Rob's Cave
Location:
Garden Castle Wilderness Area, lower southern Drakensberg. Rob’s Cave is not marked on the old Slingsby map but does appear on the newer Ezemvelo KZN Wildife map of the area.
GPS Coordinates: WGS 84
S29 46.952 E29 10.536 at 2236 metres (Landlubbers)
Description:
Rob’s Cave is situated high up the side of Hidden Valley, within a kilometre of Wave Cave. Getting to it involves a strenuous climb up the hillside from the valley, although it can also be approached from above (e.g. from Whyte’s Cave) via one of two routes. The more complicated of these routes descends to the left of the cave through a maze of intricate gullies, requiring a point man to go ahead and find the best and only workable solution, which includes boulder-hopping through tough riverine bush. The easier option is to descend down the gully to the right of the cave. This gully is actually a continuation of the fissure that forms the northern Mzimude Pass. It is mostly covered in loose soil, and the sparse vegetation includes some unusual plant life. The catch is getting out of the gully into the cave. If you are nimble and enjoy climbing trees, there is a handy one up against the cliff face below the cave floor that can facilitate your arrival if you have the nerve for it. The alternative is to continue along the cliff face to the point where it reaches ground level, then climb back up the grass slope and enter your lodging in a more civilised manner!
Rob’s Cave is a very long overhang with a “floor” which is divided by a hill, so the roof height varies considerably and the floor itself is mostly sloping with only one relatively small area really suitable for sleeping on. Even so, if your party is happy to spread out and rough it a bit, it can easily accommodate 12 hikers.
Comfort: 2/5
Most of the floor area is too sloped to provide sleeping comfort.
Water: 2/5
There is a small stream in the gully on either end of the cave, but these appear to dry up in winter. In summer there is also a waterfall that tumbles over the rock band about 50 metres to the left of the cave (when looking out of it). These water sources are frustratingly difficult to reach and involve climbing, clambering, bushwhacking or a combination of these.
Pools: 1/5
There are no pools worth noting in the immediate vicinity of the cave, although – if you are energetic enough to reach them – there are some nice potholes in the bedrock in the gullies above and to the left of the cave.
Shelter: 2/5
Due to its convex shape and location, the cave is very exposed to wind, although it should remain dry for most of its length due to the size of the overhang.
Outlook: 5/5
This is the cave’s main appeal. On a clear day fine views can be had of the escarpment from Mzimude Pass in the south to Rhino Peak in the north.
Overall Rating: 12/25
History:
Unknown