Cathkin Peak - Drakensberg

“THE SAFEST WILDERNESS HIKER IS HE WHO NEVER DOUBTS HIS OWN ABILITY TO OVERCOME DIFFICULTIES”

CATHKIN PEAK

DRAKENSBERG

    If any individual peak has lived to see great and dramatic events in the history of KZN, certainly it is Cathkin Peak. This free-standing, flat-topped mass of basalt has inquisitively watched the Bushmen as they hunted and painted in its shadow. The Africans acknowledge the might of this great mountain as the thunder roared from the summit, and it is not surprising that they called it Mdedelele which means “make room for him” implying a bully.

   The first Europeans to settle in view of Cathkin Peak were the Voortrekkers who found the fertile grasslands and the sparkling streams a paradise. Their stay was short-lived because they were discontented with the British rule as well as with the unfair allotment of land and so they packed their possessions and travelled on, leaving the rolling hills and clear streams to the British Settlers.

   David Grey, one of the earliest settlers in the area came out in 1849 on the Aliwal as a British settler to Natal. He moved to a farm where he and his family lived for a while, popularly known today as the Nest Hotel. In 1863 David Grey moved to his new home which he called Cathkin after a hill near Glasgow, which bore the name Cathkin Braes. Thus Cathkin Peak got its name – a touch of Scotland added to the names of the peaks of the Drakensberg and a monument to the Byrne and British settlers who founded many towns and settlements in KZN.

   There were times of peace when the only unfamiliar noise to be heard in the valley was that made by the axes and saws of the wood-cutters whose task it was to fell beautiful old indigenous trees. All they left when they departed were ugly scars. But there were also worrying times when messengers arrived with news of war and the noise of gunfire rang through the Giant’s Castle’s gullies during the Langalibalele rebellion. Rumors of the Zulu wars must have disturbed the people living in the mountains. There were times of excitement during which imaginary fortunes were made and lost when gold was discovered near Cathkin, but it was not a payable field. Rumors of the discovery of cinnabar were whispered through the valleys, but these proved to be no more than a hoax.

   Fortunately there were those who realized the value of the indigenous forests and felt that something should be done to preserve the natural forests in the valleys of the Little Berg. But it was not until 1922 that the Cathkin Forest was proclaimed a reserve. A man who was instrumental in establishing and protecting the reserve was Carter Robinson, the man who started Cathkin Park Hotel in 1929.

   The Sterkspruit River is cradled on the eastern slopes of the Turret and Amphlett and runs down the Dragon Peak’s Caravan Park where visitors have the rare pleasure of hearing the voices of the Drakensberg Boys’ Choir School. What finer place could have been chosen for a choir school? Here the angelic voices of the boys harmonise with the winds that blow across the grasslands and the gurgling of streams.

   The dominant Cathkin spur consists of Champagne Castle which is part of the main escarpment, the Monk’s Cowl, Cathkin Peak, and Mount Memory, previously called the Sterkhorn, the Turret and the Amphlett.

   Champagne Castle can boast of being the second highest peak in the Republic. It was first climbed in 1861.During the ascent, a bottle of champagne was accidently broken and the peak was then christened Champagne Peak.

   The Monk’ Cowl was a different story. From the time that this peak was first discovered, hiding behind the mighty Cathkin, a certain mystery seemed to surround it. The first serious attempt to climb Monk’s Cowl was made in 1938. The climb ended tragically. Less than 150 meters from the summit, both climbers fell 18 meters, rolled down a grass slope and fell another 6 meters, rolled again and fell 9 meters where they came to a rest. Shaken, bruised and shocked though they were, they suffered no serious injury.

   On their way down, one of the climbers decided to find another way down and subsequently fell again and this time it was fatal. In May 1942 Monk’s Cowl was eventually climbed via the south face.

   To the north-east of the Monk’s Cowl is the Cathkin Peak with its precipitous sides. At a glance it appears impregnable but as early as 1888 two brothers found the key to the summit via the South Gully, though the failed to climb the final pitches. Eventually in 1912 a group of climbers finally stood on the flat-topped summit.

   In 1955 a new route on the north face of Cathkin was climbed. When the successful party stood on the summit, little did they know that the climb would end in tragedy. As Keith Bush was abseiling, the sling broke, and he fell to his death. In 1963 a hut was completed on the site of the old Base Camp and named the Keith Bush Hut.

   Mount Memory, previously known as the Sterkhorn, consists of a north and south peak and was first climbed in 1888. The Turret, often referred to in maps as the Tower, was first ascended in 1933. The first recorded climb of the most northern section of the spur, Amphlett Peak,  was in 1933.

   From Champagne Castle Hotel and the Monk’s Cowl camp a well-known path leads up to the top of the Little Berg, round Hlatikulu Nek, skirting the Amphlett and up the Mhlwazine Valley to the Keith Bush Hut. The path climbs steeply up to Gray’s Pass which leads to the top of the escarpment, and an easy walk takes one to the summit of Champagne Castle.

   From the top of Gray’s Pass, a stroll to the top of Nkosazana Waterfall is worthwhile, and from the edge the Dragon’s Back extends as a spur, flanking the northern aspect of the Upper Mhlwazine Valley, and ends in a peak called Ntunja or Gatberg. The latter name springs from the fact that there is an enormous hole through the basalt near its summit.

