MAN AND THE CHANGING WORLD

Quathlamba

“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

This blog is all about the Drakensberg Mountains and its Wilderness area, South Africa. I have lost my heart and soul to this area and every single time I hike these mountains, I stand in awe all over again at this magnificent beauty.

“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.

GREAT THINGS ARE EXPERIENCED WHEN MEN, MOUNTAINS AND A WILDERNESS MEET”

UNKNOWN

MAN AND THE CHANGING WORLD

Man is only one of three million species that inhabit this earth, but he already consumes more food than all land mammals put together. During the Stone Age period, the world’s human population consisted of some one million people. It took until 1850 to reach one thousand million. Only 80 years later, in 1930, the world’s human population doubled itself to two thousand million. In 1960 it was estimated at three thousand million and in 1975 it was expected to reach four thousand million, with the probability of eight thousand million by the year 2000.

   From the outset man was more intelligent than other living creatures and was therefore able to successfully adapt and overcome the difficulties confronting him. During the Ice Age, man covered himself in skins instead of migrating to warmer climes. He then discovered fire and began to build shelters. From eating berries, fruits and roots, he learned to grow crops and to rear animals for meat, milk, and skins. He started to trade, which led to road systems and eventually the building of ships which connected him with other continents.

   With each progression, man has advanced in all fields of life. Industry and scientific advancement have swept ahead without man learning to manage his world and its resources more rationally.

   Rivers and lakes have silted up through soil abuse and incorrect farming methods. Usable water is becoming scarcer each day due to silt and pollution: only 1 percent of the earth’s water supply is now of use to man.

   Atomic power can be very useful to man, but already man has polluted the earth with radio-active dust. Unwise use of poisoning insecticides resulted in poisoning plants, animals and human beings, too. Factories have spilt their effluents into rivers, lakes, and seas, until they can take no more. We burn coal, paraffin and other fuels which not only pollute the atmosphere but take a long time to replace.

   In the early days of the earth, people such as the Red Indians and the Bushmen lived in harmony with their environment; they knew that their lives depended on knowledge of sound ecological concepts. Today, we are only beginning to learn. We cannot treat our planet as if it were limitless in its supply. All sources of energy come to us from the sun via plants. The coal and fuel we burn, the petrol we use, have this energy. We are using these, our natural resources, as if they would never run out, but already we have over-used some of our sources of energy which took millions of years to form.

 BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE

   The litter problem in the world is enormous. Millions of tons of litter have to be disposed of daily. This involves a tremendous amount of money; also, a large amount of this litter is not recycled and is therefore absolute waste. Charity begins at home, so must we, in our own minds, be pollution and litter conscious. Plastics and bottles, papers and tins, are left by many careless people in our beauty spots, whether it is in mountains or in water. Apart from spoiling our beautiful heritage, these things can become a source of danger.

   So litter, water, soil, food and our needs become a personal responsibility, where, with self-discipline, we must learn not only to respect ourselves but our environment too.

   There is only one earth and it is not very large; the bio-sphere is even smaller, and what nature has created and developed over millions of years, and which allows our planet to teem with life for our wise use, is rapidly being shattered to such a degree that if we do not do something NOW, it will be too late.

The End.

Safe Hiking.

References and Acknowledgements

From the book – Walk through the Wilderness – C Walker & D Richards

Photos – Willem Pelser

Compiled by Willem Pelser

THE VALUE OF HIKING A WILDERNESS

Quathlamba

“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)

DRAKENSBERG WILDERNESS PHOTOS © WILLEM PELSER

“HIS WALK IS AN ADVENTURE AND HIS DEPARTURE AN ESCAPE. HE HAS A KIND OF TURBULENT PLEASURE, BETWEEN FEAR AND ADMIRATION”

DR. S JACKSON

THE VALUE OF HIKING A WILDERNESS

After a hiking trip of a few days one always return with a sense of being refreshed and with new enthusiasm for one’s work. One feels as if one has undergone a physical and spiritual rejuvenation. This is so because hiking does not merely involve the movement of one’s legs – it involves the sum total of one’s being.

Hiking helps you to get to know yourself

Man is a being that can be counted – he is this or that special, unique being. In our mass society, however, man becomes a mere number, and you can list them: ID number, student number, passport number, tax number, car registration number, bank account number and at the end…….a grave number.

Man is not a cypher, though.  Each human being is a unique, special creature. Each person needs time to get to know himself, apart from getting to know the world around him. If you are always on the run you cannot discover yourself or your unique abilities or qualities. There is no better form of relaxation which can promote the “turning inwards” than hiking in the wilds. The restful manners in which this type of recreation is practiced and the environment in which it is done are perhaps the most important reasons for this.

