Charles Aikenhead is a partner in Campaign Trails Adventures and divides his time between his house in Ladysmith and a family home in the UK, to cover business and family interests. His boyhood in Zimbabwe and Zambia was followed by public school in England before a commission in The Irish Guards with active service in Aden as well as tours in Hong Kong, Belize and Cyprus. Leaving the Army in '74 as a graduate mechanical engineer he has had a commercial career in the supply of capital plant for cheese manufacture and packaging machinery throughout the UK and Ireland, and has now handed over the company he started in '81 to his elder son. His return to Southern Africa in 2000 was to commemorate the centenary of the foundation of his Regiment. He initiated the Ladysmith Swartkop Challenge and has written several articles on The Anglo-Boer and Anglo-Zulu Wars. His speciality is combining adventure training activities with battlefield visits for serving units of the British Forces. UK contact details Lawn House, Cornard Tye, Sudbury CO10 0QA. Tel/Fax: 01787 376337 Mobile: 07836 222134 Ladysmith contact details 4a Hunter Road, Ladysmith Tel/Fax: 036 631 4191 Email: c.aikenhead@virgin.net or historyhub@telkomsa.net http://www.campaigntrails.co.uk/ http://www.swartkopchallenge.com/

Against the backdrop of historic landmarks and events, our visitors experience the freedom and challenge of outdoor activities accompanied by experienced instructors and/or specialist guides. Participants can expect to: ·  walk in the magnificent Drakensberg mountains with it's peaks towering to over 3000 m ·  overnight in a cave ·  horseback riding in the very hoof prints of the Victorian soldiers ·  walk up Spioenkop, one of the bloodiest battlefields of the KwaZulu-Natal battlefields ·  abseil ·  spend a day river rafting, or kloofing if the river is down ·  kayak training in still and river water ·  hikes on battlefield routes

Day One:

Collect at Durban Airport and drive to warmly hospitable accommodation on a working farm outside the town of Dundee, northern KwaZulu-Natal. Presentation on the background to the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879.

Day Two (Anglo-Zulu War):

Walk the path of G Coy 24th from their base at Helpmekaar down to Rorke's Drift on 24th January 1879 following the old wagon track. Stop for lunch and a breather at the lodge at the foot of the plateau and continue to the mission station at Rorke's Drift for an account of the famous defence of the military depot there by a handful of British soldiers against several thousand Zulu warriors. Accommodation as last night. Walking time 11/2 hours, distance approx 6 km, altitude drop 1400m - 1220m. Terrain down hill, uneven.

Day Three (Anglo-Zulu War):

Follow, on foot, the route taken by Lord Chelmsford, Commander in Chief of the British army, and the central British column as they entered Zululand to crush the might of Cetswayo, king of the Zulus. The route followed is again the old wagon track, this time crossing the Buffalo River at Rorke's Drift and continuing on to Isandlwana.

Picnic lunch at interpretative centre, followed by an Account of battle of Isandlwana, standing amongst the graves of the thousand or more British soldiers who died there. Accommodation as last night.

Walking time 41/2hours, distance approx 14 km, altitude rise 1100 m - 1220m. Terrain undulating, worn foot paths. Shallow river crossing

Day four (Anglo-Boer War):

Introduction to Anglo-Boer War of 1899 - 1902, at Talana Museum, Dundee, followed by a short walk up the Talana Hill for an account of the first set piece battle of that war. Drive to Ladysmith for lunch, the town that held world attention for 118 days while it was under siege by the Boer forces. Afternoon spent at the Siege Museum and visiting other places of interest.

Drive to fresh accommodation in colonial style lodge with views overlooking nearby game reserve. Evening talk.

Day five (Anglo-Boer War):

Follow the route taken by the British soldiers for the night attack on the Boer positions on Spioenkop on 23 Jan 1900. Picnic lunch on the summit and account of the action on that day. Return to the lodge by different route. Accommodation as previous night.

