FLOWERS OF THE DRAKENSBERG WILDERNESS

DRAKENSBERG

KwaZulu-Natal  South Africa

Mountain of the Dragons

South Africa’s mightiest mountain range with its spear-like peaks – reminiscent of the saw-toothed spine of a gigantic dragon.

 Where Adventure beckons..........

 

DRAKENSBERG WILDERNESS PHOTOS © WILLEM PELSER

GO OUT ALONE ON THE HILLS AND LISTEN,

YOU WILL HEAR MUCH,

THE WIND AND THE STREAMS TELLS STORIES,

ALONE AMIDST NATURE,

A MAN LEARNS TO BE ONE WITH ALL AND ALL WITH ONE”

FLOWERS OF THE DRAKENSBERG

WILDERNESS

   The Drakensberg and its Wilderness is a forbidding, awe-inspiring territory caught amongst the mist and clouds of basalt peaks where waterfalls turn to columns of ice in winter. Long familiar to herdsmen and mountaineers, the area is largely inaccessible and still considered terra incognita by botanists.

   The plants may differ with every fold of the mountains, with every change in altitude, aspect, drainage, from one valley or peak to the next, clinging to cracks in rock faces, taking hold in basalt gravels or floating in shallow rock pools on the summit.

   The dramatic broken landscape of the escarpment and the harsh climatic conditions on the highlands of Lesotho account for the remarkable diverse plant life with about 2200 species and almost 400 endemics (plants found only in this area and nowhere else in the world).

   The flora of these high mountains has been recognized as one of the world’s ‘hot spots’, a centre of plant diversity of global botanical importance.

   Although the interior is exposed and windswept, its marshes, mires and sponges are the watershed of southern Africa, giving rise to rivers that flow to two oceans on opposite sides of the continent, the Atlantic and the Indian.

   The summit of the Drakensberg, which averages an altitude of 3000m, forms an almost inaccessible boundary between Lesotho and South Africa, with sheer cliffs falling 1200m in places. This beautiful area can be very bleak until the plants respond to rain and warm summer temperatures with a burst of colour, flowers carpeting the sheet rock and marshy ground on the summit.

The grasslands can be transformed into fields of flowers in response to fires, often started as a result of lightning (the area has the highest strike rate in southern Africa). People also use fire to bring on new grass for grazing.

   May of the Drakensberg and Lesotho plants are already well known to gardeners in the northern hemisphere. Some were introduced to horticulture in Britain and Europe by intrepid explorers and collectors as long ago as the late 1800’s. Although mostly unknown in gardens of southern Africa, many plants are popular and available to gardeners in Europe, Britain, USA and Japan, while horticultural hybrids and cultivars abound.

A note of caution to both the professional and the amateur plant collector – feast on these plants with your eyes and your senses only. Growing them can be difficult and, more importantly, they are protected by the nature conservation laws of South Africa. You may not collect plants without a permit.

   In 2000, the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg area was proclaimed a World Heritage Site for its rich diversity of plant and animal life, spectacular natural landscape and outstanding San rock paintings. Africa’s greatest concentration of rock art is to be found in the caves and overhangs of these mountains, with more than 600 recorded sites containing over 40000 images. The area is recognized as one of the world’s few sites that meets the criteria for both natural and cultural properties.

   The region was formed by massive volcanic activity in the Jurassic period resulting in basalt lavas covering most of the plateau and the upper face of the escarpment with dolerite intrusions. It overlays the softer Cave Sandstone which is exposed as cliffs and overhangs below the escarpment and in great wind-sculpted boulders in the south.

   The soils are black, very rich; thin on the summit plateau, deeper on the foothills. In summer the soils on the summit are often waterlogged. In winter they freeze every night. The freeze and thaw heaves the soil and stones making it an unstable habitat for plants. This activity also causes the crescent-shaped scars on the mountain slopes lower down.

   The friend of nature who wants to get to know and experience the region at its best, must come here high or late summer when the richly colored splendour of flowers unfolds most abundantly, then, like the Cape Flats in spring, this stunning and melancholy land, too, resembles a lovely garden, a more beautiful one than could hardly be imagined.

We as hikers, explorers, and adventurers have the absolute duty to respect and protect our Wildernesses. Nobody else will do it for us. Take ownership!

The End.

Safe Hiking.

References and Acknowledgements

From the book – Mountain Flowers - Elsa Pooley

Photos:  ©W Pelser

Compiled by:  Willem Pelser

NAVIGATING WITH GPS IN THE DRAKENSBERG

DRAKENSBERG

KwaZulu-Natal  South Africa

Mountain of the Dragons

South Africa’s mightiest mountain range with its spear-like peaks – reminiscent of the saw-toothed spine of a gigantic dragon.

