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Post by tod2 on Apr 1, 2013 13:29:25 GMT
My father managed a large farm below a mountain called Nhlosane. Height 1647 meters. As children away in boarding school, my sister and I looked forward to the holidays and being let loose to roam the farm tracks, ride horses and climb the mountain. I must have been around 16 years old when I made it to the top for the second time. During my 66th year I climbed Nlosane Mountain for the third and last time.... a break of 50 years! We were having a weekend in the Natal Midlands with friends who had a lovely old farm house on a trout farm. Our host enticed my husband and I to join him on an early morning climb. How could I resist? I had done it before....except we were climbing from another angle. Longer and not the sheer incline I had done before. The Climb Starting out at 5am we drove to a place where we could leave our vehicle. Then commenced to walk across farm lands, dodging cattle and admiring the wild plants. Nhlosane Mountain from a distance.  The view from the lake on the farm.  This is a front view - I have only climed it from the lefthand side just past the main outcrop of rocks. Today our approach is from the back and the right hand side.  The last visit to the farm, Nhlosane looked like this.  Not long into the walk we found this natural spring - the cattle used it as well judging by their tracks around it.   The dams and farms came into view as we climbed steadily.  more to come... |
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Post by htmb on Apr 1, 2013 17:13:44 GMT
Oh, tod! What a lovely beginning to what, I am sure, is going to be a most interesting report! Looking forward to more.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 1, 2013 21:41:22 GMT
That is a truly magnificent place. The lake reflection is totally superb!
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Post by mich64 on Apr 1, 2013 22:10:17 GMT
The landscape is pretty incredible! Was it a very warm day for a climb such as this?
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 1, 2013 23:34:27 GMT
Absolutely beautiful, Tod! I'm probably overly fanciful, but often when I look at your pictures, it just feels so true that Africa was the original home of all mankind. The landscape somehow seems known from within, and of course your pictures are so good. Can't wait to see more of this and wow -- good for you for being willing to go at it again.
Your opening sentence immediately reminded me of the opening sentence in "Out of Africa".
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Post by htmb on Apr 2, 2013 0:06:12 GMT
Your opening sentence immediately reminded me of the opening sentence in "Out of Africa". And that's the part where I start to cry.  |
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Post by tod2 on Apr 2, 2013 7:36:01 GMT
Thank you one and all! By this time the sun had risen with a vengeance and we were thirsty again. I did start out with a water bottle but it became cumbersome so I left it near a fence hoping to collect it on the way back. I had not had breakfast and carried no energy bars....big mistake. Looking up at what was still to come.  The tree line in the valley is an instant indication that there is water flowing. And here it is! Crystal clear and icy cold - nectar of the gods!  Excuse my back end but some people can't help themselves when they are armed with a camera ;D Our friend and guide looks on before he has a drink.  Finding a comfortable rock we have a good rest and sort out our feet.    Looking back at the distance we have come. The shadow of the mountain helping us with the heat.  Husband and guide let me have a turn with the camera.  I spot a bright pair of wings... It is a Natal Acraea butterfly.   |
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Post by tod2 on Apr 2, 2013 7:46:44 GMT
The last gasp still to come!
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Post by tod2 on Apr 2, 2013 13:52:25 GMT
Here we come! Of course the photographer had to make it first so he could capture the moment I reached the beacon. Fifty years had passed and I started looking around for our names etched into the rocks. No luck. So many people had been up here since then, obliterating all the old scrawl.   The view    Time for a group photo before making the descent.   Stopping at the little stream again for a well earned drink.  I spot a strange little frog.  I looked it up in my Bushveld book and see it is called the Common River Frog or Afrana Anglolensis.  Also spotted was this plant which looked a bit like a rose at the tip.  It is about 12 midday now and the cattle huddle in the fierce sun.  Yay! , there's the road and what looks like another stream!  O boy, does that feel good! My toes had taken a hammering coming down the mountain and I was later to find out that I had lost the nails on both my big toes.  I remember getting back to the house and standing under the shower and downing a beer at the same time! After a good lunch we made our way down to the lake. Here is our friends wife doing a bit of paddle skiing.  A blue dragonfly lands on a wild flower called Verbena Bonariensis or Tall Verbena. This annual originates as a weed from South America and loved by butterflies and wasps.  There's nothing like a swim in a natural lake.  Watched by an African Pygmy-Kingfisher.  The sun goes to bed and we sit and sip a chilled glass of wine as we watch the mists descend on Nhlosane. Looking up at "The Maiden's Breast" (the English translation) I can't believe I climbed that today!!  |
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Post by htmb on Apr 2, 2013 14:22:26 GMT
Tod, wonderful story. I loved your photos, from the large landscapes to the tiny frog and interesting rose flower. Was there absolutely no shade for the cattle?
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Post by tod2 on Apr 2, 2013 15:22:52 GMT
Thank you htmb. No, there is only natural tree shade but as you can see the trees aren't that kind of shady tree! Even the feedlots with hundreds of cattle coming and going, are left out in the open. Come hail , rain or shine. I always feel sorry for them but a cattle rancher told me that their hides are so thick they don't feel the heat like we do. Errrr......so why are they trying to shade themselves?
