The Moonlight Hell Run is an ultra run that combines elements of endurance, adventure and mental toughness. It poses extreme physical challenges: it features more than 70 kilometres of dirt track as well as the infamous descent down "die Ladder", about 1500 metres of climbing and descent, a temperature range from about 20 at the start to (probably) sub-zero from the halfway mark onwards and no seconding i.e. runners carry all their food and survival gear with them. Water supplies along the route are limited: miss the river and you may face two hours without water. However, the toughest challenge is mental. Imagine running in the middle of the night, tens of kilometres away from any other light and civilisation, with the full moon throwing haunting shadows. Your body is already fatigued by more than a marathons worth of running, your blood sugar is low, despite many insulating layers of clothing you are cold. Your mind starts playing tricks on you; your subconscious takes you back to the places of your worst nightmares. Welcome to Hell!

The Moonlight Hell Run starts at the top of the Zeweweekspoort, follows the Bosluiskloof track to drop down into "Die Hel" via the notorious "Ladder", a very steep zigzag path. The route traverses the Hell (Gamkaskloof) in a west-to-east direction following the access road all the way to the top of the Swartberg pass. The run thus connects two of the most beautiful (and roughest!) roads (Zeweweekspoort & Swartburgpass). It also traverses on of the least visited and most remote places of the Cape.

Note: kilometre markings are approximate for the first twenty kays. In time-honoured ultra fashion, markings go down from 72 kays. As a novelty, (and similar to our calendar, which also starts at the year 1), the race ends not at zero but at the one km mark. 1:50000 map references are 3321AD Ladismith; 3321BC Matjiesvlei and 3321BD Kruisrivier.

72K: Start (1000m). The race starts at the turn-off into Boschluiskloof (marked "Gamkapoortdam") at the top (north) entrance of the Seweweekspoort. This is also exactly 72 kilometres when coming from Laingsburg (using the Ladismith turn-off from the N1). In fact, it is exactly one 42 km marathon (warm-up?) from the point where the tar road changes into a very good quality dirt road. Starting altitude: 1000 metres. We will be running as a group until we reach Ouplaas for reasons of safety and privacy (we are crossing private land).

Follow the track to Gamkaspoortdam for 5,8 kays. (Ignore the right turn-off after just over 2 kays that takes you into the beautiful Besemfontein reserve, part of the larger Towerkop reserve. This route into Die Hell is about 10 kays longer and more problematic!)

66.2K: Turn-off to the Hell. A heap of sand marks the right turn-off of an old 4x4 track. Follow (walk?) this track up to the nek (a climb of 130 meters for 1.5 kays). The track then gently winds its way down and follows a plateau for another 8 or so kays, making for easy and relaxed jogging in the sunset.

57.x K: "Garage" ruin (830m). The end of the track, with a small ruin of a garage J . This is where the path leading to Die Ladder starts. Take some time to survey the valley of the Hell spread out before your eyes, with the sandstone colours of the mountain ranges beautifully enhanced by the sunset light. At the far end of the kloof, where a mountain is straddled across the valley, you can make out the faint zigzag of the pass which lies at 37K. Hate to inform you: thats only the halfway point! Too late to turn back now. We descend together down the old, somewhat eroded but very visible track. Follow it first to a small inbetween plateau and then turn right for the very sharp descent into Leeukloof, heading for the old ruin almost vertically below us.

56K: Leeukloof ruin (500m). At the ruin, we do a head count and glue together the body of those who stepped 10 cm off the path. Also the first opportunity to refill water bottles. We jog together the 7 kays to Ouplaas, just before the Gamkas river. You have almost 20 kays of easy and flat running ahead of you.

49K: Ouplaas. For those too exhausted to continue, Xannie, the friendly CNC warden for Die Hell will gladly keep you entertained for the rest of the night with hundreds of stories about the Hell and its history. Hes also provided some mattresses in a tent and, perhaps, some coffee. Fill up your water bottle here.

48.6K: Gamkas River (310m). From here onwards, the kilometres are clearly and individually marked on the right-hand: the 5k markers are concrete boxes, 1k markers little metal plates. Youll pass a couple of interesting places, each with their own history. 45K: Lennie Marais; 44K: the cemetry; 42K: Marais Cordier; 41K: the Grootkloof Hiking Trail. Watch out for thorns as you run: theyll go right through your running shoes - did you remember to have them soled with a metal sheet?

37K: Camping Site (460m). This small but very well-kept camping site is your last contact with civilisation. With luck well try to organise some seconding here. Fill up with water and make up your mind whether to go on or not. Its gonna get steep, dark, cold, lonely and tough from now onwards. Not even half way in distance and all of the climbing still to come. This steep pass was built with two men (a surveyor and a bulldozer driver) in less than two years well below the allocated budget of R30 000.

