I started my run not long after sunrise, a touch after 07:00. The run down to the trail head is straight-forward and in no time I started the climb up Bannerman's path to the contour path. I carried all the necessary emergency kit, cold weather gear and enough food to last a day as well as two liters of water. It was the first time I climbed up Bannerman's path and this is a proper climb. A stunning spring morning combined with the climb saw me loose the jackets quickly and embrace the heat. Bannerman'spath is not well maintained but also not overgrown so progress is decent.
This changed a little once at the contour path. There is some indication where the trail should be but large areas are completely overgrown and you are as good as off-piste. From the junction between Bannerman's path and the Contour path it is 4.5km of undulating trail and off-piste to Bannerman's hut. I found the going slower than I hoped but did arrive at Bannerman's hut content on the stroke of 2 hours.
The climb is a beast and that is visible from the hut. Still hoping to go under 6 hours for the loop, I hoped to complete the climb in an hour and 15 minutes. This soon proved to be a challenge and the clock slowly ticked past 1:15, then 1:30 and I finally made it to the top at 1:50 or just before 4 hours in total. There was not water on this initial half of the route and the majority of the climbing was completed at the top of Bannerman's pass.
The wind at the top of the Drakensberg was chilly and the mid-layer soon came back on again. For the rest of the little traverse to the top of Langalibalele pass was pretty straight forward and uneventful. With the dawn of Spring the Lesotho herdsman and their flocks of sheep are back on the mountain. The first water appeared in small streams in the Langalibalele valley, but I still had enough to start the descent without refilling.
Half way down I passed a small waterfall and pool, drank my fill, grab 500ml for a flask and headed down. At this stage I knew 6 hours already disappeared but 7 hours was still possible. Hop, skip and jumping down the mountain induced quad cramps for a moment and cost me a minute or two, but I got going and enjoyed the run down the ridge. The last bit of trail was cut open recently and running was easier than normal on this section.
I arrived back at the parking a tiny bit disappointed to have missed 7 hours in 7 hours 1 minute and 22 seconds but stoked with an amazing day in the rugged mountain wilderness of South Africa.