rorkesdriftvc.com :: View topic

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 10:53 am

I am due to do David Rattray's tour of Isandlwana, and Rorke's Drift, in a couple of weeks.

I hear that there is a steep walk, as I have a dodgy knee is it manageable with a walking stick?

Petergs

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 11:47 am

I assume that the steep walk will be to the location of Younghusband's last stand, located on the mountain, where David/Rob traditionally give their talk on the battle. It should present no problem as there were a number of pensioners present on my trip four years ago who were all able to walk the path.

Peter

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 2:39 pm

Peter
Thanks for that.

Petergs

Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 9:43 pm

Petergs

The country around Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana is very hilly country and the steep hill to which you refer could be almost anywhere. There is quite a steep and long hill down to the Buffalo (Mzinyathi) river to Fugitives' Drift from the site of the Melvill/Coghill grave. You might be well advised to email Fugitives' Drift Lodge and ask for details about the terrain you are going to encounter. It sounds as though it would be inadvisable, for example, for you to try and walk the Fugitives' Trail.

KIS

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 1:27 am

Take a camera! When everyone else is gasping for air and listening to the thudding of their hearts, you can be hanging back and "composing sweeping vista" type photos (and catching your breath-- Hey, it worked for me!) Seriously, it's not too bad a hike up and it's only a couple of hundred yards. One woman in my party was wearing high-heeled Birkenstocks (some kind of California thing) and there was also an elderly lady who was a retired judge from New York. So go ahead, limp and gasp and wheeze. The trick is not to show the pain. And It's worth the hike just to see the bullet holes and the goat droppings in the Cave. You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't.

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 11:29 am

Sawubona,

That's just the help I was looking for, a man after my own heart!

You can be sure that I will be festooned with cameras, looking like a Christmas tree!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers

Posted: Mon Jan 16, 2006 2:07 pm

Petersberg
I have very bad legs the only one that gave me a problem was the climb up to Coghill and Melvill's graves but I just took my time.
CLIVE

Posted: Sat Jun 03, 2006 12:19 pm

Hi to all on the Forum.

I've recently returned from three weeks in South Africa, of which I was fortunate enough to spend ten days in Zululand itself in the company of a great group of people. It was my first trip, and the whole experience was beyond anything I could have hoped for. Nothing could have prepared me for the beauty of the land, the quality of its people, and the impact of the places themselves and their memories, which we discuss so fully here. On the slopes of Isandlwana I remembered you.

If you haven't yet been, all I can say is beg, borrow or put yourselves in hock to make sure you go.

Regards to all,

Paul

Posted: Mon Jun 05, 2006 5:17 pm

Paul,

Told you it was the best. How did your research pan out?

Johnny Hamman
Dundee

Posted: Tue Jun 06, 2006 3:37 pm

Hi Johnny

All went well - I now can't wait to go back!! Very Happy

Regards,

Paul