus by the Zulu warriors before the white man came.
Today called the Drakensberg, Mountains of the Dragon, a name given by the
Voortrekkers. Evocative names, both equally applicable to South Africa’s
mightiest mountain range with its spear-like peaks – reminiscent of the
saw-toothed spine of a gigantic dragon.”
Panorama April 1966
“Listen to the streams as they gurgle from their cradles and you will hear the story of the mountains. You will hear fascinating tales if only you listen! Lie next to a stream and listen to the song of the mountains. The smiling faces of the flowers, dancing in the wind. Venture into the remote valleys or stand on a peak at sunrise or sunset, after snow has fallen, and you will hear a song that you will never forget - the Song of the High Mountain". (DA Dodds)
Hiking adventures, hiking gear reviews, day walks, accommodation, books, articles and photos, all related to these magnificent mountains will feature here.
Should you want to accompany me on a hike, or need some information or advice, please make contact with me. I hope you enjoy the articles.
Please visit the archive for some more interesting stories, photos and reviews.
Please note that all photos on this blog are copyright protected. If you would like to obtain
Photos please make contact with the author, Willem Pelser.
“THUNDER ROLLS AND ECHOES AMONG
PEAKS THAT WERE BORN IN FIRE”
DRAKENSBERG
RIVERS OF FIRE
In the centre of Southern Africa, like a dark
island in a sea of grass-covered plains, there lies a gaunt, steep-sided mass
of basalt, the country’s principle watershed and its rainy roof.
The coming of this basalt was in comparatively
recent geological times, about 150 million years ago. It was as though nature
suddenly became a little bored, after taking so many long millions of years to
lay down the sedimentary rocks of the Karoo Systems. A change was indicated –
something really spectacular to mark the ending of the age of monstrous
reptiles, swamps and interminable rains.
The change took the form of a prodigious
fireworks display. Volcanic fissure after fissure erupted, pouring out lava until
at least a large area of Southern Africa was covered to a thickness of about
1500 meters. This mass of basalt, known as the Drakensberg Volcanics, flowed
from the ruptures in the earth’s mantle like rivers of fire. One flow cooled,
and was followed by another, producing distinct layers varying in thickness
from 1 meter to over 50 meters and of considerable difference in hardness and
character.
These basalts are
interesting rocks to examine. In the molten state they were full of bubbles of
gas. As the basalt cooled, the gas bubbles filled with minerals which
crystallised into the cavities. A lump of basalt resembles a dark-colored fruit
cake. Imprisoned in the rock are agates, rose-pink amethysts; calcite;
chalcedony; quartz; zeolites of lovely green shades; a great variety of agate
pebbles formed in steam holes in the upper levels; and pencil-like pipe
amygdales which formed in the lower levels, in escape tunnels made by the gas
rising from below.
The basalt is
soft and crumbly. To provide it with some backbone, nature thoughtfully
squeezed up from the depths a succession on intrusive flows of hard dolerite.
This rock worked its way between the basalt layers to form horizontal sills, or
up the original feeder channels of the basalt flows, solidifying in them to
form supporting skeletons of dolerite dykes.
This whole mass of basalt was then left by
nature to the weather. Clouds blown in from the warm Mozambique Current in the
east brought rain to this high roof. The run-off water was a cutting tool that
carved a masterpiece. Deep valleys, ravines and gorges were cut, full of
rapids, cascades, waterfalls, caves and pools. The face of the rock island was
worn back, leaving spectacular pinnacles, buttresses and precipices. Landslides
littered the approaches with giant boulders; wild valleys were deeply eroded
into the roof of the basalt island.
As it remains today, this mass of basalt
covers practically the whole of Lesotho, an area of 30 344 square kilometer. On
all sides, its aspect is of a range of gaunt mountains, known as Ukhahlamba
(the barrier), Maluti (the heights) or as Drakensberg (mountains of the
dragon), from an old legend of the sighting there of monstrous flying lizards,
breathing fire.
The whole
summit of the basalt island is a jumble of spongy, water-soaked bogs, complex,
zigzagging valleys, springs, waterfalls, streams, rivers, mist, snow and
clouds, all inextricably mixed into a gigantic scenic symphony.
The most spectacular length of the Drakensberg
looks down on KZN, Griqualand East and the north-eastern portion of the Cape.
For 350 kilometers the Drakensberg presents a high wall of basalt precipices.
There are no easy ways over this mass of rock. The few passes are steep, zigzag
routes following water-courses. Bridle paths, wilderness trails and tracks
follow the contours along the lower slopes, but it takes a mountaineer to find
a way to the summit of most of the peaks. In some areas mountain hotels and
resorts have been established. Other areas remain completely wild and difficult
of access, and demand no little endurance from those with the energy to explore
them.
Snow can fall along the Drakensberg in any month
of the year, but winter usually sees the heaviest falls. The summer months are
marked by some of the noisiest and most spectacular thunderstorms occurring
anywhere on earth. From November to May these violent storms break in two days
out of three.
Clouds start to close in for the brawl at about 11 a.m.
Preliminaries commence at about 1 p.m. with a few bangs and buffets. By 2 p.m.
there is a general uproar. To a hiker or climber caught in such a storm is something
like trying to shelter in a box of fireworks after somebody else has thrown in
a match. Tremendous flashes of lightning seem to tear the sky to pieces.
Thunder rumbles, explodes and echoes in an incessant uproar. Rain streaks down
at over 50 km an hour, usually turning into hail at some stage, with lumps of
ice the size of pigeons’ eggs.
Even more
abruptly than they started, these mountain thunderstorms end. The clouds
suddenly lift, there is a real flaming sunset and by evening all the stars are
out, quite dazzling in the well-washed, pollution-free sky. Storms of longer
duration, accompanied by days of clammy mist, also set in at times and bring an
average rainfall of 2000 mm, the water soaking into the basalt and the oozing
out to feed the rivers.
It is now somehow less difficult to believe
the Bushmen’s tales that dragons once lurked here. The tales give the
Drakensberg its name.
What a
magical, beautiful, wild place.
Safe Hiking.
Willem Pelser – The Mountain Man
Acknowledgements
Extract from the book – Land of Beauty and Splendour – Readers Digest
Photos – Willem Pelser, The Mountain Man.
