Hamer Brothers Climbing Blog: South Africa July/August

We have just returned from an amazing 6 week trip in South Africa and what a trip it was! It was the first time back to South Africa since 2001, way before we had got into any sort of climbing.

Team psyche leaving London town!

We headed out mid July and arrived in a smoky Johannesburg after a quick change over in Cairo. After a long wait for the other team member to arrive Jose, we got in our Fiat Punto and headed off east into the night. Thankfully the drive was fairly straightforward along the main highway as it got dark quickly. There were few nervous moments when we pulled off the main road in the town of Waterval Boven and couldn’t find the dirt road up to the camp. After a while driving around in the pitch black we stopped and asked for some directions and was pointed the right way. The tarmac road quickly changed to dirt as we then realised why everyone drives 4x4 pick-ups in Africa! After a rather bumpy 7km up the hill side we arrived at the Tranquilatas Adventure Farm where we would camp for the next 2 weeks. We pitched our tents and quickly fell asleep.

Freak On at the God No sector in Boven

Shaking out on Monster 7c+

Jose crimping for life on Godzilla 8b

Tranquilitas team! Ed, Philip, Me and Jose

Alwyn showing us round

Tranquilitas Campground

Jose feeling the psyche!

The next day we awoke to this amazing campite, perched on top of the escarpment overlooking the cliffs. It was truly spectacular and we couldn’t quite believe our eyes! We were greeted by a great Africaans farmer called Alwyn who managed the site. He was happy that we were staying and in no time at all we were in his bakkie (africaans for pick-up truck) getting a ride around the site as he showed us all the different cliffs. It was a brilliant start and a true African welcome.

After seeing some of the crags that were just below the campground, we couldn’t get our bags packed quick enough and headed straight down to the cliff. We were greeted with some of the best climbing I've ever experienced. Bullet hard orange sandstone rising above the hillside for a good 30m. It was seriously impressive!

We then got into a great routine of 2 or 3 days on, one day off. Mixing it up between the God No sector and the Superbowl, two of the steepest and most impressive sectors in Boven. We basically threw ourselves at as many routes possible and climbed some of the most inspiring lines I’ve ever done. It was a sheer pleasure to be climbing such quality routes in the wilds of Africa with just a few other local climbers. Rest days were spent in the Kruger National park and mountain biking round the hillsides. Nights were spent sitting round a huge fire with a braai, eating large amounts of bourawors. It was perhaps the best 2 weeks climbing of my life!

We climbed so many awesome routes I could list them all but here were a few big hightlights :-)

The Beast 8a+ , Hypertension 8a (flash), Jack of All trades 8a, Snap Dragon 7c+ (os) One of the best routes I've ever climbed! Lotters Dersire 7b+ (os) Pure quality, Monster 7c+ What a MONTER!, Tokolosie 8a (well hard!), The Bovenator 7c, Condor 7b+ (true sandbag!), Rude Bushman 7a, Bikini Red 7b+ and the list goes on and on...

Ed climbed a load of hard stuff including the mega pumpy Godzila 8b and Welcome to Ovambaland 8a+and Jose crushed the incredible Rolihlahla 8b on the last day. Awesome effort from the whole team.

It was also brilliant to hang out with some of the local climbers who have put in so much effort bolting and sending the routes such as Andrew Pedley, Brian Weever (B-dog!), Gustav, Dirk, Flex.

Also Alwyn, Philip and David at the campsite who were brilliant and kept us company.

Ed hanging out

Lotters Desire 7b+

Ed on Lotters

At the Waterfall crag

Unlimited Power 7c

After our time in Boven we then drove back to Johannesburg and caught a flight south to Cape Town. On arrival it felt like we had just flown into another country, as it was pouring down outside!!! The first rain we had seen all trip. A complete change from the extremely dry, arid environment up north.

After picking up a rather dodgy looking hire car we then drove a couple of hours north to a small seaside town of Yersfontain where we stayed a night on route to the bouldering mecca Rocklands in the Cedarburg Mountains. This is the place that every climber knows of, where the name represents the area so well. Boulders as far as the eye can see! Even though I don’t consider myself as a boulderer we couldn’t come to South Africa and not visit the place.

We then spent the next two weeks exploring the endless amounts of boulders dotted around this beautiful region. From small ones to huge house-sized boulders, we climbed and climbed and by the end of the two weeks I had literally no skin left on my fingertips! Rest days were spent in Lamberts bay and the hot baths.

Bouldering highlights were the amazing Cedar Spine V9, Weichie V9, The Rhino V8+, Un petit hueco dans la rocklands V8+, Sunset trav V6.

First day at Roadside

Pads and sandy walk-ins

Sunset traverse

Ed on Pendragon 8a

Riding the Rhino

One of the coolest boulders!

Ed riding the Rhino

Sunset Trav

Big easy highball

Rest day at Lamberts Bay

Beautiful fields in the Cederburg

Our final leg of the journey was spent in Montagu, a brilliant climbing area 2 hours east of Cape Town. A beautiful, quite spot cut through a steep gorge with rock walls on both sides. It's one of the main climbing areas in the country and a real mecca for the sport climber. We only spent three days there, climbing as many routes as possible to finish on a real high after such a successful trip.

Montago highlights;

Cool like that 7c+, Monkey Wedding 7c+, First Starter 7c+

The last few days were spent whale watching, wine tasting and eating large quantities on the harbour seafront in Cape town. It was also brilliant to meet up with an old friend and a bit of a legend in South African climbing Ed February. Shared a lot of great stories.

It was one the best climbing trips I’ve ever been on and really opened our eyes to the amazing quality of the climbing in South Africa. We also had the privilege of meeting some of the most friendly and psyched people I’ve ever come across. A real joy to be around.