   Gatberg was first climbed in 1910.

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

Photos – Willem Pelser

From the Book – A Cradle of Rivers – The Natal Drakensberg – DA Dodds

Compiled by – Willem Pelser

WHY BACKPACK AND MULTI-DAY HIKING?

" NO DREAM IS TOO HIGH FOR THOSE WITH THEIR EYES IN THE SKY.”

UNKNOWN

WHY BACKPACK AND MULTI-DAY HIKING? 

   The KZN Drakensberg Mountains and Wilderness is a hiking paradise and exploration heaven. Hiking is the best way to explore this vast wilderness area. The term backpacking/hiking refers to the sport of walking with a backpack filled with everything one needs to survive a night or more in the wilderness, independent of anyone else.  Backpacking/hiking is not a competitive sport, although it forms the basis of serious mountaineering and adventure challenges.  It is more correct to refer to backpacking as a life-sport - an outdoor activity you can become good at and enjoy in any company, including that of your family and friends.

  

The main attractions of backpacking:

   If you can walk, you can probably also backpack, although there is far more to it than just walking.  Carrying a backpack over rough, hilly country requires a considerable amount of mental fortitude and, unless you are already a seasoned athlete, it takes most people a minimum of 5 overnight hikes before they even begin to develop the mindset required for serious backpacking.

   Following on from the above, you don't have to be athletic to become a "good" backpacker.  A casual study of any group of experienced backpackers will reveal all sorts of shapes and sizes, few of which would resemble that of a typical Comrades Marathon runner, Midmar Mile swimmer, or Argus Tour cyclist!  If you could see inside their heads, though, you would find the same resolute purpose of mind!

   Once you have all your equipment, backpacking is a relatively cheap pastime, the most expensive part being the cost of getting to and from the Drakensberg.  Your food need not cost you much more than what you would spend at home over the same period of time, and the current overnight cost of R55.00 per person could probably cover luxury items, cell-phone calls, and entertainment that you would indulge in if you stayed at home instead.

   Unless you plan to lead hikes commercially, no qualifications are required.  Many folk are happier to follow and put their trust in the leader.  Leaders must possess at least a little common sense and the ability to read a map. Do not rely on electronic navigation devices only; pack a map of the area and a compass as well.  Map-reading is an acquired skill and cannot really be taught.  Rather, you learn over a period of many years and through several mistakes which you purposely hope to avoid repeating!  It is doubtful if any leader can say he / she is 100% competent in map-reading - even the most experienced still make mistakes on occasion. Even if you are not a leader, you should take navigation seriously and try to acquire the necessary skills and experience yourself. Most leaders will welcome intelligent and informed participation in decision-making.

   Backpacking is a non-competitive life-sport, and one of the easiest ways to get fit.  You only compete with yourself, especially if you are one of the weaker hikers in your group.  You set yourself small, attainable goals en route, you stretch and challenge yourself little by little, and if you do this regularly - at least once a month - you will develop the mental fortitude characteristic of any serious athlete!  This is what sets a "good" backpacker apart from a novice - not his / her speed or strength - but the ability to press on despite physical fatigue, discomfort, and nagging doubts about fitness.

   Backpacking allows you to "get away from it all". You exchange the phones, fax machine, computer, TV, VCR, DVD player, newspapers, noisy neighbor’s and crowded gyms and malls for the peace and tranquility of nature. You return to the rat-race feeling refreshed and renewed.

While the above may describe several other sports, backpacking/hiking has some draw cards which most others don't.  These are:

   The absolute beauty of a wilderness area like the KZN Drakensberg, appeals to our romantic side.  Accompanying this is the clean, fresh mountain air and unpolluted streams.

   There is this deep-seated need that most of us have to go where no man has gone before, to visit new territory, and explore new frontiers.  These may not be new to all men, but if they are new to you then they fulfill this need anyway!  When you do go far off the beaten track, the thought that always comes to mind is "Has any human being ever been here before?" The notion that the answer may be "No" is remarkably flattering - unless someone made a really bad decision about your route!

   There is a wonderful sense of self-sufficiency, tempered with a twinge of vulnerability that one experiences on long overnight hikes.  All the great explorers, the pioneers and the thousands of settlers of centuries past, would have been familiar with these emotions.  Backpacking helps perpetuate the mindset of all these people who left what was familiar and comfortable to forge a new life in a foreign land.  Perhaps backpacking will have helped keep the spirit of exploration alive for the time when mankind will make his first, tentative steps outside the solar system!

   Backpackers are survivors! Most experienced backpackers will agree that the best part of hiking is getting to their overnight destination. They may be physically tired, but they are satisfied with the day's work. If - through their planning and resourcefulness - they are also able to feel clean, comfortable, relaxed and at ease in their new surroundings without all the trappings of modern society, then they have the spirit of a survivor! Come war, natural disaster, or whatever crisis, these are the folk who will be numbered amongst the survivors!

   Whatever your reason for backpacking, it is bound to be slightly different to that of the other backpackers in your group.  For some the emphasis is on the exercise or the exploration, for others it’s the social side, and the romantic types will focus on the scenery.  But there is a little of everything for each of us!

Enjoy your hiking and look after the Wilderness. Protect, Defend, and Preserve! Leave nothing but your tracks behind.

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 – Unknown

Photos:  ©Willem Pelser

Compiled by:  Willem Pelser