O siyeza, O siyeza, sizofika webaba noma
O siyeza, O siyeza, siyagudle lomhlaba
Siyawela lapheshaya lulezontaba ezimnyama
Lapha sobheka phansi konke ukhulupheka

We are coming, we are coming, we will arrive soon
We are coming, we are coming, we are moving across this earth
We are crossing over those dark mountains
Where we will lay down our troubles

These words from the late Johnny Clegg’s song “ The Crossing” carry the same strength today as they did in 1993 when the song was first published. And so, I think it appropriate to open my report with these words immortalised by the “White Zulu” as they so succinctly describe our experience hiking up the Western Cape’s highest peak at the precise moment that he was ending his own mortal struggle.

For us yesterday there was no crossing as we did not traverse across the summit from one side to the other. Instead our group which had assembled the previous evening at Sandriver Cottage set out in the early hours of a Tuesday morning with the aim of a one day summit bid. Normally Seweweekspoortpiek is tackled from the South which is a long two day climb with an overnight in a cave near the summit. However from the North the distance is much shorter and with the correct weather conditions we knew a quick and light ( day packs ) foray would have a good chance of success.

L-R : Gillian Forbes, Jacolise Joubert, Ed Kay-Shuttleworth ( Leader ), Werner Frei, Clive Louw.

The weather on Tuesday was near perfect – there was quite a stiff breeze blowing from a North-westerly direction which had quite a nip. In fact it was just enough to keep us nicely refreshed whilst on the move and to stop us from lingering for too long when we paused for rest.

Fire struck the lower slopes over three years ago and I think this has made the route much more accessible as one doesn’t have to fight through head high Proteas at the beginning. There is some sign of re-growth but it is very slow so one’s passage is pretty easy and we didn’t get blackened from head to toe as one does immediately after a fire. After about 400 metres from the road beside which we left our transport one starts to climb – at first this is gentle but then one enters a rocky section alongside a kloof where one has to thread one’s way through some enormous rocks and boulders. On ones left one can peer down into the kloof where the side walls are exposed to reveal a tortuous example of the folding for which this part of the Cape Fold Mountains is famed. If rocks could speak they would be screaming.

If rocks could speak – these would surely be screaming !

Emerging from this section there is then a flatter section of about a kilometre or so before one reaches the final  section up to the skyline where scrambling and boulder hopping is the order of the day.

Rocks in all shapes and sizes

Entry by window and exit by door

There is no fixed route up this side of the mountain. Last time I tackled it we were carrying full-packs and we had to take that into account with the line that we chose. With no such encumbrance we were somewhat less constrained and so we made a beeline straight for the skyline. This is a more direct and enjoyable route and one soon finds oneself on the ridge criss-crossing from the North to the South side. One does this for about 700-800 metres dodging in and out of enormous rock formations and passing beneath rocky overhangs before finally there is a short climb to the summit proper.

Happy hikers on the summit @ 2326 m
Photo credit: Gillian Forbes

We took 4 ½ hours to reach the top so arriving there before midday we had time for a relaxing lunch break nestled away from the wind. On the descent we stopped at the “Stone of Damocles” to take pictures and marvel at this feature before resuming a fairly long and very rocky descent back to our transport.

Is it Hercules or Damocles ?

A second night was spent in Sandriver cottage where we recuperated in front of an enormous log fire (indoor braai) and continued our debate, started in earnest the evening, before about the aptness of being in a group named after an undefined and possibly unrecognised area ( South Cape ) versus an equally undefined but significantly more recognisable area (Garden Route ).

So lets just – “Feel the fear and do it anyway”.

Ed Kay-Shuttleworth – meet leader