Kwaggasrus
Posted: 16 Apr 2018 10:06
I took part in my daughter's primary school 4x4 day over the weekend. The event took place at a venue called Kwaggasrus, which is a little North of Moegatle out Brits side. It's not really a general public type place, as the venue primarily caters for school groups (sort of like veld school / school camp type stuff), although they do occasionally do private functions (I hosted my wife's birthday there a year or two ago). That said, they do have a 4x4 route, which I had never done until the weekend, and which I underestimated a little...
The route reminds me considerably of Moegatle, but it is probably not quite as difficult. That said, it's a technical route, and there are enough off-camber bits to rattle one to some extent. The route itself meanders in and out of the river bed, and the terrain is very much like the start of Moegatle - that undulating sand-stone type stuff one gets at the start of Moegatle. In short, very reminiscent of "Ou Ry Perd" - lots of cross axels. Being in the river bed, there are quite a bit of sand / mud bits as well as a few rocky sections, but definitely not as much rock as Moegatle.
We were a mixed bunch of vehicles - a bunch of stock bakkies, a Fortuner, some cruisers, some Suzuki SJ's, a few Jeeps, two Landy's and a few of the "pyp kar" type crawler vehicles. Oh - and one Patrol. :)
That said, despite being easier than Moegatle, it is a trixy trail. There are a few serious descents, and a few ascents which disappointed some drivers. Several vehicles did not make it up one of the ascents, although the Patrol just muscled through those and completed all obstacles. I think it impressed a bunch of people on the day.
As I was driving (and as always seems to be the case, I was on my own again), I've got absolutely no photographs of the route, although I did take a quick video of the second last obstacle - which was very tough - especially for a vehicle the size of the Patrol... Although one cannot quite see in the video, it is a very, very, very narrow "poort" through the sandstone type rocks, with mud, as well as a few horrific slopes to the sides. All in all, a very tricky obstacle to get through with a large station wagon. If you stay to far to the right, you'll scratch the cab on the right when slope on the left kicks in. If you're to far to the left, you'll scratch your vehicle on the left (I did snag the rear bumper going through). And then there are the axel twisters followed by a hellishly tight turn to the right to climb out again... This specific obstacle claimed a few victims - a SFA Hilux as well as a Suzuki bent steering rods here. And another Hilux took a slightly incorrect line and got pretty badly stuck in the axel twisters... After that, there is a water crossing before heading back to the camp.
The video is here:
I had a long chat with Eddie, the owner, and I'm sure I can probably organise a weekend there some time. Accommodation is chalet based, and there are swimming pools / similar. In any case, if there is some interest, let me know and I'll see what we can arrange.
The route reminds me considerably of Moegatle, but it is probably not quite as difficult. That said, it's a technical route, and there are enough off-camber bits to rattle one to some extent. The route itself meanders in and out of the river bed, and the terrain is very much like the start of Moegatle - that undulating sand-stone type stuff one gets at the start of Moegatle. In short, very reminiscent of "Ou Ry Perd" - lots of cross axels. Being in the river bed, there are quite a bit of sand / mud bits as well as a few rocky sections, but definitely not as much rock as Moegatle.
We were a mixed bunch of vehicles - a bunch of stock bakkies, a Fortuner, some cruisers, some Suzuki SJ's, a few Jeeps, two Landy's and a few of the "pyp kar" type crawler vehicles. Oh - and one Patrol. :)
That said, despite being easier than Moegatle, it is a trixy trail. There are a few serious descents, and a few ascents which disappointed some drivers. Several vehicles did not make it up one of the ascents, although the Patrol just muscled through those and completed all obstacles. I think it impressed a bunch of people on the day.
As I was driving (and as always seems to be the case, I was on my own again), I've got absolutely no photographs of the route, although I did take a quick video of the second last obstacle - which was very tough - especially for a vehicle the size of the Patrol... Although one cannot quite see in the video, it is a very, very, very narrow "poort" through the sandstone type rocks, with mud, as well as a few horrific slopes to the sides. All in all, a very tricky obstacle to get through with a large station wagon. If you stay to far to the right, you'll scratch the cab on the right when slope on the left kicks in. If you're to far to the left, you'll scratch your vehicle on the left (I did snag the rear bumper going through). And then there are the axel twisters followed by a hellishly tight turn to the right to climb out again... This specific obstacle claimed a few victims - a SFA Hilux as well as a Suzuki bent steering rods here. And another Hilux took a slightly incorrect line and got pretty badly stuck in the axel twisters... After that, there is a water crossing before heading back to the camp.
The video is here:
I had a long chat with Eddie, the owner, and I'm sure I can probably organise a weekend there some time. Accommodation is chalet based, and there are swimming pools / similar. In any case, if there is some interest, let me know and I'll see what we can arrange.
