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18 RATING | Weaver Cave |
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Location:
This cave may be difficult for inexperienced hikers to find. It can be approached from the Cobham campsite via one of four routes. The first is to follow the Giant's Cup Trail to the Mzimkhulwana Hut and river, then to follow the river upstream. Unless you are familiar with the paths along the river, this route can become very long and involve some bundu-bashing.
The route via Siphongweni Rock involves a steep climb up to the Siphongweni plain from the Pholela River, followed by an indistinct contour path high above the Mzimkhulwana River. This is an interesting route back from Weaver Cave, but is not recommended for the outward leg, especially in mist.
The best route is via Lakes Cave. You have the option of climbing up to the tarns above the cave, following the upper contour path back up the Mzimkhulwana valley towards Venice Cave and then making your way down-river until you pick up the only good path into Weaver Cave on the north (left) side of the river.
As an alternative to this last route, you may shorten your trip considerably by going along the same upper contour path but only as far as the second ridge, then descending the right-hand fork of this ridge onto a grassy plain. Weaver Cave lies in the small valley on the right of this plain which opens directly into the main Mzimkhulwana River valley. This latter approach takes only 30 minutes from Lakes Cave and is by far the best option.
Co-ordinates (WGS84 / dd mm.mmm):
S29 40.521 E29 18.059 at 1880 metres
Description:
Accommodation: 10
Weaver Cave can accommodate about 8 hikers comfortably, but you can squeeze more in, especially in winter.
Unknown, but the bamboo may once have invited the weaver birds which may still be seen occasionally.
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4 COMFORT | The floor of the cave is nearly level, and consists of soft sand interspersed with some bedrock. In summer a few slow drips, spread by the overhanging foliage, can be irritating but are never enough to make one wet. Stringing a groundsheet underneath the foliage to make a small roof can solve this problem quite easily. |
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5 WATER | The cave is bordered on its open side by a small stream which often flows powerfully in summer. In winter it may become a mere trickle, but water can still be drawn from one of the small pools further downstream, or even the Mzimkhulwana River, which is an easy 200 metres away. |
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4 POOLS | There are several pools in the stream right next to the cave, but the best pools are to be found in the Mzimukhulwana River about 500 metres from the cave. Although this sounds quite far, it involves a relatively easy walk. |
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3 SHELTER | Except for the drips in summer, the cave is surprisingly sheltered, helped partially by the bamboo which grows in front of it and also by the fact that the valley wherein it lies does not channel wind through it. However, it only receives sun for a short while in the morning so it is an unexpectedly cold cave. |
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2 OUTLOOK | The cave overlooks a grassy hillside, and the only view to be had is obtained by climbing all the way to the top of this, from where one gets a magnificent panorama of the southern Drakensberg range from the Amakehla Amabili south towards Bushman's Nek. In summer the vegetation seems to attract a multitude of noisy insects, and fireflies are often seen as well. |
Bookings:
+27 (033) 7020831
Contributors:
Last updated: 2009-08-17 13:57:45 | Report Listing
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