 Where Adventure beckons..........

 

DRAKENSBERG WILDERNESS PHOTOS © WILLEM PELSER

“I LIKE THE TASTE OF FREEDOM, THE SMELL OF DANGER. SOMETIMES THE SMELL OF FEAR……….”

WILLEM PELSER

NAVIGATING WITH GPS

IN THE

DRAKENSBERG

Once you’ve mastered map and compass skills, you will appreciate the nifty extra features that a GPS receiver can bring you. Note that a GPS receiver can never replace a map and compass, and you should never go hiking in the Wilderness without it as backup to your GPS.

Confirm your position

   You will appreciate this feature if you have ever been on a broad pathless summit, any clues to your exact location blocked out by mist, wondering if you were about to walk down the wrong ridge into the wrong valley. Within a few seconds, you can create a way-point for your current location. This gives you a grid reference for where you are, and by checking your position against the map, you can get down safely.

Routes through featureless terrain

   This is where the GPS really comes into its own. Crossing valleys on a bearing is one thing, but uneven ground and the lack of features to take a bearing can make this tricky. With GPS you can set a course for a position, and even if you have to walk around dangerous terrain, and the edges of forests, the GPS will continue to point towards your way-point.

Mark way-points

   To enter way-points – anywhere you want to go – on the GPS, you have to enter the six-figure grid reference for all the features and locations you want to tick off. It’s fiddly, but take the time to do this before you set out. Useful way-points could be path junctions, the start of a ridge or crag that leads to the summit, a summit cairn, or the start of the descent path.

   You can mark your current position with the click of a button, a facility that is particularly useful if you come across a really good wild camping spot or special feature that you want to return to later.

   You can call up any of your pre-planned way-points during the walk by pressing ‘Go To’, and the moving arrow will point to the way-point, and count the distance back to it.

Routes

   A route is a series of way-points entered in the order you want to navigate them. Press Navigate, and the unit will guide you along the route. As you reach each way-point of the route your approach is counted down. When you arrive, the unit starts guiding you to the next one on the list. As mentioned above, the GPS can be ‘out’ by as much as 25 meters.

When you arrive, it is an easy operation to re-position the way-point to avoid any cumulative errors.

GPS accuracy

   In terms of accuracy the GPS will locate your position to within 10-25 meters. The way this works on the ground is if you program in a way-marker – a path junction for example- you may reach the junction 10-25 meters before the GPS says you are due to meet it, or overshoot it by the same distance. Use the map to confirm your position.

   In very tight navigation situations the consequences of even slight deviations can be serious. An example is navigating of the summit of the Escarpment in a white-out. In these conditions, it is vital to note that a GPS is an aid to navigation with a compass and map, not a replacement. In these circumstances, you should take a bearing from a known location, such as a summit cairn, with a baseplate compass.

General

   I personally use a Garmin E-Trex 20, a brilliant and utterly reliable piece of equipment which has never failed me yet. The biggest bonus is that back at home I can download all the data from the hike onto my laptop. The unit also tracks my every move and I know exactly where I was. The battery life on this unit is exceptional – two triple A batteries will last me 4 days and that is with extensive daily use. Remember, never leave your compass, and map at home.

We as hikers, explorers and adventurers have the absolute duty to respect and protect our Wildernesses. Nobody else will do it for us. Take ownership!

The End.

Safe Hiking.

References and Acknowledgements

From the book – “The Ultimate Hiking Skills – Hinkes/Bagshaw”

Photos:  Willem Pelser

Compiled by Willem Pelser

RESPECTING THE WILDERNESS

DRAKENSBERG

KwaZulu-Natal  South Africa

Mountain of the Dragons

South Africa’s mightiest mountain range with its spear-like peaks – reminiscent of the saw-toothed spine of a gigantic dragon.

 Where Adventure beckons..........

DRAKENSBERG WILDERNESS PHOTOS © WILLEM PELSER

“ALL THAT IS GOLD DOES NOT GLITTER, NOT ALL THOSE WHO WANDER ARE LOST”

JRR TOLKIEN

RESPECTING THE WILDERNESS

If you want to keep on enjoying the Wilderness, you’ve got to make sure you put back what you take out. The limited number of hiking areas and trail systems, ever-increasing hiker densities on popular trails, and ecologically insensitive hikers are taking their toll on many over-utilized routes. It requires a concerted effort from the entire hiking community to ensure that future generations can one day follow in our footsteps.

