Glorious Cathedrals

The Cathedral peak area is a well known and popular one. Dominated by the spur of the Cathedral range, it has good access and facilities. This places heavy demands on the natural environment, and the mountains surrounding the resort fill with hikers over weekends and Holidays. Justifiably too, as the region has some stunning scenery. The hotel is further into the mountains than almost any other. This makes routes to the summit much shorter than in other areas, although no less steep. If you have only a couple of days, and want to pass through the strata of the berg to the summit, here is the place to go. Amongst the many routes of various difficulty, you can find

Access walk:It's not that easy to decide where the pass begins. The first sections follow the same route up as the climb up Cathedral Peak, which can provide an extra days fun if you have the time. The path is thus strong and well trodden past the caves. It then climbs onto a lovely middle berg plateau, from where I guess the route proper could be said to start

Pass Route:The actual traverse into the range starts as one scrambles up a gully on the south slopes of Cathedral Peak. You descend down the other side to begin traversing around the bell on the southern slopes. The path is clear and narrow. Eventually you pass the bell, and move round to the northern slopes, passing both "Horns" while looking into the Mweni region. It's a remote wilderness down there, amongst the most unvisited regions in the berg. The path remains fairly level, but gets less distinct. A spur jutting north has to be negotiated, and along this traverse some of the dodgiest sections of path are passed. Its then a climb as you head again to the base of the basalt towers Around the chessmen and the Mitre is where things get interesting and various routes, requiring different grades of courage present themselves. The path, which is good to this point, becomes a little vague, and the hike is best done with someone who knows the route, or has a good sense of humour. There are a couple of options here, as to whether you need to traverse onto the southern slopes here. Various people I know have done various things, but nobody has told me of a bold path without harrowing drops. Any way you look at it, its going to be a bit of a make do route until you get in to twins cave on the northern slopes again The final section is shared with the steeper but easier Mlambonja pass.

Water on pass and Summit: This can be one of the driest routes in the berg. After The initial wet crossing near the car park, one does not cross any more large rivers. A small stream is near Sherman's cave, which can be easily reached. From here there is the occasional trickle all the way to the Twins cave, with a vaguely reputable drip of it's own. However, none of these sources are guaranteed, so bring loads to drink on this one.

Caves and Campsites:Twins cave is the obvious shelter at the upper end of the traverse. With Sherman's cave at the bottom and Bell cave half way along, this is an ideal tentless hike (aside from the fact there is very little level ground to pitch a tent on in any case). Twins cave also marks the top end of the traverse. Remember though, water is going to be a real issue, so camping on the escarpment itself should not be ruled out

lambonja

Access walk: By comparison to most passes, the walk into Mlambonja is short and easy. From the Cathedral peak parking lot, one simply heads straight up the main valley, following a strong pass along the river until it climbs up the little berg. After the sharp little climb, its gentle contour round an a drop into the valley of the pass. With the Cathedral range jutting out form the main escarpment, the sense of enclosure as you approach the pass is wonderful. Its only a three to four hour stroll to this base and the pass can be done with relative ease the same day. From the summit the beginning of the pass is not that easy to find, as you need to go over a little lip of escarpment. But the cairns are big and obvious, and the path strong. The same top 100m of path serve the bell traverse as well, but the path down the valley of Mlambonja should not be missed.

Pass Route: Once in the main valley, the path initially stays close the river. It crosses once and then heads a little way up on the western bank, before contouring along and descending steeply back to the main river after crossing a side stream below a waterfall. The path then stays right with the stream until it is little more than a tumble of water, before climbing a sharp little ridge and making for those typical high pass grassy slopes, which it zigzags steeply up.

Water on pass and Summit: Water is not a problem on the way up, until the high grassy slopes. Only for a short while on the access is there little water as one climbs the little berg. However, water is an issue at the summit and twins cave. There is a drip in the cave, but this is not always reliable. Over the escarpment its nearly a kilometre to a strong perennial stream. It is worth carrying a little water with if you have the strength, as it can be quite a walk otherwise.

