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Hot Rock: Malawi ClimbingThis stage has finished. Click on the silk road or arc of asia trips for up-to-date expedition information |
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Malawi, for everyone that's been, is one of their favourite countries in the world. Known as the warm heart of Africa, we spend some time in the big walls of the South before traveling north, the length of Lake Malawi, past lush mountain slopes covered with mango, banana and papaya trees. The people here are sensationally friendly, reasonably used to overland trucks coming through (at least whilst we're beside the lake) and perfectly happy to give you a ride on the lake in their dugout canoes - they'll want some help with the fishing though.
Malawi has become a byword for rest and relaxation amongst travellers and the pace of life here is certainly that.
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North Malawi gallery |
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We’ll spend a day relaxing and replenishing the truck at Dougal's campsite pool in Blantyre. Now the adrenaline levels begin to rise as this section of the trip is in big wall country ... massive mount Mulanje. The sheer rock walls of Mt. Mulanji rise to over 3,000m. Boasting Africa's longest route (Chambe West face E 1 / 5.10 1,700m) it has adventure climbing and stunning trekking throughout the rarely visited massif.
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Rock climbing developed here in the 70's and has sporadically continued until the production of the guidebook to the mountain. The highest peak, Sapitwa means 'do not go there' in local language and the mountains certainly have a serious and challenging feel to them, no matter what grade climb or trek you take on high above the Rift Valley floor. Hot Rock has put up a couple of new 600m routes there and the potential for more is huge.
Cape Maclear Gallery |
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We'll
spend some time on Mulanje chatting to the cedar plantation workers who each
carry 100+kg planks on their heads, barefoot from the plantation at 2000m
down to sea level. 
In colonial days there was an electric cableway to take these down; when this broke the local council made the decision not to repair it as manual transportation provided employment opportunities for the whole area. I guess only the machine operator would have been cheesed off. Not a western mindset but certainly a civilised one.
After the rigours of Mulanji we'll spend a few days in Cape Maclear. Arriving there after a long day trip we can spend a few days at the campsite (Fat Monkeys) and inspect the hillside bouldering and dive sites. With a Carlsberg costing 30p (50c) life doesn't get much better. The 2001 Hot Rock expedition reports describe it as:
"The beach and coast line was perfect and it was hard to rip yourself away from it to climb on the unclimbed crags a few km back down the road. Mumbo Island is an hour boat ride from the mainland. We explored its cliffs and inlets by sea kayaks and discovered perfect high ball deep water bouldering. I made it to the top of the route and looked back into the water to find the best spot to jump into. The water, although 6m deep, looked just a couple of feet as the water was so clear. We developed a total of two crags and Mumbo Island."
If all this is not enough there are some good 50m slab climbs just round the corner at monkey bay.
We'll
stop briefly in Lilongwe the administrative capital of Malawi. Here there
is another changeover opportunity before we head North, where we’ll
be based at Chitimba beach on the side of lake Malawi. Here, there is potential
for challenging new routing on 40m cliffs at the top of a spectacular 160m
waterfall 4 hours walk from the beach. This you have to access by walking
behind the falls through a cave system.
"The mist hung 50m off the wall throwing rainbows about the walls, shrouded
only occasionally by lush vegetation." said Dave after they went climbing
there for the day. 
