Lotheni is situated to the South of Giants Castle and above Vergelegen in the Southern Drakensberg and a much loved area to me. Not least because of it's rugged beauty but also because it is not visited as frequently by the public. It is also the area where Richard and I first met. One receives an instant feeling of wide open spaces with the main peaks of The Hawk, and the Tent dominating the skyline. The high point of Redi is situated further back on the escarpment and not as easily seen. You are behind the Giant here and look on to the back of the Gable from the camp site. We have hiked the entire area and also spent many enjoyable weekends at Simes Cottage which is privately situated in front of a trout stocked dam with nothing between you and the mountains but a superlative view. The ridge that runs to the South above Simes Cottage has a prominent rock feature called Eagle Rock. From certain angles it does indeed look like the head of an Eagle. So of course I wanted to climb it someday and we eventually did so over a two day hike in June. Richard and I set off on the path towards Redi and once gaining the plateau headed north and found a flat spot to tent above Ka Mashilenga Pass. The wind which had been brisk, strengthened while we were pitching our tent and remained for the rest of the afternoon, becoming much stronger during the night. While I had a snooze in the tent, Richard went for a short walk and saw two Basothos and their dogs carrying bags making their way up a ridge in to Ka Mashilenga Pass - clearly poachers on their way home after a hunting foray for game. Very sad to see as the Parks Board seems to be losing the battle with protecting the wildlife in a World Heritage site. The next day we made our way down the long ridge towards Eagle Rock - a very enjoyable walk with lovely views on both sides. After taking the obligatory 'summit' shot on Eagle Rock ( 1 797m) we found our way down a rather slippery and loose side slope and from there it was bush whacking down rough ground to the path which runs past Simes Cottage. After a brief rest at the camp site, we walked back to the office, and ended our hike with a welcome cider. Another good weekend in the Berg!
