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INKWELO, MAJUBA AND LANG'S NEK FROM SCHUINSHOOGTE
THE TRANSVAAL WAR OF INDEPENDENCE
1880 - 1881

THE BATTLES OF LANG'S (LAING'S) NEK, SCHUINSHOOGTE AND MAJUBA

Follow the trail of Gen. Sir George Pomeroy-Colley and his Natal Field Force as they try to break through the defensive line of Comdt. Gen. Piet Joubert and his Burghers and enter the Transvaal.

Visit the museum at Fort Amiel, which was the commissariat and starting point of Gen. Colley's expedition. Inspect the British Camp site and Cemetery at Mount Prospect where Gen Colley and many of his men are buried.

View the battleground at Lang's (Laing's) Nek where Joubert's Burghers repulsed Colley's line regiments for the first time, forcing them to return to their camp at Mt Prospect.

Stroll over the Battlefield of Schuinshoogte where the Burghers of Nicholas Smit forced Colley's "show of force" to retreat back to Mt Prospect.

Climb the legendary Majuba, where Comdt. Gen. Piet Joubert's Burghers inflicted one of the most humiliating defeats the British Army has ever had to suffer when they were driven off their "impregnable position" sustaining some 258 casualties to the Burghers 6.
(Note this is a stiff climb up a rough path and the visit takes roughly three hours)

And time permitting visit O'Neil's cottage where the Peace Treaty was signed.

DAY TOUR
This tour takes a full day and the climb up Majuba is not for the faint hearted. The path is steep and rocky.

For this tour the Guide will meet you at your hotel in Newcastle at 08h00 or 07h30 in Dundee and proceed to Fort Amiel in Newcastle where General Colley gathered his forces, you then proceed to Schuinshoogte for this battle, from here the tour will take you across the Ingogo River and on to the British camp site at Mt Prospect and the British Military Cemetery where Gen Colley is buried. From here you proceed to Laing's Nek where you have a 20min walk across the hill if you do not have a 4x4 vehicle.This brings you to lunch time and you can either enjoy a picnic lunch at the Majuba Commemorative Farm picnic site or go into Charleston where a light meal can be obtained at Snowys.14h00 start the climb up Majuba,the path is steep and rocky and it will take 3 hours to climb up, look around, and climb down. Light permitting you could then visit O'Neil's Cottage.

Because this make a long hard day, only finishing around 18h00, with a lot of walking, many visitors prefer to arrange to only visit a selection of these sites. Note also that several of these sites are on private land and the Guide needs several days notice to contact the owners to obtain permission to enter.

 

 


Fort Amiel - Newcastle

58th Regt. Monument on Laing's Nek with Majuba behind

The 60th Rifles Monument at Schuinshoogte

The British Cemetery on Majuba -
MacDonald's Kop is in the rear

The British Cemetery and Camp Site at Mt Prospect
Majuba is in the background

O'Neil's Cottage where the Peace Treat was signed

Majuba Mountain from the Rifles position on Inkwelo

Battle Re-enactment. Every year on the weekend nearest 27th February
the descendents of the Burghers that fought here gather to commemorate the Battle.

Captain MacGregor's grave at Schuinshoogte