Corner Pass

gollum wrote:

While I'm at it, can you suggest an enjoyable three-day two-pass escarpment route?

Plenty! What area you interested in? That'll narrow it down a bit.

Are there any proper camping spots close to water between Centenary hut and Corner pass?

Unless your tent pitches well on steep slopes, no.

How "rough" are the spots at the bottom of the pass?

Bush, boulders, not much level ground. You will find a spot eventually when you look around, especially if it's just for one tent. It's generally not an area that lends itself well to camping (which of course depends on what you are happy with and what your expectations are). If you are doing it in 4 days rather use Centenary Hut or camp nearby - no shortage of good camp ground there.

Just for indication, more or less the same group descended from the top of Giant's Castle pass via Giant's Ridge to Giant's Castle hutted camp in four hours, including some breaks, during good weather on the last day of our last trip. Is this average or fast?

Theoretically anything could be done faster, but that pace is fine. I mostly avoid fast descents because that's where people mess themselves up. I'd rate an ascent of Giant's Pass with pack at 2/3 - 3/4 of a day, and a descent at half a day. I'm reluctant to rate the time more specifically than that - too many factors involved.

Cathedral or Monk's Cowl, since they are the closest to Bloemfontein.

You can combine Ships Prow Pass (either fork) with Gray's Pass for the Monks Cowl option in 3 days. It involves getting to the base of Ships Prow the first night, then on to Nkosazana Cave, and down Grays on the last day. Long days, but workable options if you are up for it. Ships Prow deserves a thread of its own, I only mention it here as a possibility. There is no other manageable 3 day option in this area.

Cathedral Peak provides many possibilities. You mentioned that you've done Organ Pipes Pass already, so unless you want to do one of the route alternatives of this pass, you could work out a route involving Cockade Pass, Tsekesteke Pass or Mlambonja Pass. Really there is lots you can do with just those 3, whichever way round you fancy. They are all manageable passes with few issues. A combination of Thuthumi and Tlanyaku is also an option, as well as the Bell Traverse, which is a classic. Again these are all topics in themselves, I'm just throwing it out there.

Thanks. I'd just like to add we're not trying to set up records, I just wanted to get some sort of rating on fair pace from an experienced climber.

A 4 hour descent of Giants Pass is good.

Not the kind of attitude I liked, especially up there, where you should look out for fellow climbers. We would have respected the first come first serve rule in any case, or if they had booked the cave and we got there first, we'd have moved out.

Not a great attitude, no. As much as I enjoy solitude, I think its ethical to be prepared to share escarpment caves, especially in bad weather. The cave booking system is one thing and it should be respected, but up on top one doesn't want to be competitive in such a manner. I wouldn't want to share a cave with someone that doesn't want to share it anyway. Most times that I've shared them it has been with welcoming people that have actually added value to the trip. Two of such encounters has actually involved Roland's Cave.

gollum wrote:

How much additional time is needed if we wish to climb Cathedral Peak from the Bell traverse?

If you get going quickly enough in the morning you can climb the peak on the first day. Drop your packs near Bugger Gully (but hidden and well away from the trail) and scramble up (less than an hour, but allow time to enjoy the view and get back down) - totally worth it, it's one of my favourite peaks that I climb as often as I can. You could also climb it on the morning of the second day, depending on where you overnight.

If we have the time, trek from there to Tseketseke pass or Organ Pipes pass, or else simply down Mlambonja and back.

It's half a day between Bell Cave and Twins Cave. You could leave it at that and do a visit up to the escarpment in the afternoon. Other alternative is to continue on to Cockade Pass or Tseketske Pass the same day. I don't readily recommend this unless you want long days. Its all do-able, just a question of what you are prepared for and capable of. For a discussion on the Mlambonja - Organ Pipes section see this thread:
vertical-endeavour.com/forums/drakensberg-hiking/135-mlambonja-pass-to-organ-pipes-pass.html

Pressing on to Organ Pipes Pass is not an option for a normal hike. You'll have more than enough on your hands getting to Tseke via the Bell Traverse in one day.

You're welcome Lukas, have fun and hike safe. If you do the Bell Traverse, do try and take several pics of all the exposed bits in the trail, there have been several discussions about that and it would be great to get some pictures onto the site to illustrate them.