King Edward High School up and over
To be able to gaze down on what we have achieved, we must first climb to the top.
Student life at KEHS is always full of opportunities, not only on the academic or sporting fronts but also in our life experience extension tours.
This holiday we set off on our Bell Traverse Expedition.
The Bell Traverse is arguably one of the most beautiful hikes in the Northern Drakensberg. Set against the skyline of the towering Cathedral Peak, the Bell Traverse is characterised by extreme climbs, daunting heights and narrow paths contouring exposed cliff faces. The conditions are perfect to go and have an adventure, and so we did. We set out from Cathedral Peak Hotel on Friday afternoon for a quick hike up to Sherman’s cave where we spent our first night contemplating the challenge that lies before us over the next few days.
The next morning a quick breakfast and stretching session introduced the start of our ascent. We headed up the dragon’s back, through Orange Peel Gap, up and through the infamous “Bugger’s Gully”. From here the real Bell Traverse starts, we followed the narrow paths around spectacular cliffs with breath-taking views of the valleys and streams below. The Clear sky and fresh air filled our lungs as we trekked on towards Twins Cave (2900m above sea level), our mountain shelter for the night. Card games, exuberant laughter and a serious lightning storm made this night one to remember.
Dawn on day three saw us manipulating sore and aching muscles to create various warm beverages ranging from espresso coffee to cup-a-soup. Enjoying the view from our mountain penthouse we slowly prepared to ascend even higher up Mhlambonja Pass to access the escarpment and enter into Lesotho. Here an icy cold swim in the Kwakwatsi river rejuvenated spirits and bodies. From there, we trekked along the escarpment to the East, ascending Cleft Peak at 3277m above sea level.
We pitched our tents just above Organ Pipes Pass to spend our last night under the Milky Way. The stars in the Drakensberg seem so close you almost feel like a space traveller on your way to the moon. We descended the next morning down Organ Pipes Pass, Windy Gap and down the green, steep slopes of The Camel back towards the hotel.
We had an amazing adventure. We laughed and cried. We tested our limits and pushed our boundaries. We overcame our fears and saw that we could be brave. We felt alive and proud…
