Woodcliffe cave trails – The ultimate eco experience
Text: Marie von Bargen. Photos: Eddie von Bargen. Article from the August 2012 issue of DO IT NOW Magazine.
On the slopes of the southern Drakensberg near Maclear, where the valleys and waterways cut and gouge their way to the sea, is what many describe as the ultimate ‘eco’ experience. This eco experience can be found at Woodcliffe, a 1000ha cattle farm offering a number of day hikes that start and finish at the farm.
For the fit and adventurous hiker there are trails that can be walked in a variety of combinations that last from one to five days. Although the five-day hike is not an easy trail and certainly not recommended for beginners, it traverses an area of spectacular scenery and the utter remoteness gives the hiker a truly off-the-beaten-track experience.
Intrigued and eager to find out more about this hiking haven, a group of eight enthusiastic hikers from Durban, ranging in age from 16 to 67, decided to take on the five-day hike.
Day One
We left Durban at 07h30 and took the scenic route to the Eastern Cape, through Matatiele and Maclear, arriving at Woodcliffe Farm at 14h00. Despite the afternoon turning cold and awfully windy, we were warmly welcomed by our host, Phyll Sephton, who has lived on this farm for more than 20 years. Phyll briefed us on the self guided five-day hike and an hour later we were off, armed with a map. Thomas, the Rhodesian Ridgeback from the farm next door, decided to hike with us and ran up ahead, looking back every so often to make sure we were still on the right route. Following a steep jeep track that appeared to reach far into the horizon, we reached Toks Cave, our home for the night, two-and-a-half hours later. This cave is rated as one of the best caves in South Africa to overnight in and has four rooms built into it, with a gorgeous waterfall cascading over the entrance.
There is also a ‘long drop’ toilet that offers the best views in town! We chose our spot for the night, laid out our sleeping bags and enjoyed a braai, while watching the sun disappear into the valleys below. After a few rounds of card games and a shot or two of whiskey I headed off to bed, but discovered that Thomas had beaten me to it and was neatly curled up on my sleeping bag. The temperature had dropped quite drastically and he was not going to budge!
Day Two
We woke up to a wet, cloudy and windy day, and today’s route would take us back to the farm and up another valley before returning to the same cave to overnight in. After breakfast we set out at 08h45, with just our food rations and water in a day pack. We arrived at the farm at 10h00 and were rewarded with some hot coffee and rusks – indeed a luxury type of hiking and unlike the hikes we normally do! We delivered Thomas safely back to his owner, although he was terribly reluctant to leave us behind.
An hour later we were back on the road following the ‘yellow’ route markers. We soon realised that we’d missed some and had to turn back. This was the start of four consecutive days of hunting for blobs of paint, some low on the ground covered by grass, some on fence poles and some way up in the mountain far ahead. It became a treasure hunt of a different kind and we often had to scrutinise the map and study all the contours and rivers to find our bearings! By 13h00 we had done some serious climbing on all fours, having ascended 100m. We stopped at the Redcliffe pool on top of the mountain, savouring the fantastic views of the beautiful scenery below us and our lunch. The wind had been relentless from the start of the day, tugging and pulling us in all directions and making it very difficult to hike.
After lunch we were (once again) unable to find the elusive yellow markers and prizes were offered as an incentive to the first person who spotted the next marker. We eventually arrived at the cave at 17h30 after completing 16.7 kilometres in just over seven hours. With a choice of a cold bath in the river or a cold shower in the waterfall, we then had supper in front of a roaring fire and were in our sleeping bags by 20h00.
Day Three
We had been warned that this would be the most strenuous day, so we were up by 06h00. We left the cave carrying all our gear and climbed up a steep track that led to the base of the mountain. From here we started the ascent at 10h00 and the hills became steeper and steeper, every step a huge effort. Even the thought of where to place my next step took energy!
At 11 h45 we took a break to celebrate reaching 2105m! We had started at 1500m. Just before the summit we had to scramble on all fours as there was a sheer drop below us. This was no time to panic or lose heart, we had to keep going. Several people in the group – including myself – suffer from a fear of heights, and a heavy backpack tugged in every direction by the wind did not make it any easier. The final scramble to the top took us two hours and at 2500m it was an unbelievable feeling to be up so high.
The high altitude brought along with it some very low temperatures, the wind almost cutting through us, so we donned our snow gear. It was too cold to stop for lunch so we pressed on towards our accommodation for the night. It was a long walk to the hut, but thankfully all flat. Upon reaching the hut we had completed 14.7km, it was bitterly cold and everyone was dog-tired. We had dinner and were in our sleeping bags by 19h00, with layer upon layer of clothing to keep warm.
Day Four
We were up again at 06h00 and sat outside to soak up the early morning sun over breakfast. A quick wash in the freezing cold river and we off by 08h00. My backpack was now starting to feel like part of my anatomy (LOL!). After crossing a river, we followed a cattle path that took us up another exceptionally high mountain. Emerging from the thick grass we were horribly disappointed to find yet another mountain, with another horizon beyond that! Summiting Everest could not be worse! At the top I looked back at the hut we had stayed in and it was a mere speck in the distance.
A few kilometres further we came across another sheer drop, except this time it indicated our descent! Known as Sephton’s Pass it resembles the crazy S-bends of the famous Sani Pass in Lesotho, just much worse. It was incredibly steep and treacherous, with loose soil and stones, and it took us two hours to reach the bottom.
We took a breather beside a small pool before continuing on a road that became a footpath, with no red markers in sight. According to the GPS we only had another 2.5km to go to our overnight destination. Every step took enormous effort and my legs and feet were burning from the long day’s hike. As we rounded another corner, we caught sight of the cottage … on top of another hill. We soldiered on to the cottage, dumped all our gear and headed straight to the pool for a swim in the below freezing water. After an early dinner everyone crashed for the night!
Day Five
It had been a restless night, the floor boards hard and unforgiving, and everyone was packed and ready to do the final leg of this five-day hike by 07h45. We followed the road for about two kilometres before going up a hill and resumed our treasure hunt for the red boulders one last time. At the top we stopped to soak up the majestic mountains all around us and reflect on the incredible journey we had completed. Suddenly it seemed surreal that we had actually achieved our goals and that no one in our party had been injured, despite the high risk factor – this is no easy hike!
Following a familiar track, the one we had started out on, we walked towards the verandah where Phyll was waiting with hot coffee and fresh cup cakes to welcome us back.
What a welcome treat!
Overall it had been a magnificent hike, with many highs and lows. I would definitely recommend this experience to anyone who is keen on a challenge, but be warned – it is not for the faint-hearted!
More info on the town of Maclear | More info on the Northern Ukhahlamba area |
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