Seven adventurous Boy Scouts had a taste of the historic battlefields when they followed the route taken by the fleeing British forces following the Zulu triumph at Isandlwana in 1879.
Trysten Streak (17), Patrick Lewis (17), Toby Spencer (16), Daniel de Beer (14), Kaei Robertson (14), Michael Geldenhuys (14) and Tyron Dolloway (14) hiked from Isandlwana to Rorke’s Drift which took them through and over the Buffalo River.
All the boys are from the 1st Hillcrest Scout Group except Patrick who is from the 1st Waterfall Group. Trysten Streak organised the hike as part of his Springbok Scout badge award and was meticulous in his planning.
He had planned to ask renowned tour guide, Ken Gillings, for help but Ken died tragically in a diving accident in December. That is when Dundee’s own venerable tour guide, Pat Rundgren, stepped in to assist.
First up was a visit to the Moth Shellhole Museum, which left the Scouts and their adult supervisors, including Gail Streak, wide-eyed with wonder.

Pat was able to pass on valuable knowledge of the terrain and what the boys could expect to encounter.
Trysten, who is a keen military history enthusiast, said for fellow Scout, Michael Geldenhuys, that the knife and sword collection in the Shellhole was a highlight. For Akela, Helen Lewis, she was proud that her son, Patrick, was able to follow in the footsteps of his late father whose favourite place was the battlefields of the Anglo-Zulu war.
“For some of the boys it was seeing people on the hike who had nothing but who are willing to share what little they do have, and for others, it was finishing a hike they believed they would not make. I personally had an awesome time and learnt a lot,” Trysten told the Courier.

Hiking from Mangeni Falls, the group stayed over at Isandlwana Lodge before taking on the Fugitive’s Trail where they were accommodated on the grounds of the Rorkes’ Drift Hotel alongside the banks of the Buffalo River for the second night.
“We enjoyed the night next to the river and spent time scaring each other. I am sure the mum’s would not be impressed! Charles Aitkenheads’s (owner of the Rorke’s Drift Hotel) breakfast talk and the visit to the
Rorke’s Drift museum finished the hike off perfectly.
“A Springbok Scout hike needs to push the individual in terms of planning and organisation and must have a theme. We are very grateful for all the assistance we received while here.” Gail Streak said the 1st Hillcrest Scout group was formed in 1958 and the group grew as Hillcrest village expanded. “To date, 1st Hillcrest has produced 73 Springbok Scouts with a number of these privileged to attend the World Jamboree. The Scout group has served the local community well over the last 50 years.’
Clearly, Dundee continues to be a tourist attraction for people from all walks of life. That is something we can be proud of.