South of Cathkin Peak the main wall of the Drakensberg maintains a level of more than 3 OOOm for 35km, presenting a relentless wall of dark basalt rock, which ends in a huge corner stone known as Giant’s Castle. A Zulu legend is that the mountain dislikes being pointed at, or even being mentioned in conversation. It responds by bringing bad weather and storms do seem to gather around it. In winter there are heavy snowfalls and violent thunderstorms in summer.
In 1903 a game reserve was proclaimed over 30 000 hectares of the foothills and slopes of the Giant’s Castle area. The Bushman’s River has its headwaters in this part of the Drakensberg. Eland are the pride of the area’and easily breed here. In 1873 chief Langalibalele was ordered by the Natal government to surrender his guns and when an expedition was sent to enforce the order, the Hlubi fled up the Bushman’s River, following a route which is known since as Langalibalele’s Pass. During their flight the Hlubi left behind several thousand head of cattle. The government forces were busy rounding up these when they were surprised by a group of Hlubi warriors. Three Carbineers and two of their African allies were killed; Langalibalele was eventually captured and handed over to the Cape authorities.
