Hikes end on high note before lockdown

THE Amblers Hiking Club adventure from Friday, 20 March to Sunday, 22 March was at the Royal Natal Drakensberg with the hike at Gudu Falls the Crack and the Mudslide was iconic and an enormous hiking privilege.

“This was certainly one for the bucket list, if you are brave and fit enough,” said hike leader, David Hancocks.

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“With the group split into about three, only the stronger group raced to stunning Gudu falls base in less than an hour. From there, after much picture-taking, we retracted our steps to cross the river and head for a very wet crack after the previous day’s afternoon thunderstorm.

Climbing a very slippery crack proved to be a bit slow and a bit more dangerous than our previous hike here in the dry,” he said.

After reaching the summit, the hikers traversed the top of the low berg soaking up beautiful big mountain views and the huge drop-off at the edge of their escarpment.

“The top of Gudu falls is just one of the most beautiful berg views as we watched the clear water plummet out of the deep rock gorge and over the edge.”

The group cooled off with some swimming in probably the best of all Drakensberg rock pools at the top of the falls. “It was a long slog to the top of the ridge and the start of that incredible descent to the bottom of the cliffs.

“Here at the mudslide, we carefully descended chain ladders, chains for abseiling and so many vertical wooden ladders that we lost count on this almost vertical descent. Some of the chains are skewed through neglect and some wooden ladders have no base below them – just big drop-offs, and in one section it’s a root climb in mid-air,” explained David

Then those big steep steps down, testing the quads to breaking and beyond, just to end the thrill of this magnificent descent. “Of course we will go back, challenging strong regular hikers to a magnificent hike.

Their weekend at Sandford lodge was magnificent even with the virus in play. “Our hosts were impeccable and our food delicious. This was possibly our last hiking weekend away for some time, although away hikes will continue to be posted in our hike programme. We will just monitor the virus and the law,” said David.

Contact David on 072 615 0559, Wilbur on 031 769 1527, Lawson on 071 460 3529, David on 071 122 3183 or Mandy on 083 235 6123.

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