Location:
Cobham Wilderness Area, lower southern Drakensberg. Nutcracker Cave is situated in the same valley as Lakes Cave, about 2 km further down-river. It can be reached easily in a day from the Cobham campsite via excellent paths, and is therefore suitable for beginners.
GPS Coordinates: WGS 84
S29 40.042 E29 20.179 at 1911 metres (Landlubbers Adventures)
Description:
Nutcracker Cave is a relatively small cave. Because of the mud caused by spray from the adjacent waterfall in summer, it can only accommodate 4 people in that season, but in winter it can comfortably accept 6.
Comfort: 4/5
This is a comfortable cave with a relatively level, sandy floor.
Water: 5/5
There is a reliable stream just below the cave, and in summer the waterfall fills a small pond at the cave.
Pools: 2/5
There are several small pools in the stream below the cave. Bigger pools can be found in the main river some distance away.
Shelter: 3/5
The cave provides excellent shelter in winter, but in summer the spray from the waterfall can be a problem.
Outlook: 2/5
The cave is east-facing. It offers a nice if uninteresting view across the valley, which is quite narrow at this point.
Overall Rating: 16/25
History:
The origin of the name is unknown, but the cave does have a low roof!