   Even though the philosophy of ’leaving nothing but footprints’ may sound like a cliché, it holds as true now, as when the first piece of used toilet paper littered a previously pristine trail. Constant awareness of the consequence of your behavior on the trail is necessary, so find out about specific rules and etiquette along the route. Often, damage is done without an individual actually realizing it, so make it your duty to educate yourself and your companions regarding environmental issues and preservation.

Fauna and Flora

   The golden rule is to stick to the designated trail, no matter how big the temptation to take a short cut or step off the path to get a better view. Trailscapers follow very specific contours and use switchbacks in order to avoid erosion, as water rushing along a footpath can soon turn it into a ravine. In delicate desert habitats, stepping off the trail may damage seedlings germinating just beneath the surface and you will also leave traces of your tracks for years to come.

  

   Be aware of your environment and try to tread in places where your footsteps will do the least damage. Limit your group size, walk in a single file, and seek out solid hard-pack or rock when you can, avoiding stepping on regrowth along trail edges. Picking flowers or plants along a route is tantamount to signing your own expulsion order from the hiking community, and do not light a fire in the Drakensberg Wilderness. It is illegal and highly dangerous and destructive. The decomposition of dead plant matter is imperative in the nutrient and mineral cycle enriching the soil, so stick to the ‘no fire and collecting of wood’ rule wherever it is enforced.

   Remember that you will be sharing the trail and its surrounding environment with snakes, spiders, wasps, scorpions, leeches, and other lovable little nasties intent on protecting what is their rightful home. Keep your distance where you can and in most cases you will be able to avoid a painful confrontation. In case you do stray into the firing line, make sure you have a well-stocked first-aid kit on hand.

If you encounter wildlife on the trail, stick to looking rather than touching. Handling an immature animal or bird might not seem wrong, but the chances are the mother will discard her offspring because of your human smell, leaving it to die. Even the most innocent animal might pack an unexpected punch, leaving you with bites or scratches that could turn septic. When approaching large animals in wilderness areas, do so with caution, giving them a wide berth if possible.

Joining a volunteer group

   Hiking is a long term commitment and it is imperative to preserve wildernesses for future generations. With urban development constantly encroaching on our green spaces, it might be necessary to throw your weight behind a pressure group, sign a few petitions, or join in a demonstration to preserve an unspoiled area.

  

   Other ways of giving back are by getting involved in trail maintenance, or by joining a hacking group to remove alien vegetation. If you notice erosion, broken signage or damage to the route while on a hike, stop for 10 minutes and do your best to repair or arrest the damage. After all, you have been using the trail and it is only fair to give something back. If there is a hiking club in your area, they will be able to advise you regarding trail maintenance; if not, assemble some friends and do it yourself.

   Hiking philosophy embraces the principles of minimum-impact hiking, so be prepared to take home whatever you carry in. A sad fact is that responsible hikers are often forced to remove waste left by less ethical hikers.

   Use biodegradable soap when bathing or doing the dishes, to prevent contaminating the ground, and always remember to wash at least 100m away from any water source.

   When urinating, step off the trail and move well away from a water source, where you can limit any damage to terrain, enjoying the view while you go.

Being environmentally friendly extends to an awareness of everything you do in the wilderness, such as pulling up invasive vegetation, or not taking short cuts that could result in erosion. At all times try to monitor your overall impact on the trail.

What to do with waste

Organic matter: Fruit and vegetable leftovers are decomposable, but may attract animals which could easily become camp site pests. Carry the leftovers out with you.

Cigarette butts: This is littering at its worst. Culprits are guilty of polluting the fresh air, leaving behind litter that takes years to bio-degrade and create a potential fire hazard. If you simply have to smoke on a hike, keep a small container on hand and take your cigarette butts home.

Human waste: Bears may do it in the woods, but this does not give you carte blanche to indiscriminately use the outdoors as your personal loo. The proper way is to take a spade and dig a hole, do your thing, ignite and burn the toilet paper before covering it all up. You must be at least 100 meters away from any water source, so start climbing if you are in a canyon.

Tampons: Take along some zip-lock bags. Seal used sanitary pads or tampons inside a double bag and pack them out.

Plastic and tin: Never leave or bury it in the wilderness. Put it back in your pack and take it home.

  

We as hikers, explorers, and adventurers have the absolute duty to respect and protect our Wildernesses. Nobody else will do it for us. Take ownership!

The End.

Safe Hiking.

References and Acknowledgements

From the book – Hiking, the essential guide to…. – J Marais

Photos – Willem Pelser

Compiled by Willem Pelser