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Post by htmb on Apr 2, 2013 16:11:52 GMT
Tod, where exactly is this. Also, I'm curious to know how far away you went for boarding school.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 2, 2013 16:38:44 GMT
Oh Tod ~~ this is absolutely magical! What a treat to go on that climb with you, but of course without suffering heat, thirst, or abused toesies. All so beautiful on the way up, but then that crowning view -- wow! Everything looks so green despite the heat and there are so many little lakes. I suppose that's why it's cattle country, right?
Besides the grand views, the closeups of nature are a delight, and leave it to Tod to actually be able to identify precisely what we're seeing.
Just outstanding -- thanks!
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Post by mossie on Apr 2, 2013 18:15:51 GMT
Absolutely full marks for making this report, and also for making it to the top of a pretty strenuous climb.
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Post by bjd on Apr 2, 2013 18:19:10 GMT
Great photos, Tod. it looks like a beautiful part of the country.
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Post by tod2 on Apr 4, 2013 8:21:27 GMT
bjd - sorry I see I forgot to answer your question: "Tod, where exactly is this?"
It is in the Natal Midlands north of our city of Pietermaritzburg. The area is called the 'Dargle' and takes about an hour and a bit to drive there from our house. Quite close really.
You can see a road in the photo of the little waterfall. That road goes to Impendle and the carries on to Bulwer. This whole region has snow most years and is fun to take the short drive and see the foothills of the Drakensburg mountains all white with snow. The roads being dirt, get very slippery and one has to be careful not to land up in the ditch!
Boarding school was in the city of Pietermaritzburg where I now live - about 30km away. I'm guessing but if I get the correct number I'll put it here.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 5, 2013 11:29:07 GMT
It's nice to see all of the fauna and flora close up and not just the landscapes. So many people take only wide shots of the view while ignoring what is right at their feet -- that is one mistake than you have never made in all of your reports, tod.
I approve of the fact that there is an official marker at the top. A lot of times, one goes up such hills or mountains and when you get to the top, you wonder "Is this the place? Am I missing something?"
Why did you wait so long to go back? Too busy discovering the rest of the world?
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Post by tod2 on Apr 5, 2013 15:22:00 GMT
I appreciate your kind comments Kerouac and must commend you for even looking at my photo-=essay while you are so far away from home! I never get a chance to sail into Anyport or any other port for that matter, while I'm on holiday. I wear myself out everyday careening around like a mad thing ;D Quite honestly I never in my wildest dreams ever thought of climbing Nhlosane ever again. I think when I did do the climb I was of the mind that I would stop anywhere along the route and wait for the others to collect me on the way back. Strange that although I suffered severe cramping, gasping for breath at times, aching aching feet, and just so darn hot, I just kept going. I can hardly believe now  Must be all that walking in Paris that kept me fit enough!! |
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Post by nycgirl on Apr 20, 2013 3:21:25 GMT
That was an impressive hike! Sorry to hear your feet took such a beating. That beautiful view is a great payoff, though, and I can see that you appreciated the journey, not just the destination. It's nice that you are able to identity so much flora and fauna. I regret that I don't know much about plants. As often as my husband and I have been to the Southwest U.S., we still know very little about the interesting plants we come across. Love the little pygmy kingfisher. Wish I had gotten to see him on our trip, but I did get to see some of his relatives. (Yes, I do intend to do a report soon.) I would have loved to do a hike like this while we were in Cape Town. Part of the reason why we didn't was because my mother-in-law has mobility issues (bad knees, bad back, you name it). She was a real trooper, but a hike like this would be out of the question for her. She actually had a bad fall in the parking lot at the Namibian border.  Anyway, good for you for revisiting the mountain! |
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Post by lola on Apr 20, 2013 4:04:42 GMT
Wonderful, tod. What a climb, and what a story. I love your wildlife photos.
The stream photo makes me thirsty. How good that you can drink there without anxiety.
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Post by lugg on Apr 20, 2013 6:07:11 GMT
Stunning photos Tod, what a climb. I guess you had a real sense of achievement when you arrived at the top.
To give me some perspective I looked up the height of Ben Nevis -the highest mountain in the UK is less than Nhlosane.
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Post by tod2 on Apr 20, 2013 17:41:13 GMT
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Post by fgrsk8r1970 on May 1, 2013 20:37:58 GMT
What an amazing report Tod, I just got to it (a little under the weather today) just breathtaking. I am sorry too that your toes took such a beating but what a climb and view. And the fauna and wild life - that's something I just love taking pictures of just hiking our little "mountain" 5 min from our house here in Phoenix. Everything is just beautiful !!! Thank you so much for sharing :-)
One day I will visit Africa, it is definitely on my list. I almost signed up for a Volunteer trip through my work to hike Mt. Kilimanjaro last year. Due to my Cowboy's health issues I had to postpone indefinitely.... but someday!!! You are an inspiration :-)
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