The cold front that slid over the Western Cape at the weekend carried with it some blessings in disguise. Its remnants were still apparent as we trudged up the hill towards Towerkop on Sunday afternoon but for the large part we avoided the need for rain gear. Overnight temperatures were low enough to leave ice on our tents when we awoke on Monday morning to see the last whisps of cloud evaporating from the Towerkop skyline towering over us.
Our destination on Sunday was the tin shelter half-way up the slopes of Towerkop. We had decided to carry tents for the two nights rather than crowd into the shelter which was probably a wise decision though it did make for a satisfactory kitchen and candle lit after-dinner gathering spot!
Ready to go: L-R: Fabian von Hase, Gillian Forbes, Ed Kay-Shuttleworth (Leader), Stuart Neil, Johan Huisamen and Mimi Kay-Shuttleworth
If this meet had been about peak-bagging it would have been deemed a failure as we didn’t bag anything of significance. However, had we been a bunch of “Trophy Hunters” I think would be able to claim a resounding success. Amongst our spoils we might list a Blesbok, a previously unknown water fountain, an old coffee pot, a Dragon, a Monolith (or was it an Obelisk ? ), an Elephant, some Eland, a horse (possibly a Zebra ? ) and a very fat lady.
To be absolutely honest we didn’t find a Dragon, but we did find his Den and that was really what this weekend was all about.
The whole of Monday was devoted to this task – at just under 9 kms total out and return it wasn’t far, but the terrain was challenging at points and took us 7 ½ hours. After a heavy overnight dew
which meant wet vegetation for the first couple of hours the previous days cold front blessed us with clear skies and cool temperatures.
Fortunately, most of the day is spent contouring around the kloof and there is only about 300 metres of vertical ascent each way.
First light with moisture still hanging around the base of Towerkop
Our group on its way with the Dragon’s Den just visible in the background
Once there we relished the accomplishment and gazed upon the etchings on the walls of this natural wonder – not surprisingly the name Nel stands out prominently as does the date 1927!
Our group (less the photographer) in the Arch (The Dragons Den)
Towerkop sits above and looks down upon the Arch – (for scale see figure on right side against grey coloured rock).
Time to head home
Toringberg @ 2126m beckons across Buffelskloof to the South-East
After a long day spent enjoying the mountains what better treat than this to end the day?
On Tuesday morning we headed back down the hill but not before we had made a quite significant detour through the bundu in search of some important rock art and the monolith all of which we succeeded in finding.
Fat Lady
Horse (?)
Zebra or Eland (?)
The Monolith (popular amongst the Bouldering fraternity)
And so there ends another great weekend in these mountains that lie in our backyard which are so woven in magic and mystique they could be mere make-believe to those that haven’t experienced them firsthand.
Until the next adventure!
Meet Leader ~ Ed Kay-Shuttleworth