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5th february - 13th march

Overlanding across Afica in our Land Rover Defender: South Africa 1

Andy Lees
2006-05-16 13:55:49

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from the top of the amphitheatre, northern drakensberg

we drove all day and the rain followed us. the land had been rising steadily and by the afternoon we were well and truly in the highlands. green moorland rolled upwards towards distant mountains and as we passed towns called glen coe and fort william, we could have been in scotland.

the drakensberg is the heighest mountain range in south africa. a chain of craggy, dramatic peaks they are the country's premier hiking destination and also mark the border with the mountain kingdom of lesotho, which lies beyond the cliffs to the west. they are said to be tolkien's inspiration for the infamous mountains of mordor, and with the storm raging and lightening flashing over the peaks i could see the connection. though to be honest, even through the maelstom i thought they were just too green to be really sinister and with the wildflowers lining the road... are you sure it wasn't his inspiration for the shire?

the rain was pelting down heavier than ever, and we were high enough in the mountains that the black clouds no longer loomed overhead, they ambushed us from around the hairpin bends. arriving at the backpackers, we shunned the camping and took a room and several very large bottles of beer.

we woke to blue skies and a panoramic view of the bright green peaks. we took a stroll in the mountains, which turned out to be a fairly arduous trek. the rain came down again and even with our kagoules we were soaked to the skin. we forded rivers with our boots hung round our necks, scambled up and down gullies and clambered over boulders using ladders made of chains. it was an exciting walk and the views were worth the discomfort.

two days later we were ready to hike again. this time to the top. well, the top of the amphitheatre anyway. a fearsome curtain of rock nearly 1 km high, the amphitheatre dominates the north of the range, curving evenly as its name ...