Cathedral Peak - Monk's Cowl link-up via escarpment

Now you have opened a can of worms! There are many great possibilities. I am not aa experienced in the area as some on this forum, but I would consider the Bell Traverse and down Grays as somewhat of a worthy mission, although most people recommend descending via the Bell Traverse.

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Thanks Steven

We have 6 days to idle around on top and get some photos, then an incredibly kind individual is driving down to run shuttle for us.

In light of not being caught with my pants down, I ordered myself this gentle persuader today. 3 million volts should do it I am told:
www.stungun.co.za/stungun-jd1108.html

Apart from good old SWAT pepper spray, direct stream which always live in the car.

Sounds like a great way to spend a week!

Funny you should ask - the Didima cutback is a particularly special part of the Berg, chronically underrated. I can say this having just done a 3 day traverse up Grey's down Smugglers.

You say you have 6 days? There is a lot you can do in that time! How fit is the team?

Biomech's recommendation of Bell Traverse and Grey's is a good one. Personally I am not a massive fan of Grey's (having done it 4 times now, most recently on Saturday). The views are great, but the summit gully is very loose and unstable. Not quite as bad as Buggers Gully on Bell Traverse, but they are probably the two most unstable gullies on any passes I have ever done!

The village behind Thlanyako Pass is probably only second to Sani Village in terms of large populations very close to the SA border up there (also, incidentally Thlanyako Pass tops out at 2740m, with a 3300+m ridge to the south and a 3200m ridge to the north - makes for quite some effort to get past).

The village can be bypassed by skipping the very clear trails in favour of the much more spectacular escarpment edge lines - although the Little Saddle ridges are quite a slog to get over. There are quite a few kraals on the river as you descend from Ndumeni Dome, I have personally never had a problem here - always had some friendly chats and had to hand out some sweets. The Yodeler's Cascades side is where I have had problems with dogs, though. There is an awesome bypass line through this bit, including a very steep and scenic climb up a steep gully below Didima Buttress. I might be able to give you a GPS track for this, if you would like one. It also positions you nicely for one of my favourite escarpment caves - Didima Cave.

I will post a full story with photos from my trip soon - so that may be of use to you, but it will have to wait till work calms down a bit - so it could be a few days.

Hi AT

Definitely go with the Bell's traverse. Simply amazing! There are two sketchy sections, but keep your head and it is a non-issue. If you decide to keep it to the Cathedral area, then come down Thlanyako Pass. It is very scenic and has amazing views as you go down the pass. You could then continue down Didima Gorge.

If you want to push on, Grey's is a pass i like (i have not experienced rockfall in the top section). Keith Bush camp is also very scenic. In addition, if you still have energy and time left, you could go up an over Cowl gully (the left fork looking from Keith Bush Camp).

Alternatively, you could always go down Ships Prow Pass.

Thanks Jonathan. Yip 6 days. My mate mountain bikes about 1300 km every month, so I guess he is pretty fit. I wouldn't know, packed up the mountain bike in 1998 when I got my first motorbike. We'll see on the hiking but I see no problems. I am up Table Mountain 2 to 4 times per week, either hiking or trail running (no expert). I also windsurf and bodyboard. Whilst I am definitely no machine I'm not too worried. I lived in Jhb for 13 years so I have hiked in the Berg several times so I am aware of what to roughly expect again.

The GPS track for Didima would be grand - thank you. Thanks for the tips too!

How sketchy is sketchy Karl?

I've been thinking of Ships Prow Pass. Going down on the southern fork as I've read already is the better idea. A month ago I was in the midlands for a wedding, so I told my wife no ways I am flying up to sink a few rums and leave. So off we went and hiked from Monks Cowl to the Cowl Fork and back. Looking up the views were amazing.

I've been twice down that area at Philips Folly and along the Didima Gorge. I wanted to kayak it, but what a hack it would be to hike down there with a 22kg boat plus gear. Gave up on that mission Stunning area though, but never went up to the escarpment and am chomping at the bit. I don't know this area of the Berg at all apart from hiking there recently along the bottom and years ago a similar route.

Thanks for the replies, much appreciated.

Ships Prow Pass doesn't deserve the bad reputation it has - it is a lovely pass. Tony did a great writeup on it recently. If you follow the trail the entire way down, then the overgrown bit at the bottom is not a problem.

Thlanyako Pass is also really spectacular. Didima Falls is currently iced up with a black line down the rock after it rains - but that cutback is still really worth it.

If you have 6 days with the option of finishing somewhere else, why not make the loop a bit longer - perhaps finishing at Injisuthi or Giants?

The worst part of Bell Traverse is Buggers Gully - it is very loose and eroded. If you miss the turnoff to exit the gully, you might also be in trouble. There is an easy but exposed traverse near Bell Cave, and below Mitre there is a bypassable traverse with exposure. If I can manage these (with some difficulty) - most people probably can manage these. I have never been great with exposure, and Rolands Cave is not on my places-to-go-back-to list

I will have a look at my track and see what I can send to you. I wasn't worried about keeping a proper track, so my track will arbitrarily start somewhere on the Yodeler's Ridge.

Spots/sections that are "compulsory" on a Didima/Monks traverse:
- Elephant Gully, slightly more difficult that Mahout Ridge, but I rate it as possibly the single most scenic spot in the entire Drakensberg.
- Cleft Peak, you have to go over it anyway, looking down the cleft is always awesome.
- Vultures Retreat (the spot by the top of Nkosasana Falls), it is a bit of a detour, but has one of the most expansive views you will find in the Berg. Well worth the effort!

There is also a really cool rock formation between Didima Dome and Didima Buttress. My guess is that the peak called "Sphinx" on the map is marked in the wrong place. Here's Hobbit walking past it on Sunday:

Ah it looks good up there! And cold. I guess we could walk further. We may just make it up as we go along provided to have cell phone reception.

I'm also not a massive fan of heights. Somehow I have climbing shoes, harness, rope etc. and even quickdraws and actually even climb (top rope ) from time to time but ja it isn't that pretty. Exposure is one thing. Exposure with wind is terrifying. I prefer a climbing rope than those chains ladders... I see we have rain predicted for the Monday, so that would influence our first day too.

I will check the areas you mentioned later, got to quickly hit Table Mountain for a burn, by now traffic is dying.

It looks like we'll go up either Mlambonja, or Tseketseke. The plan is to drive down Sunday morning so we may even hike to the hut of the latter for day one. Or idle around and take a chilled day before heading out Monday.

More than likely down Ship's Prow. I noted the errors of the northern route and have recorded a few GPS co-ordinate spots. However, if progress and weather is great, we may push to knock off Mafadi, possibly down Leslie's Pass. I see Judges Pass is not marked on the map I have, is there a reason for that?

Thanks again for the info above. I've been reading for ages.