“LIFE WILL ONLY BE INTERESTING IF YOU EXPLORE IT, IF YOU ESCAPE THE RUT OF EVERYDAY ROUTINE AND COMMIT YOURSELF TO IMPOSSIBLE TARGETS”
UNKNOWN
Drakensberg
Walking in Monk’s Cowl
Zulu Cave
Monk’s Cowl Reserve, in the Central Drakensberg, is very popular with both day walkers and multi-day hikers. It is a vast area with some spectacular scenery. The only limit as to how far you can go depends on your own stamina. The reserve lies close to the N3 highway and is very easy to get to. It is a place well worth a visit. Here follows some walks which can be done in the area.
Zulu Cave
Route: From Monk’s Cowl car park up to the contour path, past Hlathikulu Nek and down the eMhlawazini Valley.
Distance: 24 km
Duration: 10-hour round trip (2 days)
Grade: Strenuous
General: This was a well-known and often used cave in the golden days of Berg exploration, but in the past few decades has been very much overlooked as it is on a cul-de-sac. Perhaps now that it has been declared one of only a few official overnighting caves in the Monk’s Cowl region (remember to book it) hikers will rediscover its charms.
Sign the mountain register at the gate, pay your dues, and then head past the office and to your left and through a gate. Carry on to the top of the Sphinx. From the top of the Sphinx the path heads directly towards Cathkin Peak, heading slightly uphill through tall montane grassland. Once you reach this section of the path you’ll find that your legs want to stretch out and you want to get closer to the big peaks as soon as possible. About 2.5 km from Breakfast Stream, with Wonder Valley falling away to your right, you reach the contour path at Blind Man’s Corner. Turn right here (left will take either down into Wonder Valley and the Wonder Valley Cave, or further on to Injisuthi) along what is the loveliest section of the contour path, as it offers really easy walking while you hug the Cathkin Ridge and all its peaks on your left.
For 2,5 km you wind in and out of delightfully wooded stream gullies, some with pools, and one with a small waterfall, to Hlathikulu Nek at the base of the Amphlett. The peak was named after George Amphlett, an early member of both the Mountain Club and even more select Alpine club. He was typical of the climbers of the time, in that he was a pillar of society – general manager of Standard Bank – and was quiet and unassuming. He was among the party that made the first ascent of Cathkin Peak in 1912, and had this subsidiary peak named after him to commemorate that and all his many other firsts in the Berg. At the Nek, continue to the left along the main contour path for 1.5 km to the junction where a path to the left up the upper eMhlawazini Valley to Keith Bush camp joins the lower section of Gray’s Pass that heads up’ behind Cathkin Ridge.
Here a lesser path turns off to the right, while the contour path heads downhill to cross the eMhlawazini on its way around Intunja and on to Didima. You must take this path to the right, along a spur that is pushed out between the two branches of the eMhlawazini. It is easy to lose the path, but what you are trying to do is head down the spur to where the two streams meet just 1.75 km from the contour path, the cross over to the left-hand bank of the stream.
Continue downstream for just over 1 km, crossing the larger then one smaller stream, as the path heads uphill and away from the river which hereabouts is flanked by fairly dense bush. Now the path veers to the left around a bulge, leading you up a side valley towards the Little Berg plateau. After 500 m up this side gully you come to the cave right I the stream course, one of several grand shelters in the area which will comfortably sleep a larger group, of up to twelve. I thank fate that I never had to be part of one. To walk in these amazing hills, and experience the wild valleys as part of a noisy ‘crocodile’ is contrary to the quiet, inner time that hiking is supposed to give you. Any more than 2 people and I stay 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: “Best Walks of the Drakensberg” – David Bristow
Photos: ©Willem Pelser
Compiled by: Willem Pelser
