TRAIL | SOUTHERN DRAKENSBERG
MY CUP WAS FULL
Paul Ingpen uncovered a whole new perspective on the towering Drakensberg mountains.
aving ridden my mountain bike at sani2c and Berg & Bush, run the Harrismith Mountain Race, climbed Sani Pass and hiked around Cathedral Peak, I thought I knew the Drakensberg pretty well.
Still, I was blown away by the remote valleys in the foothills of the Southern Drakensberg that I encountered on the Giant’ s Cup Trail Run, and the incredible views they give up into the solid giant of the escarpment.
The first stop on a 10-day fit-cation for my wife Deirdre and I, the Premier Resort Sani Pass, our base for three nights, glowed a warm welcome as we headed up from Himeville on the Thursday night. In the spirit of an event that’ s about savouring the scenery rather than chasing PBs, dinner and the race briefing were a mellow affair, hosted by event organiser and farmer Spurgeon Flemington. We went to bed amped for the adventure to come.
The next morning we were up before dawn to join the stream of runners queuing to get into the minibus taxis that would take us to the start. In the light of our head torches we could see our breath steaming into the freezing air, but there was a great sense of excitement as we piled into the vans with our coffee flasks. The sun rose over the mountains as we drove to the old Silverstreams Trading Store in the early morning mist. Here farmers in shorts and cowboy hats stood around open fires preparing hot chocolate, rusks and toasties. It didn’ t feel like a race, rather like meeting a great big bunch of mates for a special outing.
And it was special. The valley that welcomed us over the saddle of the first climb was a jaw-dropper. I stood on the cut-grass trail alone, breathing hard, in awe. That up-close perspective of the incredibly rugged escarpment, rare vultures circling overhead, was a sight I’ ll never forget. Standing below the towering mountain, the term Giant’ s Cup now made perfect sense. After hours of soulful discoveries, the day ended just as my legs were
Paul relished his time on the full run, finishing with his wife Deirdre( middle, right) who took on the Lite distance. starting to hurt. I descended the trail to Castleburn Farm to be greeted by music, happy runners and farm bakkies off-loading the most delicious food. There were G & Ts, cold beer, biltong and boerie to devour while we sprawled out on loungers in the warm sun beside the river. It was as close to a perfect day out as I can remember.
A shuttle delivered us back to our comfy hotel for the night, but the next morning we were back on the riverbank. The fields were now iced white with frost and runners cuddled in blankets as they waited to take to the trail again. It was a whole new dimension of beautiful.
Part of the charm of this event is that it caters to both runners and hikers, and offers a choice of distances over what is relatively gentle terrain, with only a few steep ascents. That makes it perfect for friends and family with different abilities
30 | RUN FOR YOUR LIFE