The Evranda Rock Arch is a huge rock feature situated in Vergelegen which is in the Southern Berg. Its very much off the beaten track and is in rough country which is probably why not many people have seen it or even know of it. We asked one of the rangers how Evranda Arch got its name and he said that it is known as 'E Vranda because it is like a huge veranda………this was his take on it so who knows!
Richard and I first visited Evranda two years ago and were in awe of the sheer size and magnificence of this feature. On that visit we had noticed a steep snow filled gully to the escarpment that ran in the same direction as the Arch, a dyke that looked very interesting with a possible route to the top. Our hiking friends Hylton and Roger had also never seen the Arch, so the plans were made and we set off last weekend.
We had accessed the Arch the previous time from the North,spending our first day hiking from the office to the base of Mahlangubo Pass and then traversing southwards towards the Arch on the second day. This time we decided on a different approach and climbed the Inkangala Ridge which is behind the office. This involves a steep climb to Plum Pudding and then 8km along the ridge towards the contour path. Our plan was to overnight at the Arch which we ultimately failed to achieve, mostly because of my unfitness. I took strain going up the initial climb and the ridge was definitely not flat with quite a few uphill sections along the way. We ended up tenting at the oQalweni River underneath the Ntsupenyama massif. The weather had been mild the entire day and we enjoyed a relaxed evening sitting outside our tents and chatting. We heard dogs barking and noticed the silhouette of a Basuto herdsman on the escarpment so we had clearly been spotted. We spent an uneventful night however and woke to another warm day, experiencing beautiful marbled cloud formations every day which was special to see. We set off southwards on a path that came and went, as it frequently does in Vergelegen! One does not immediately see the Arch when it is first approached as it faces Southwards towards Mkhomazi pass and it is hard to make out from the side. As we got closer we noticed a distinct cave on the side of the Arch that we had not noticed before. There are a series of steep gullies that one has to negotiate to reach it and the going is quite rough. Richard and I have of course seen it before, but it impressed us all over again. It is massive and well worth the hard work required to get there. There is a stream and small waterfall that runs through the rear of the Arch and one marvels at the sight it would be in Summer when in full spate. The stream was of course dry when we were there. I achieved my wish of walking on top of the Arch and the photos below show the size of this massive.
The cave was reached easily via a steep grass slope and it would seem that it has been used before as there appears to be the remains of a rock wall in the front. It is fairly small and would sleep 4 with maybe 6 at a squeeze and a bit of housekeeping. No water in winter, and you would have to go down 200 metres or so to collect water in the various streams in the gullies below. In Summer one should be able to get water from behind the Arch itself. The cave is not marked on the Parks Board map, and we thought Evranda Cave would be the obvious name choice.
We had a good look at the gully to the escarpment, now without any snow, and observed that there was a scree field below which could be loose. What concerned us more though, was the top section that looked extremely steep with an unknown area at the very top that could possibly be a solid rock wall. More time is needed for further exploration.
We then headed down the ridge and into the Mkhomazi Valley and ascended the pathway up and over the Ngcingweni Ridge to Birds Nest Cave where we overnighted. We walked out down the Mkhomazi River Valley, one section through a just burnt section, so we all looked like coal miners by the time we got back to the office!
The Evranda Arch is unique. Possibly the Wolfberg Arch in the Cedarberg is similar in size and also immensely impressive, but I don't think there is anything similar to Evranda in the Drakensberg.
