Castle gorge (Magaliesberg) Jan 2005

Darrell, Al and I drove out to Castle Gorge to have some fun for the day. We arrived at the parking area early and left soon after packing some abseil gear and lunch. It was steep but short climb to the summit of the Magaliesberg from where we easily descended to Castle Gorge. There were a number of other people around but we enjoyed ourselves abseiling and swimming. Just before lunch the sky darkened and heavy rain soon poured down. We tried to hide underneath an overhang but eventually got fairly wet anyway. The rain stopped but heavy clouds were still pushing from the south so we decided to head back. The last 200m to the car it came down in torrents and we had to run for it. The drive back on the dirt road was interesting as rather large puddles had started to form. We made it home safely though after a fun day in the hills.

Amphitheatre (Drakensberg) Nov 2004

We all met outside the Biochemistry kitchen at just after 16:00, Friday afternoon. When everybody arrived, we packed the two cars and were just able to squeeze nine people and packs into the two cars. We left after 16:30. Traffic was heavy and the rain we had on the alternative route made driving difficult. Even so, we got to Harrismith at around 9pm, without incident. We soon got a nice spot at the municipal campsite and pitched the tents before the rain started again.

Day 1 (13 November): We woke to a lovely looking day. We had breakfast and took down the tents. At 06:30 we were on our way to Sentinel car park. We got to the car park, signed in, sorted out all the gear and got underway. It really was a lovely morning with a few wispy cirrus clouds in the sky and a cool wind blowing from Lesotho. Having sprained my ankle badly at badminton the past week, I was favoring my left foot and stepping gingerly over the rocks. We kept to a reasonable pace and got into the zig-zags just behind a group of Germans. At the viewpoint we took the higher path and got in front of them at the breakfast rock. The walk around Sentinel and onto the Amphitheatre was pleasant but I could feel that my ankle was protesting a little. Clouds also slowly started materializing and I guessed it was probably going to rain a little later. At the chain ladder I quickly set up a belay system to help Erika to the top. Yolandy came up slow but steady. All the others managed to get up with their packs and while I carried up Erika’s pack everyone made it past the second ladder as well. We rested a bit at the top of the ladder and watched as clouds started building even more. We then continued onto the plateau and then walked straight for the Tugela lip. I was walking quite slowly at this time due to my ankle but when a few rain drops started to spit, I had to stop to put on the Splash cover. But the clouds didn’t really open and we got to the Tugela lip where I decided to have lunch. Most of us got about halfway through when it started raining. We donned our rain gear and started heading for the cave when the rain stopped again. I then sat down to rest a little more and finish our lunch. Finally we packed up again and we headed for the cave. Not far past the hut it started dripping again. About halfway to the cave, small pellets of hail started to fall. I was lagging behind and having a hard time getting up the slope and by the time I had about 100m to go, it was hailing quite hard. Thunderbolts also hit frequently and one got so close that Yolandy, Corné and I all felt a tingly sensation. I finally made it into the cave and we all watched the spectacular electrical storm. We were frightened more than once by terrific lightning flashes and counted five distinct spots on the plateau where it hit. It hailed for about an hour and the entire Tugela bowl in front of us was covered in white hail so thick that it looked like snow. Surprisingly, there was no hail towards the south. We took some photographs and mainly sat around chatting or snoozing while it was still raining outside. The hail later saved us the walk down to the river to collect water. We started dinner at 5pm and it was nice to sit back and relax while Ingrid and Gordon did our group’s cooking. Dinner was finished just after seven and we still chatted well into the night before finally settling down.

Day 2 (14 November): Luckily we did not have any unexpected visitors during the night. Most of us got up for a spectacular sunrise and the cameras flashed away as the sun ascended into a thick bank of clouds. The entire group except Erika wanted to go to Mont-aux-Sources so I walked around with the group to show them where to go while I stayed behind with Erika. I managed to take some pictures of the group on top of Mont-aux-Sources and they were back within the two hour limit I set. We packed up and started to walk to the chain ladder just as it started raining again. But as the group descended, the sky cleared. Just past the saddle between Sentinel and the main wall, I stopped for a rest and tried to give my foot and ankle a rub. Then we were on our way again and eventually we made it down the zig-zags and all the way to the cars. We got there just before 12pm and left for a Nando’s lunch in Harrismith.