Caves and Campsites: Twins cave is the classical ending for this long day hike, and a popular weekend spot. The cave itself is not very roomy and poor shelter. It can be crowded and dirty. Its located a little way down the path on the bell Traverse route, which you meet when you reach the basalt's after climbing across the grassy slopes. There is a good campsite at the base of the pass close to the river. A number of small cleared patches can be found here, and provide the only real camping until the summit plateau. Xeni cave can provide a possible little berg cave. It was once a stunning cave, but as it is a little off route, and horribly overused, there is little reason to use it now.

Access walk:Starting at the Hotel, and heading out on the rainbow gorge route, one climbs through the sandstones and contours across grassy spurs towards the Pyramid and Column. The access to the base is a little contrived, and one has the disheartening site on the path descending to the base of the pass from the contour path on the opposite side of the valley. It's a clear path all the way, although a good look at the map after clearing the little berg cliffs above rainbow gorge is suggested.

Pass Route:From the contour path, a good path finds its way up the river bed at first. This gradually swings to the northern banks of the river, although never straying far from the water. Finally, the river dwindles to a mere trickle, and the gradient increases. Once more its only a pull up the grassed scree slopes, where navigation no longer is an issue, and lung capacity is the only obstacle. When approached from the top one must be careful to descend the correct pass. A very distinct looking gully north of the actual pass has confused more than one party, and one must keep the Column and pyramid on your left

Water on pass and Summit:The walk in is reasonable dry, although you do cross numerous side streams. Once you hit the valley of the pass, you have guaranteed water for at least the first three quarters of the climb. Small trickles occur to near the summit, although these are seasonal. The summit itself is in a bit of a bowl, but devoid of a proper river, and its is a fair walk straight into Lesotho before the first of those gentle streams is encountered.

Caves and Campsites:Lower down in the pass a hut has been built, and although this provides shelter, I would not leave equipment unattended in it as Basothos occasionally use the pass. Aside from this, and some little spots on the base of the pass, the nearest good camping is on the contour path and the summit plateau. No good caves service either the base (although you could contrive a route to include Xeni cave) or summit so this is a tented route.

Access walk:The access for this pass is via Mike's pass. This is the only road up onto the little berg, a clutch burning climb to an exposed carpark on a level spur. From here it's a flat walk until the road you follow reaches a T-junction. Here on proceeds directly up the spur ahead, and the climb begins. Its is possible to access this pass from the ndudima gorge, via the steep ascent from the top of the gorge.

Pass Route: Continuing up from the road, it is a steep climb up to an old hut. From here the gradient eases. And one does a fair amount of level walking, with the odd climb through basalt layers The path is good throughout, sticking mostly to the crest or the ridge. People seem to always miss the path in the same places, resulting in some dead end paths at the base and summits of basalt cliffs. These can become confusing in thick mist. Eventually the path heads off on the northern slopes of the ridge, and contours round into the grassy summit gully. This is again steep, but thankfully short, and one soon tops out onto the escarpment. From the summit a huge cairn is obvious enough, but care must be taken in mist not to descend the nearby tutumi pass. Also, the camel route veers off on the grassy slopes, but this should not prove a navigation problem

Water on pass and Summit: This is a dry pass, and enough water for the entire route should be carried. Just before the grassy gully there is a small stream, but this can be dry in winter. Even on the walk in, water can be scare, so come prepared. Once over the top, it's a fair walk into Lesotho to get water, but even this supply could be polluted due to the high pressures placed on the area.

Caves and Campsites: A plethora of small caves dot the summit, with most parties heading for the Ndumeni caves. For those tenting the summit area seems to almost be a tent village for most of the weekends and holidays. On the route in there is plenty of place to pitch early on, but the long ridge supplies no real camping. The old hut is an uncomfortable emergency shelter.