Simply put, four of the most spectacular days of my life :)
Earlier this year, I finally got the chance to spend a night in Roland's Cave, and hike the Bell Traverse - easily a contender for the most breathtaking hiking trail in Southern Africa. Hiking in Summer meant stunning greenery, plenty of water, more life than I've ever seen in the Drakensberg, but also meant contending with the Drakensberg's infamous thunderstorms. To keep safe, we set a fast pace, and try to arrive at each of the three caves before the mid-afternoon storms rolled in.
On the first day, we climbed Organ Pipes Pass via the Camel, and found our way to Roland's Cave. This was definitely the most exhilarating place I've spent the night - an impossible-looking hole in an otherwise vertical cliff face, with only one narrow, technical path in and out. The next day, we summitted Cleft Peak, 3277m, and the highest point of the journey. We then continued our way across the escarpment to Twins Cave, passing through the top of Cockade Pass, following the river just inside the Lesotho border, and then descending to the cave itself, from which we watched the lightning. The next morning, Aidan and I found our way to the top of Twins Peak for some stunning sunrise views, and we then followed the Bell Traverse to Bell Cave. This was the shortest day, and we arrived at the cave well before lunchtime, were we could relax and enjoy the views of the distant thunderstorms.
After navigating Bugger Gulley, Aidan and I summitted Cathedral Peak the next morning, while Tom preferred to wait at its base. This was probably the most risky part of the whole trip - heavy rains the previous night meant that the rock face was soaking and very slippery, and without a rope, it often felt that the only thing between us and a fall of several hundred metres was a few clumps of grass. Nothing can quite compare to the views from the top of the peak though. We then rejoined Tom, collected our bags, and descended towards the parking lot via Orange Peel Gap through some thick mist.
Just before reaching the bottom, the thunderstorms finally caught up with us. The heavy rain made the river impossible to cross in the normal place, and so followed the river bank further downstream to try to find a bridge. We ended up having to fight our way through a few hundred metres of thick brambles, which made the eventual sight of a crossing that much sweeter.
This is definitely not a hike for beginners, and needs a high level of fitness and comfort around heights. However, if you're looking for an adventure, there isn't one I'd recommend more highly!
Music: Charlie Cunningham - Permanent Way
Fink - Looking Too Closely
Ben Howard - Promise
Contact me: @daniel_johnson_pmbpk
danjohnsonpeter@gmail.com