Day 01 - Ramsgate to Bergville

I departed early as I was not sure how accessible the battle sites where and the condition of the unpaved roads considering there had been lots of rain the previous week. When I departed from Ramsgate it was overcast and 22C. The temperature decreased to 16C as I ascended through the hillsides and into the misty highlands. By the time I got to Himeville, the clouds had disappeared and the temperature started increasing reaching a maximum of 30C.

The winding roads through the rolling hills of Kwazulu Natal are covered in either commercial forests, sugar cane, maize fields, rural villages or pastures with grazing cattle.

On arrival at the Bergville Caravan Park, I met the only other camper, Frans and his wife from Centurion who were travelling in a mobile home. Frans was an engineer at Eskom Distribution before retiring. He had a lot of interesting stories including how he built a 4 wheel electric bicycle that is stored on the back of his mobile home. He also tows a Jimny behind the mobile home.

The camp sites are great with electrical points and water. The ablutions were clean but needed some maintenance. I pitched my tent under the pergola.

The caravan park is located on the banks of the Tugela River. I took a walk to the old railway and vehicle bridges that had been built around 1900.

Bergville does not have much in terms of restaurants. The best options are riding 15 to 20km East or West to find a restaurant. Winterton would have been a good choice. However, I had brought my own dinner so there was no need to go out for dinner.

Fort Durnford [S29° 00' 57.4" E29° 53' 19.3"]

Not accessible.

The signage to the fort is poorly marked. The gates to the site are locked and there is no board providing details on how or when to access the site.

Saailaager Battlefield [S29° 00' 28.8" E29° 53' 18.2"]

Not accessible.

The signage to the battlefield is poorly marked. The site is unkept and the gates to the site are locked. There is no board providing details on how or when to access the site.

Sooilaer Memorial [S28° 56' 22.9" E29° 34' 45.2"]

This is a Voortrekker site in memory of Gert Maritz who established a "sod laager" in June 1838 on the opposite bank of the Little Tugela River. In September 1838, he died here.

By September Hans Potgieter, Hans de Lange and Erasmus Smit formed their Laager on this side of the river opposite the "Sod Laager".