I had no intention of an early start – just as well as the mist and clouds were low. I was unsure what to do, having accomplished all I intended here yesterday, apart for the planned drive and ambitious walk/climb to the Sentinel peak. We decided not to it after the ‘easy’ walk yesterday! A model in the Visitor Centre shows the truth of it; not an easy trek. However the weather was improving, David and Ailine were considering the gorge walk, and I still had the Thendele camp shot to do. I saw them off at the car park with some concern. David would gallop to the end as usual, and he was very unprepared for water, food and footgear. Ailine would walk slowly, with limited water and biscuits as I did, but with two DSLR’s.
I drove back to the Park Centre, and decided to walk to the Tiger Falls, Lookout, and Cascade, as the Lion walk looked too boring in the open. I was informed by a park guide that it was best to go up on the Tiger side, returning on the steep Cascades side. Good plan as the Tiger is slow and steady with some steps and a narrow track on steep slopes, but the Cascade is so steep that a ribbed concrete path was constructed a long time back; hard enough to come down, but very tough going up. Both ends start at the Mahai parking area not far from the Visitor Center. It is a good walk, should take 2 hours, but I stopped several times to chat, and have lunch (limited again as there was nothing in the Centre), so it took me about 3.5 hrs.
As I sat having lunch, I wrote “1pm. I’m sitting near the top of the Tiger Falls track looking down the long green Mahai valley of rolling hills, and deep rain forest ravines of rushing streams. The only sounds I hear are the distant cascading water carried up here on the cool breeze, and an occasional bird call. I feel the cool breeze and hot sun. It’s worth the 6km hike.” It is a pretty area.
Tiger Falls is in a small patch of ravine rainforest, more a fast drizzle today than a fall. I had a chat to two white women in the shade, waiting for their husbands to show up. I was asked about the Karroo sandstone here which gave me a chance to mention the Creationist view. They became more uncomfortable when I told them I was staying at the black-run B&B.. They assumed breakfast comprised ‘mealie pap’ and were non-committal when I described the great meal. The fear and entrenched bias is disappointing.
This is near the high point of the walk, so it was all flat and downhill from here. The Lookout rock certainly provides a long view of this valley – I would guess at least 70km, while the sandstone cliffs rise up behind and to the side. Very large boulders, including this rock, litter the valley sides, rolled down from the cliff above, clearly by a massive water flow in the distant past, I’m assuming at the end of the flood.
I descended the steep concrete track to the Cascades, not large today but sufficient for a good image, especially with the red stained cliffs of Plowman’s Kop soaring above. The track is easy after that, much is wheel-chair friendly. I emailed Ailine who replied she was back at her car, dead tired, having almost reached the same point I did. But David was not back. It was now 4pm so we were worried. Many hikers had returned, none had seen him. When the last couple came out, they said the same. I was at the B&B by then, and finally met the old lady owner, hunched over her sticks, who kindly assured me that David would be out ok. I drove back, asking at the gate what the procedure was in case he didn’t get out. They provided phone numbers and said the gate would be kept open for us. I found Ailine still waiting alone ie no guard and no cars. She had already called the numbers here at the track start, being told to wait for nightfall, when they would make a search party. I talked to distract us – and then David called. Reception is poor to none on the track; he was 30 mins away, which became 45 before he hobbled out. At 6.30 the Park warden called to ask whether David was out; I am reassured by their competence. David had gone to the tunnel end, in a difficult poorly marked slippery boulder area, where he hurt a knee, and his ankle, which slowed him down. (Later I discovered he also had a bad cut on the buttock which became infected.)
I found a book in the Visitor Centre about hiking in the Drakensberg, by a Professor at a University. He and his family have hiked these mountains many times, and he relates their experiences, some good, some not so, as well as tales of dramas by others. It highlights the pleasures and dangers – these mountains are not to be taken lightly
Dinner was at Ailine’s lodging again, late but very welcome. And that’s it for the holiday.
Village 
Dam 
Tugela Valley 
Group on Track 
Track 
Track 
Tiger Falls 
Plowman’s Kop 
Mahai Valley 
Mahai Valley 
Boulders 
Plowman’s Kop 
Plowman’s Kop 
Cascades 
Cascades 
Cascades 
Cascades 
Tugela Falls B&B 
Tugela Falls B&B
Mahai Valley left 
Mahai Valley right 