Hiking will allow you to breathe again

Man does not only have a spatial dimension, i.e. inhabit a specific space. He also experiences space – or the lack of it.

Many people’s living space has nowadays become very limited: an office by day and a room in a flat by night. Some become so used to it that they develop a fear of open spaces when they drive through vast open landscapes. Others, who were used to more space, suffer from persistent claustrophobia.

It can also be dangerous when one begins to experience the small space in which one finds oneself every day as the real world. Physical, spatial limitations can add to spiritual impoverishment.

If you have ever been tempted to think of yourself as being something special, look up to the heavens and reflect on the following: You are not even a speck on the face of the earth. The earth itself in turn, is an insignificant almost burnt out planet of an unimportant star floating in the immeasurable distances of space. The distances are so enormous that they are not measured in kilometers but in light years.

These spaces are so enormous that they threaten to overwhelm one completely. Fortunately we do not experience these distances, which completely surpass our limited intellects, in this way when we are out in the open at night marveling at the beauty of the stars. The small amount of space that we can experience is just enough to let us breath again.

Hiking brings you to life, real life

Together with the animal man rises above grass, flowers, and trees, because man also has senses. Man is a physical being, who can hear, see, small, taste, and touch. Plants do not have these senses and therefore cannot experience pain or joy.

Psychologically hiking allows a renewal of one’s humanity. It teaches you to realize anew the privilege of having these senses and to be able to use them. Somebody has rightly observed that “Nature is filled with wonderful things which are patiently waiting for our senses to be sensitized to them.”

You are filled with a child’s sense of joy and wonder that you have eyes to drink in the beauty of color and line.

Sit down quietly for a moment, and you will hear sounds which have never penetrated your awareness. In the wilderness, where the silence is almost tangible, there is always the rustling whimper of the wind or the noise of a stream – talking to itself to exorcise the solitude!

In the wilderness you discover that you still have a nose. Hike through the forest and grasslands and smell all the herbs growing wild around you.

You feel the scorching sun and the bite of the cold.

What you eat tastes good again. To hike literally adds savor to your life.

So-called modern, civilized people have to be taught how to use their senses again. This does not happen by itself – it is an art which our primitive ancestors knew far better than we do nowadays.

Furthermore, one acquires self-control, discipline, and perseverance on the hiking trail.

This is apart from the fact that most of us – often unconsciously – carry excess baggage of emotional tensions and stresses. Hiking purifies you of this and creates a new sense of balance.

Hiking makes you think clearly

In spite of what evolutionism wishes to teach, man is not simply a highly-developed primate. Apart from the facets already mentioned man has at least nine more dimensions, which make him tower above the animal. His reasoning ability does not only differ a little from that of animals – it is totally different.

Not much can be said about the value of hiking for our intellectual ability – why do you think philosophers and other learned people liked walking so much? You have probably experienced this personally. Perhaps you have also sat struggling with a problem for hours, finally to give up and go for a walk around the block. The result? You are suddenly able to think clearly again – problem solved!

A hiking trip is not only good for one’s legs but also for one’s brain. Apart from which it also gives you a new perspective on matters. And it is important to retain perspective because however interesting our work might be, we easily fall into a glum and monotonous routine.

The End.

Safe Hiking.

References and Acknowledgements

From the book – the enchanting world of the Drakensberg Mountains –

                               B vd Walt

Photos – Willem Pelser

Compiled by Willem Pelser

DRAKENSBERG - HIKING MDEDELELO (CATHKIN PEAK) WILDERNESS

Quathlamba

“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

This blog is all about the Drakensberg Mountains and its Wilderness area, South Africa. I have lost my heart and soul to this area and every single time I hike these mountains, I stand in awe all over again at this magnificent beauty.

“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.

“THE PROPER FUNCTION OF MAN IS TO LIVE,

NOT EXIST”

I SHALL NOT WASTE MY DAYS IN TRYING TO PROLONG THEM,

I SHALL USE MY TIME”

JACK LONDEN

DRAKENSBERG 
HIKING MDEDELELO

(CATHKIN PEAK) WILDERNESS

The Cathkin Range: Cathkin Peak (on the left) also known as Mdedelelo

This 20 000 ha wilderness area takes its name from the Zulu name for Cathkin Peak. The area is characterized by deep valleys and imposing peaks with familiar landmarks such as Champagne Castle, Gatberg and Dragon’s Back – an impressive range of free-standing block-shaped peaks. A contour path links the wilderness areas in the north with Ndedema Gorge with its wealth of rock paintings, as well as Cathedral Peak , and in the south with Giant’s Castle Reserve.