Ben Nevis and Europe Oct 2004

On my way to Holland to do some work for my MSc, I stopped off for a day in Madrid. I was in Holland for 5 weeks during which time I also visited Brussels and took a bus trip to Malmo in Sweden. I flew back via the UK and spent some time with friends in London and Durham before taking the train from Newcastle to Fort William via Edinburgh and Glasgow. I stayed over at Fort William Backpackers the nights before and after my ascent of Ben Nevis.

Day 1 (14 October): Though I only got up quite late, everyone was still fast asleep in my room. I had breakfast all by myself, packed my bag in the hallway and got nderway. I took the little path that goes across the spur to Glen Nevis. It was very misty and with the rising sun, the colours in the valley were beautiful. My pack was heavy and I was sweating underneath all the layers of clothes. I was smart enough to forget my tracksuit pants so I hoped I would pull through with my long johns and rain pants. I soon came down into the glen and walked next to the road up to the Visitor Centre. The path then crossed a bridge spanning the Glen Nevis and then continued next to it for about 500m before running straight up to the mountain past sheep grazing. Then the path started climbing slowly and at a very gentle gradient up the slope. I enjoyed the walking despite the heavy sweating – the colours all around me were indescribably pretty. After climbing a little more than 100 vertical metres, I had my first break for the day. The path zig-zagged a little and a few people also going for the top came past me. Every one of them were carrying daypacks only and although some of them thought I was nuts, most of them thought it was pretty brave and cool to sleep out alone in the mountains. The gradient increased slightly to the saddle just below the halfway mark. Loch Lachan was lying tranquilly in the morning sunshine and it was a spectacularly beautiful day. At a large cairn I sat down to have a leisurely lunch. My left foot had started acting up again but at least I was pretty much where I planned to sleep so I took my shoes off and basked in the morning sunshine. Many people came past and I chatted with quite a few of them. After lunch I scouted for a camping spot. I was surprised that although the terrain looks very similar to the Drakensberg, everything was soaking wet, even the slopes, and the only place I would be able to pitch a tent was in the middle of the path. I decided to wait until most people were off the mountain before I pitched the tent. I didn’t have much to do for the rest of the afternoon, so I took a walk on a narrower path that led off the Aonag Mor ridge on the other side of Ben Nevis. I was extremely lucky that it hadn’t rained yet and I was able to take many pictures. Later, I waited until most people were back from the summit before I started to pitch my tent. The path was very rocky and I vowed to place as many of the clothes I could spare beneath me. I had dinner of wild rice and plockworst before I got my bed ready. I read by flashlight to fight the boredom of lying in a tent at 7pm already. By 10pm it started raining lightly. This carried on all through the night.

Day 2 (15 October): I woke up to a completely cloudy sky and heavy weather. At least it didn’t rain. I heard someone come past my tent at around 07:30. He said good morning and I replied from within the tent. Knowing that someone was there already before me, spurred me into action. I quickly packed some water, fruit juice, a few chocolate bars, GPS, camera and my beanie, and off I went. The foot was much better not having to carry the heavy pack. The gradient was easy enough but the path was very rocky. Still, I climbed surprisingly fast and gained 200m in between rests. Past 900m it started raining and it became very misty. Not having my tracksuit pants, my legs were cold and I could feel the chill creeping to my upper body as well. Above 1200m the slope eased off and I realized I was on the summit plateau. I could not see beyond 20m but the path was clear with plenty of huge cairns to show the way. I continued on and soon the rain turned into sleet and eventually snow. As I got closer to the summit, it got very windy and I was getting seriously cold. At the summit I met the guy (an Ozzie) that walked past my tent. We took pictures of one another and then started walking back down. It was easy going down but the rocks were still wet and slippery in places. We descended past people coming up and we finally reached my tent. The Ozzie guy was there with his mom and they continued down while I quickly packed up my tent. My left foot was starting to become sore again and I didn’t look forward to the slog down. It was a mission to get the tent packed up. It was soaked and the wind made it very difficult to keep control. But I managed somehow and headed down just after 10am. I walked past a lot of people on the way down. My foot became so sore that I had to take a few breaks before continuing. Finally though, I was back at the visitor centre and I could increase my pace slightly on the tarred road back to Fort William. In Fort William it wasn’t long before I could get to the Backpackers for a nice long break.