Chasing the Rainbow » Blog Archive » Hiking and Bouldering Van Stadens River Gorge

Hiking and Bouldering Van Stadens River Gorge – a photo blog

March 5, 2019 by Chasing the Rainbow in Eastern Cape, Locations, Port Elizabeth 4 Comments

Best known for its infamous bridges – one being SA’s highest narrow gauge railway bridge and the other known as the “bridge of death” due to its popularity for suicide – Van Stadens Gorge also offers incredible hiking and, as we recently discovered, some pretty amazing bouldering and rock climbing as well.

The trail starts next to the old railway bridge

The Van Stadens railway bridge is the highest narrow gauge bridge in the world. It is currently unused because the Apple Express train railway stopped running the full route in 2010.

The track heads steeply down into the gorge

There is a weir at the bottom (you climb up the left weir wall)

The crags are home to hundreds of sport climbing routes

As we rounded the corner and started our uphill climb, we spotted the huge dam wall

We climbed up the steep track as Cian said we should approach the dam from the top down

We veered off the path and bundu bashed our way down to the dam wall. I would not recommend this as it was extremely steep and one slip could have resulted in disaster.

Our chosen picnic spot was looking ominously high

The wind was howling across the dam down the gorge and Ralph clung on the wall for dear life

They leaped into the deep water and swam towards the rocks

We were terrified that they might get into trouble and we would have to leap in and help out

Bouldering is rock climbing without ropes or harnesses.

It takes great strength and stamina to hoist your body out of the water and up the rocks

This rocky buttress provided the perfect challenge, with a soft landing into the water below in case of failure

The boys had their eye on a rocky ledge up above – not so easy to get to…

…but so worth the effort! Woooohooooo!!!

We noticed some giant steps down the side of the huge dam wall (see how the railings have been bent by the force of flooding water in the past!)

We made our way back down via the giant steps. In hindsight, we should have gone up that way as well, rather than our hazardous descent from the path.

The dam wall, with is lacy veil of water, is spectacular and we were mesmerized by its flow.

We felt quite brave for having picnicked at the top of this monster.

Having fun on the way back. We bet Cian that he couldn’t make the jump, but he proved us wrong!

Making our way down the steep weir wall en route to the upward climb back to the bridge

Gosh it was steep. And brutally hot! Check out the man made pillar propping up the rock face – ingeniously bizarre!

We ended our adventure with a stroll across the old railway bridge – leg numbingly high but a magnificent view!

Fact Sheet:

The hiking trail starts next to the old Van Stadens railway bridge, just past Falcon Rock beneath Lady’s Slipper mountain. After admiring the narrow gauge bridge, the trail heads steeply down into the gorge, past a weir to a much larger dam – the Lower Van Stadens Dam. We only went this far and spent our day bouldering and picnicking at the dam. I would love to know where the hiking trail that takes you up the mountain past the dam leads to (if you know, please drop us a comment below).

The whole gorge is a magnet for climbers and I would definitely recommend joining a climbing group if you want to give it a try. Our boys are members of Valley Crag Indoor Climbing and first visited this route with the club. Remember – safety first!

Yours in travel