Walking time 4 hours. Distance approx. 10 km. Altitude change 1200m - 1465m - 1040m

Day six

Drive back to Durban for onward plans, visiting the site of the capture of Winston Churchill and stopping for lunch in the Midlands.

Also available:
Independent self-drive tours where walkers are accompanied by local field guides. Specialist guides to give an account of the military action at various sites can also be arranged.

 

The ultimate history experience One Day visit to the KZN Battlefields Campaign Trails offer a time saving way of seeing the best of the historic and dramatic battlefields relating to the defence and relief of Ladysmith, KZN.

Town Hall & Siege Museum

Spioenkop

The excursion will be subject to weather conditions.

Option: stay overnight at a comfortable lodge and have a full 1H30 flight around the battlefields early in the morning, returning to Virginia at lunchtime.

 

From a permanent base that can accommodate up to Company strength, Adventure Training of Hiking, Kayak and Abseil are carried out in the shadow of the battlefields of the South African War. These historic engagemenst of 1899-1902 offer stimulating lessons of courage, leadership and organisation. Associated visits to the game reserves and the Indian Ocean at Durban complement memorable overseas training.

Adventure Training

Hikes around the peaks of the Drakensberg which rise to over 3000m - parties sleep in caves.
Abseil descent on a natural rock face of 45m
Kayak training on still water
Scuba diving on major reef with fully certified instruction
River rafting excursions and Horse riding

Battlefield Visits

The trails on the battlefields include the ascent of Spioenkop, march to Rorke's Drift and the Tugela line; walks on rough terrain on the history trail.
We specialise in drawing the lessons of history and applying them to command situations in a contemporary setting:-
The Zulu War of 1879 historic sites of Rorke's Drift, Isandlwana, Khambula and Hlobane

South African War of 1899 -1902; Boer defence of the Tugela line including the battles of Colenso, Spioenkop, Vaalkranz; Pieter's Hill and the relief of Ladysmith and its siege.

Sports

The Ladysmith Swartkop Challenge offers leadership development and team building during The Ladysmith Siege Weekend. See: http://www.swartkopchallenge.com/

Your group can try their strength and skill with the 1898 gun as part of their battlefield experience at any time, in Ladysmith.

Rugby teams are welcomed to play against keen exponents.

Game Viewing

All visitors to South Africa should take the opportunity of seeing wildlife in its natural habitat; options include managed hunting for trophies

Other Historic Venues

Travel to other locations with a historic theme:- Kimberley; Pretoria; Cape Town; Durban; Johannesburg.

RECENT SUCCESSFUL TRIPS for:- Royal Green Jackets; Royal Higland Fusiliers; Q Battery 5 RA; Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders; 101 Engr Regt (EOD); HMS Collingwood; QUOTC; Devonport FG Team; Irish Guards; 2nd Bn Royal Scots; MSUOTC.

Programme outline Friday evening Arrive at accommodation at Buller's Rest, Ladysmith History presentation briefing with maps of routes for Sat and Sun Saturday morning

Depart with packed lunches for Vaalkranz memorial ground; Trail to Potgieter's Bridge; lunch on Brackfontein; trail below Swartkop; the access road to the base of the Gunslide on Swartkop. On foot to top of Swartkop (absolutely no vehicles are to attempt to mount the gunslide); across Skiet Drift and return to Ladysmith

Saturday evening

Braai at Buller's Rest. Evening review and history lecture; brief for Sunday.

Sunday morning

Drive up track to top of Bulwana to find site of Long Tom gun that shelled Ladysmith; to Wagon Hill; lunch at Platrand Lodge.

Sunday afternoon

Disperse

Prices: Please enquire; as price varies with number of participants and season.
Terms: 50% with booking; balance at least 7 days prior to arrival.
Route: Rights are reserved to alter route depending on weather conditions, river level or local factors
 

Contact us: c.aikenhead@virgin.net or historyhub@telkomsa.net