Monks Cowl and the Berg

It was with anticipation and wonder that the five of us hefted up our backbacks at Monks Cowl and headed into the 'Berg' as they are called a few weekends ago. Our destination was Keith's Bush Camp about 13.5 kms from the trail head. The first two hours were a gruelling ascent that would either whip us into shape - or wipe us out. Depending on what stage you would have seen us you could have guessed either!  The morning mists hung over the hills and gave an ethereal sense of unspoken realites beyond our vision.

                                                                             It wasn't long however before the sun burnt off the cloud and we could see the heights to which we had already ascended. After a 'breather' at the Sphinx we headed on into the highland meadows. The brilliant green of spring grass contrasted sharply with the darker hues of forested hillsides. While the sun beat warmly upon us a cool breeze wafting up the slopes made walking pleasurable. It had been quite some time for any of us to get out of the urban sprawl and enjoy the beauty of the mountains.

 

                                                                           Just before we left the plateau to walk the contour line we came across a rather interesting sign. It read "back to the office" with an arrow pointing to where we had come. We were just glad we were going in the opposite direction even though our 15-20kg packs were beginning to feel a bit heavy about this time. With plenty of rest stops, lots of gorp and water we slowly made our way along the contour lines.

 The Drakensberg (Afrikaans: Drakensberge "Dragon Mountains"; Zulu: uKhahlamba "Barrier of Spears"; Sotho: Maluti) is the highest mountain range in Southern Africa. Its geological history lends it a distinctive character amongst the mountain ranges of the world. The mountains are capped by a layer of basalt approximately 1,400 meters thick, with sandstone lower down, resulting in a combination of steep-sided blocks and pinnacles.

 

Geologically, the range resembles the Simien Mountains of Ethiopia. The Drakensberg mountains cover Eastern Cape, KwaZulu Natal, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mpumalanga and end in Tzaneen in Limpopo Province.  The highest peak is Thabana Ntlenyana, at 3,482 metres. The author climbed this peak in the early 80’s

 

 

 

 

As evening descended the first day we were still on the trail.  Keith's Bush Camp was not clearly marked and after a long trudging haul up a boulder strewn trail we were ready to stop and cook up a hot meal. Eventually we decided to camp on the side of the mountain and look for the camp in the morning. With relief we slipped out of our packs and set up camp. Headlamps came on, tents were set up, sleeping bags rolled out and before long we were wolfing down the a high altitude dinner.

                                                                        Meal menus need to meet the needs of hungry hikers. Spaghetti and a hearty meat bolognaise, breakfast spuds along with a fruit compote, instant oatmeal, and couscous with apricot curry mae up the main meals. Desserts included chocolate/banana pudding. Lunches comprised of breads, cheeses, veggies and soups. Mexican mocha, coffee, tea and various drink mixes kept us well watered and satisfied.

 

 

The next day some folks climbed the peaks while others relaxed at the campsite and stream - all taking in the majestic beauty and peaceof the mountains.  At days end we gathered again to catch up on each others experiences. After two nights and three days on the trail we did eventually need to make our way back to the trailhead and waiting vehicles. Reluctantly we posed at the sign indicating the way 'back to the office' but not before we vowed to find ourselves on the trail again before too long.