PETERHOUSE NOSTALGIA

... MEMORIES ...

1982 INYANGA EXPEDITIONS

There were two expeditions this year. B1 went in May and the other two sets were meant to go in September, but the Parks were not able to accommodate us then and they went in November instead.

B1 were fortunate in having generally good weather. They were a small group with only two staff and four Vlth form instructors. The latter were tremendous value and it is not surprising that one is Head of School for 1983, one second Head and the third is Head of his House. The fourth has left.

This group used the Pungwe Gorge and Inyangani only. With so few staff it was not possible to venture further afield but the limited area provided sufficient for the smaller number. A new route (to us) was opened up from Inyangani to the lower Pungwe Gorge. This runs along the road, now almost unusable to vehicles, towards the Pungwe Causeway, then turns off along a ridge running to the East of the Nyazengu until away can be found down to the Pungwe below its junction with the Pungwe; from here it is a simple matter to reach the junction and camp. Two groups followed this route but it should be noted that it is more than one day's walk and there is no water after leaving the road until the Pungwe is reached.

The second group were based at the Matenderere/Pungwe junction too. There were four staff and three Vth formers with them (and one of these is Head of his House for 1 983!) The staff were based at different points: Mr Ward at the Gaeresi, near the Bridge; Messrs Jones and Menzies on top of Inyangani and Mr Martin (who was in charge) was to use the new group mainly: but the last was not to be.

The weather was very poor for the first four days: it rained a great deal and everybody and everything got thoroughly soaked. Then disaster struck. One group, who were still at base-camp, managed to get a fire going during a dry period and set off for a swim some distance up the Matenderere without taking sufficient care to put the fire out. This got under way and proved impssi ble to extinguish. In an effort to rescue their belongings one boy had severe superficial burns when a Gas cylinder exploded and he had to be taken to hospital. Fortunately Mr Martin was there with the Land Rover, and was able to evacuate the whole group to Inyanga. They were brought back to Peterhouse the next day: the boy who was burnt has made a full recovery.

The other groups did very well, considering the conditions, and some of them very nearly completed their projects. They were brought to the Causeway cottages to dry out and they came back to school a day early in good spirits. It is possible that they learnt more from their expedition than B1 who had things relatively easy.

You can never tell what the weather will bring in the mountain!