Location:
Bushman’s Nek Wilderness Area, lower southern Drakensberg. There is a seldom-used path most of the way up to this cave from the Surprise Cave rock art site, but it is often vague and disappears for a while on the larger plateau nearest the cave. The escarpment approach from above the cave only offers a path for the last 100 metres or so. The cave is hard to miss – it is by far the longest continuous overhang in the entire Natal Drakensberg wilderness, well over 100 metres in length. A fairly stiff 1 km uphill walk from the cave will take you past Goat’s Cave and into Lesotho. After Ngwangwane Pass, this route provides the easiest access into the Mountain Kingdom of Lesotho – it is not even marked as a pass on maps of the area.
GPS Coordinates: WGS 84
S29 50.130 E29 08.300 at 2354 metres (Landlubbers)
Description:
Lammergeier Cave is a very long, mostly low cave. As berg caves go it is also quite deep, but in comparison with its length this is not immediately obvious. The top end has a relatively level floor and can accommodate 12 people with ease.
Comfort: 3/5
The cave is quite dusty, but the sleeping areas are level and smooth.
Water: 3/5
There is a reliable stream near the top end of the cave, but this may dry up completely in the dead of winter.
Pools: 0/5
There are no nice pools in the vicinity of the cave.
Shelter: 5/5
This is a dry, relatively sheltered cave, but it can be very windy at times because of its location at a narrow point in the valley.
Outlook: 3/5
The cave is north-facing but the view towards the escarpment is blocked by the surrounding hills. The hillside in front of the cave is coloured by orange watsonia blossoms in summer. A fairly simple walk to the ridge above the cave will provide you with stunning views of the most southerly parts of the Drakensberg range. There is a spectacular dolerite dyke further up the valley from the cave.
Overall Rating: 14/25
History:
The name of the cave is derived from the old Dutch name for the bearded vulture – the lammergeier or “lamb catcher”. This magnificent vulture is a resident of the Drakensberg mountains but is also found elsewhere around the world. It was once thought by settler farmers to prey on their lambs, but since they are carrion eaters it is more likely that the lambs died of other causes. In fact, they are skilled at dropping bones from a height onto rock to access the marrow inside them, and they will also swallow large bones whole. The birds are now quite rare, though they are often seen in the area.