Bellevue Cave

26 Feb 2017 19:29 #71019 by HannesT
Bellevue Cave was created by HannesT
Hi
We are plannig to hike up Mlambonja pass to sleep in Bellevue cave during the next 3 weeks. I have found several references to this cave on the forum and I have the GPS coordinates but I have not found a description of the cave's size. Can 4 people overnight in it this time of year? I read a comment in the forum that it might be dripping in rainy season.

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27 Feb 2017 21:05 #71031 by intrepid
Replied by intrepid on topic Bellevue Cave
Judging by the good rains it may well be drippy yes - how badly is hard to say. You might be OK with a ground sheet pulled over your sleeping bags or bivvy bags. I've been right up to the cave only in summer. The sleeping area is slightly sloped and grassy, so while it may take 4 people, it wont give you room to position yourselves around the drips. Please check it out, even if you don't decide to sleep there, I'd be curious to know.

While we are on the topic of this cave, the name "Bellevue" is one which domsmooth and myself came up with years ago. It is a play on words, since it implies a pretty view, and you can also catch a glimpse of the Bell from it. The name is purely suggestive however since I am not aware of any other going names. The cave clearly had been used when we first stumbled onto it. If anyone knows more of it's history and of any other names it may have, please let us know.

Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.

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27 Feb 2017 21:11 #71032 by HannesT
Replied by HannesT on topic Bellevue Cave
Thank you very much for the information. I will go have a look and take some photos of the cave and the views.

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04 Oct 2017 22:03 #72222 by HannesT
Replied by HannesT on topic Bellevue Cave
I could not find the cave. I suspect that my cellphone's GPS location was not accurate enough. It indicated that the cave was below me while I was traversing along a narrow path on top of a steep slope. I was going northwards towards the top of Mlambonja pass.

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05 Oct 2017 07:53 - 05 Oct 2017 12:52 #72225 by tonymarshall
Replied by tonymarshall on topic Bellevue Cave
The Bellevue Caves are well below the final traverse section to the top of Mlambonja Pass. They are slightly higher than the level where the Mlambonja Pass and Twins Cave paths join. Where the Mlambonja Pass path goes up on the right (true left) side of the gully above the path junction, the caves are on the opposite (true right) side, and the easiest way to get to them is just to cross the grass slope of the gully from the path, and make your way to the caves using the grass slope ledges between the rock bands the caves are situated in. If you have an idea where the caves are, they are quite easy to spot from the path.
Last edit: 05 Oct 2017 12:52 by tonymarshall.
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05 Oct 2017 08:08 #72226 by Smurfatefrog
Replied by Smurfatefrog on topic Bellevue Cave
This pic with Mr Marshall himself will help :thumbsup:

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05 Oct 2017 21:57 #72229 by HannesT
Replied by HannesT on topic Bellevue Cave
Thank you very much for the photo. It seems my GPS location of the cave (which I got here on VE) and cellphone GPS position were correct. I was just trying to approach the cave from the wrong side :-)
I will go have another look for the cave in December when I will be back there.

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