Area Description

   One of the most popular routes onto the Little Berg from Monk’s Cowl reserve is via the Sphinx and Verkykerskop. This is the usual route onto the contour path and hence also to the higher peaks and passes.

   Dominating the scenery is Cathkin Peak (3 149m), from which the area derives its Zulu name, Mdedelelo. The name is translated as “make room for him” and refers to the prominent position of Cathkin which seemingly pushed the other peaks aside to make room for itself.

   To the north of Cathkin Peak is another well-known peak, Sterkhorn (2 973m), also known as Mount Memory. Further north is The Tower (2 670m) and the Amphlett(2 620m). Although Champagne Castle (3 377m) can lay claim to being the second highest peak in South Africa, it is almost completely obscured by Cathkin Peak when approached from this direction.

   The contour path is reached about 5,5 km from Monk’s Cowl camp and provides access to either the south-eastern parts of Mdedelelo or the north-western parts of the wilderness area. Construction of the contour path to link Cathkin and Cathedral Peak areas began in 1937 under the guidance of J van Heyningen, the forester-in-charge of Monk’s Cowl at the time. The path was subsequently extended.

   By following the path to the left you can backpack to Injasuthi, some 21 km to the south-east. The right-hand route leads to Ndedema Gorge and further afield to the Organ Pipes and to just below Cathedral Peak. Hlatikulu Neck is reached after 2,5 km and here you can turn right if you wish to explore the north-eastern part of Mdedeleo. This area offers several options, including the Mhlwazini River Valley, the Valley of the Pools in the Nkwazi River and Eland Cave which has the largest number of paintings of in cave in the Drakensberg.

The cave is not indicated on the map and you will have to obtain directions from the office. The cave takes its name from the group of eland near the centre of the frieze which contains more than 1 600 individual paintings. A large eland, measuring nearly I m in length, was superimposed on human figures, as well as a roan – an animal rarely portrayed in rock paintings. Other paintings include bush pig, running human figures, two figures with the appearance of winged buck and what is thought to be a beehive with bees.

   Should you continue along the contour path, the turn-off to Gray’s Pass is reached on your left, 1,5 km further on. This path brings you to Keith Bush Camp, a beautiful campsite surrounded by cliffs on three sides at the head of the Mhlawazini River, about 4 km beyond the turn-off. Between Monk’s Cowl office and Keith Bush Camp, a distance of approximately 13.5 km, you will gain some 870 m in altitude and, depending on your physical condition, about six to seven and a half hours will be required.

   Gray’s Pass is the most popular route to the escarpment in the area and, although it is only 2,5 km long, you will gain roughly 700 m in altitude. The ascent starts a short distance above the camp and as you gain height you will have your first uninterrupted view of Monk’s Cowl (3 234 m). It is one of the most challenging peaks in the Drakensberg with some G – grade rock climbs and it was not until 1942 that it was successfully scaled.

   Nkosazana Cave near the top of the pass is a good place to spend the night on the escarpment. It is situated next to a perennial stream which sometimes flows through the cave in summer, limiting accommodation to about four people. During winter the cave can accommodate up to ten people, but could be iced up after heavy snowfalls.

From the top of the pass it is an easy walk of about 3 km to Champagne Castle (3 377 m). You can either return via Gray’s Pass, or descent along Sip’s Prow Pass, south of Champagne Castle. The descent immediately south of Champagne Castle is extremely dangerous and should not be used under any circumstances. Continue heading south instead for about 1 km where the easier descent of about 4,5 km to the contour path commences.

Another backpacking option is to follow the contour path to Ndedema Gorge, which is about 28 km from Monk’s Cowl office. An impressive sight along this route is Gatberg – an enormous hole through its base. The Zulu name of this unusual formation, Intunja, is translated as “the eye of the needle” and “the hole in the mountain through which the shepherds can creep”.

   The gaping hole through the basalt has a diameter of about 9 m. Also conspicuous is the Dragon’s Back, a spur of free-standing, block-shaped peaks extending from the escarpment and Eastman’s Peak and Ridge.

   Although a contour path is theoretically followed, this is a strenuous walk which takes you through the Mhlawazini and Nkosazana river valleys with long downhills followed by steep ascents. Some 400 m in altitude are lost over the last 4 km to Ndedema Gorge.

The End.

Safe Hiking

References and Acknowledgements

Photos –Willem Pelser

Compiled by - W Pelser