Mnweni hikes - 4 days or longer

Thanks for the description elinda - I would love to do that circuit again. Did you notice anywhere suitable for a tent after cycad but before the start of Ifidi proper?

We did find a path that led along the left hand side of the bank not much further from Cycad - there could be places here for tenting. We followed this for about 20 minutes before having to get back into the river bed.

So in the end we didn't do the Ifidi-Fangs route but decided instead to head up Fangs around the cutback and down Mnweni Pass. After driving down on Thursday from Joburg we started walking at 13h30 and didn't quite make 5 star cave by nightfall. We found a nice camp spot under some proteas in the Mnweni river valley about 2 km from 5 star cave.

The next day we headed up the Mbundini valley and up Fangs, spending the night in Fangs cave. The path from 5 star cave to the waterfall at the bottom of Fangs Pass was much easier to find this time compared to 2 years ago and seems to be well used. I noticed places along the path where the vegetation had been cleared with a machete...could this path possibly be seeing more use by locals for smuggling or for access to dagga fields higher up the Mbundini valley? Going up the pass itself wasn't as strenuous as I had thought it may be, but there were quite a few fairly large loose boulders which gave us a few scares. Fangs cave was superb...fairly large with a good amount of flat sleeping space and well sheltered.

Saturday was a long hike; 15 km south along the escarpment around the cutback to the top of Mnweni Pass. We left Fangs at 07h00 and arrived at the pass at 14h00. The Mnweni cutback is truly amazing with its row upon row of pinnacles and spires! After a lunch break we headed down the pass and once again didn't quite make 5 star cave before nightfall. This time we ended up camping on a fairly flat grassy embankment above the river about 3km up from five star.

On the last day we retraced our steps back through what one member in our group dubbed "the sweet exclusion zone" to the cultural centre. Back at the cultural centre we had the good fortune of meeting Gollum and Biggs and the rest of their party back from successfully climbing Mponjwane. It was great meeting up with fellow members of this forum, sharing good coffee and berg stories. Climbing a classic berg route has always seemed a bit daunting and out of reach for the four of us bolt clipping climbers...however after talking with Gollum and Biggs climbing a route like the Angus-Leppan route up the Sentinel in the future appears a bit more realistic than we had realised

Planning to do Ifidi to Fangs over the looong weekend end of April. Also considering Cockade to Tlanyaku. But think it will be Fangs.

@ elinda: how feasible would it be to descend from fangs cave to the MCC in one day?

@plouw - I believe it is entirely feasible with a fit party - it took us five and a half hours to get from the top of Fangs down to 5 Star Cave and then from there another 4 and half hours the following morning all the way back to the MCC. ( and we were a lets say 'more mature' group ) If you start early you should be able to get in between 5 and 6

Just to confirm elinda's reply, we've done a number of these pathless Mnweni Passes back to MCC (and a few times in the old days even to the Police post) in a day. These passes have also included Pins and Mbundini. Its a long day, early start important, but not really a hard day if you are reasonably fit. The last few km along the wide paths and roads are really quick.

Further to the interest shown to do this route in the near future, here are some pictures of Cycad Cave.

From the end of the road, there is a good path most of the way to Cycad Cave, although at places it becomes indistinct and easy to lose. (If anyone is interested I can post some pictures of the walk in to Cycad Cave.) The route is basically as per the hiking maps, with the exception of a detour up a valley to the left and back about 2 km before Cycad Cave.

Cycad Cave is at the base of the cliffs of the smaller dome on the right, in the patch of forest.



In the photo below, the cave is behind the trees beneath the cliffs, and the many Cycads around the area leave no doubt as to the naming of Cycad Cave. The VE cave database coordinates for Cycad Cave are spot on.



When we arrived at the cave it was in a poor state, with the remains of fires, firewood, old clothing, bits of sack and animal droppings littering the floor and surrounding area. This caused some debate as to whether we should stay there or look for a nearby spot to tent. (Photo courtesy of Elinda.)



After a quick search revealed no suitable tenting site towards the pass, we decided to clean up the floor and reposition the wall a bit to make the cave habitable. (Photo courtesy of Elinda.)



This was soon done, and we could sleep four in the walled area, and two on the slightly sloping ground to the left of the walled area. Here Thora, Stefan, Christine and Elinda settle in at Cycad Cave.



We were quite comfortable in Cycad Cave, and with the confined area keeping everyone close together marveled at how much stuff could be extracted out of six backpacks.



The weather was fortunately clear, as the overhang is quite shallow. More people could sleep nearby on the slightly sloping ground, but would be subject to getting wet if it rained.

The next morning we left the cave in a clean condition for the next inhabitants. Hopefully it stays in this condition for a while.

@tonymarshall: thanks for cleaning the cave for us! we will be using it next weekend.

on a more serious note: do you think it will be o.k. to take a novice up this route? We are both quite fit, but it will be my friend's first time in the mountains. We want to do the route in 4 days. first night: cycad cave, second night: ifidi cave, third: fangs cave and then walk out to visitors centre on day 4.