A personal account of the BMC / Mountain Club of South Africa (KZN section) climbing exchange trip in May 2002.
In early May this year, the BMC offered a fantastic opportunity; an exotic week away aimed at climbers who don’t fit into the ‘elite’ category, and as sure as apples is apples, that’s me.
Being sent off to South Africa to meet other British climbers and our hosts for the week was definitely an adventure, but from the first day it was clear that a fantastic time lay in store. The climbing started at White Umflozi, three hours drive from our base in Durban, and after leaving the tarred road to bounce along a dirt track, we arrived at our ‘rustic hut’ accommodation.
The view of the Umflozi with its river-strewn boulders and palm-topped cliffs was our first taste of the legendary South African settings we were to encounter. This sandstone and quartzite crag has been formed over the millennia by the erosive nature of the river, and consequently can be extremely polished in places, but there are plenty of worthwhile routes from SA grade 12 (Severe) upwards. Although after two days we were sorry to leave the tranquillity of Umflozi, the prospect of seeing other areas and perhaps enjoying a little shade spurred the group on.
Kloof Gorge was the next destination, a steep-sided, vegetated sandstone valley close to Durban. A short abseil in brought us to the “Boneyard” and the foot of a number of sport routes - the friendly grade range and solid bolts made the day feel eerily like being at the wall. But the post-workout scramble back was accompanied by a breath-taking African sunset - something you rarely find indoors!
Monteseel was next on the agenda, and we were whisked away to a privately run hut conveniently situated for the next day’s climbing. The crag overlooks the spectacular and appropriately named Valley of a Thousand Hills, and the descent path passes directly through a township in the valley bottom. The presence of non-climbing locals has led to friction in the past with stories of unaccompanied kit going missing and over-exuberant begging, but despite all preconceptions, I found all the areas of South Africa we visited to be surprisingly safe.
Of course at Monteseel, as with all places, it paid to stick to the ‘rules’ we generally live by in the UK; not leaving bags unattended on a busy thoroughfare or bumbling around alone at night etc. And from a social perspective, giving hand-outs to the many people who ask doesn’t seem to be productive - far better to make a donation to a reputable charity or invest in some of the numerous locally made trinkets. Just like buying the Big Issue here at home, the same principle applies.
The climbing at ‘Monties’ was enjoyable, with its eclectic mix of slabs, cracks, long traverses and steep faces. The ease of access makes this area popular for after-work climbing and consequently the routes are all well established, so it’s a great place to visit - particularly if you are climbing unguided, as it really is impossible to get lost!
Our final destination was certainly the most striking of the trip, the Drakensberg Mountains, a dramatic escarpment over 180km long and 150m high marking the border between South Africa and Lesotho. The climbs top out at over 3000m (think Stanage on a grand scale!) and the highest point is Sentinel Peak at 3200m, which was to be our final climb as a group. The most popular route is the Angus Leppan, at grade 14/15 over six pitches, but by far the boldest was the Southeast Arête, which involved several committing pitches of around grade 20. Jo George and Kate Arnold learnt the hard way about how freeze-thaw causes destabilisation, with five rock falls during their ascent.
Returning to Durban after all the excitement of the Drakensberg was quite sobering. (Unlike that evening!). It was great to meet up with the various hosts who had been so affable during the week; the trip wouldn’t have been the same without all their efforts. And of course even though I spent a further five weeks in South Africa, there’s still so much to see – I think this could be the start of a very lengthy affair!
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