33K: top of the pass (1043m). Well done. I dont suppose you ran a lot? Can you also feel the difference in temperature? Itll get a lot colder still! You can now jog down into this next longish valley, whose river actually drains north through the Swartberg, to go all around and finally back into it via the Gamkariver. Weird geography if you ask me. For you it means a nice down run but also, at the other end ...

30K: steep downhill no faster than 60 km/hr!

25.5K: water (790m). In this little river, you can refill your bottle. At 790m, this is also the lowest point youll reach in this valley. From now onwards its a roller-coaster up and (slightly less) down all the way out to the top.

17.3K: water. There is water running in the pipe under the road. Not very visible but turn back if you see youve missed it (at the 17K mark): theres another climb ahead of you on your now-weary legs.

14.5K: hut (1120m). Here, on a two kay flat piece, is one of the huts of the Swartberg trail, though to get water youll have to walk quite a distance to the hut. If youre in trouble, you may find shelter inside the rondavel just at the turnoff to the hut. Otherwise, continue with climb up the next section of road. From now onwards its a beautiful lightly sandy road good for cushioning your sore muscles.

10.1K: lots of water. A good water point. Its flowing strongly underneath the road so dont miss it. Luckily theres plenty. Brrr water never was this cold. Hopefully you dont have to break the ice!

8K: saddle (1355m). Its freezing cold here, and youre exhausted. But see if you can manage a shuffle to the end - in which case its less than an hour away. Remember, less than 7 kays to go. Although this is not the highest point, theres no more heavy climbing to do.

7K: more water. A trickle when we checked but should be enough.

1K: the finish at the pine forest. Well done! At just over 1400 metres you have reached the finish. This little pine forest is exactly 1 km from the T-junction with Swartpass. (Parking is better here, the pine trees provide much needed shelter (and a softer surface to lie on) and there is no danger of trampling the fynbos.

0K: Swartberg pass. You idiot! The finish was one kay back. Turn around.

Generally you have to be self-sufficient and be prepared for almost arctic conditions: you should be able to survive for at least 6 hours in heavy snowfall conditions (this is not a joke! Heavy snowfall occurs regularly in the winter months in the Swartberg).

• 2 x 500ml or 2x1l water bottles. (more if youre not a camel like me)
• High-energy food enough to sustain you for a full night of heavy physical exercise. Combine small sugars with more complex carbohydrates: chocolate, raisons, fructose.
• Warm clothing. Mainly needed from 33K onwards (perhaps we can organise a second to drop these off) but then theyre essential. Thermal underwear, windproof and waterproof jackets, at least 2 other layers (pants & top), gloves, balaclava.
• First aid kit: bandage for sprained ankle support, "match firelighters" in waterproof sachet; emergency ("space") blanket. (When looking for shelter during the run away from the road, leave a clearly visible object on the middle of the road to indicate passers-by where you are! One of those chemical caving/diving lights is ideal, atop a little cairn which is the agreed standard for this race.) Toilet paper, spare shoelaces, safety pins etc.
• Torch with spare batteries: though the real challenge is to do the run without , artificial light, adverse cloud conditions, phychological or emergency reasons may force you to use your torch. Best is a headlamp. Go for the best quality ones - I had a bad experience with the cheaper versions in Réunion L .
• Running shoes: optional; real runners do the Moonlight Hell Run barefoot, of course J (especially the thorny stretch). If you intend walking most of the route, light-weight hiking boots may be the better option.

The Moonlight Hell Run starts about two and a half hours before sunset (so that we descend the Ladder in daylight). It will be full moon but the weather can be extremely bad. No 4x4 is needed for the road down into the Hell, but careful driving is. It takes at least 2 hours to get up the Swartberg Pass and down to the Hell camping site, more if youre not used to driving that type of terrain.

You participate at your own risk (a waiver will have to be signed). I only ask for a voluntary donation of about R25, which will go towards the restoration of the Ouplaas CNC museum/tourist information. There will be an equipment check before the race if your equipment doesnt check out, youre not coming along.

You need to contact and confirm with me by () latest (e-mail Jean-paul.VanBelle@uct.ac.za, fax/tel 021-7823923 (H) or 021-6504256 (W). Well sort out transport later. Seconding limited, please. Seconds are NOT allowed to drive their car along the Hell road whilst the run is in progress cars will completely destroy the intended atmosphere of the run. They must stay in position during the run, either at the camping site or at the finish. Were crossing sensitive and pristine ecological areas and private land: no litter whatsoever and finest mountain behaviour (ablutions) requested. Respect other runners privacy: some (including me) will try to do as much as possible on their own, in solitude. Dont force your company on them, unless its clear that theyre also shit-scared of the dark.

Some photographs from the 1999 race:

Some photographs from the 2000 race:

And the famous poem by Ian Crooke

© Jean-Paul Van Belle