Seldom visited Lekkerwater Traverse rewards one with varied terrain and unfamiliar mountain views. The 16 of us set off at 7am in blustery wind conditions that intensified to 50 kmph winds on top. This caused us to curtail our second objective that was Separation Buttress, as we could hardly stand upright against the wind. Nevertheless, we all enjoyed the varied challenges along the way. There are no well-worn tracks and the odd cairn provides comfort every now and again. We had an early tea at 9am under an overhang that provided far reaching views. The impressive Lekkerwater Pinnacle always provides much interest before descending into the depths of a small forest called ‘soldaat se bos’. After exiting the forest, one is confronted with a steep eroded slope covered with tree roots that provide the only means of support to negotiate the slope. Once off the ledge, the upper reaches of Grove Walk provide some minor rock scrambling challenges before finally topping out in the vicinity of Grove Buttress. Our descent was down Llandudno Ravine with a lunch break before the final descent down to the cars.
Photos by Don Jepson & Dennis Cope
