Wesfront Challenge 2025 brings the spirit of the Boer War to life

In a world where change happens fast and history often fades, the Wesfront Challenge 2025 stood as a living tribute to endurance, heritage, and pride. This year’s hikers made history when they became the first group to spend a night at General Piet Cronjé’s historic encampment at Vendusiedrift, a site where the spirit of the Anglo-Boer War still whispers through the wind.

“We’re making history,” said Cara Tomlinson, cultural coordinator for the FAK in the Northern Cape and organiser of the event. “We are the first people since 27 February 1900 to camp inside Cronjé’s laager. Exploring the Western Front battlefields on foot alongside historian, author and tour guide Dr Louis Bothma was an unforgettable experience. Knowledge is power, and this weekend reminded us of that.”

Bothma opened the four-day journey with a thought-provoking message: “There are two laws of life that you cannot escape. One is change, and the other is uniqueness. We are not all the same; each of us is different.” His words set the tone for a 55-kilometre physical and spiritual journey, where every participant discovered their own pace, insight, and purpose – much like the Western Front’s own layered history.

A path through time

The first day led hikers through the old Anglo-Boer War battlefields of Belmont, Graspan, Modder River and Magersfontein, places that eventually culminated in the decisive Battle of Paardeberg. Starting from the old train station, the group trekked across the open veld towards Paardeberg, where they were rewarded with sweeping views of the Western Front. It was here that names such as Piet Cronjé, Christiaan de Wet and Danie Theron had helped shape the course of South African history more than a century ago.

From blood to brotherhood

The second day tested endurance with a 22-kilometre trek along the railway line and the Modder River under the scorching sun. Along the way, participants stopped at the graves of fallen soldiers, quiet reminders of the sacrifices of war. Yet the day was not only about loss but also about unity. After cooling off in the river, the hikers pushed on to the Boer Association Hall, where they set up camp for the weekend.

“To stand at Cronjé’s camp and realise you’re sleeping where he once stood is indescribable,” said participant Doret le Cornu. “It’s as if you can hear the voices of the past, not loud, but softly, like memories waiting to be retold.”

Where history breathes

Day three brought visits to more graves, including those of Canadian soldiers who fell at Paardeberg. The group moved across the farm Stinkfontein, where a farmhouse from 1900 still stands as a silent witness to those turbulent days. Later, they reached Oskoppies, known to the Boers as De Wet’s Hill, where they visited the private De Wet Museum and met the Van Niekerk family, custodians of the land since the war.

“This land is soaked in stories,” said Bothma. “Every stone and hill has something to say; you just have to walk slowly enough to listen.”

In the footsteps of heroes

The final day began before dawn, with an 11-kilometre night march from Koedoesdrif to Vendusiedrift, the same route Danie Theron once walked in secret to visit Cronjé’s camp. As the sun rose, the group shared coffee, a humble yet deeply symbolic gesture of unity across generations.

The event concluded with a solemn tribute at the Boer Monument, where the soldiers of the Battle of Paardeberg are buried. Le Cornu recited Jan F.E. Celliers’ poem Kampsuster, followed by Dis al and Laaste skietgebed, a veteran’s final prayer. As the group sang The Lord’s Prayer, the morning light broke over the veld, casting a glow of reflection, pride, and gratitude.

Lessons in life, not just history

“The Wesfront Challenge is more than a historical hiking route,” said Tomlinson. “It’s a living classroom. Through dust, sweat and stories, both young and old participants gained a renewed appreciation for perseverance, community and cultural heritage.”

Bothma added, “When you explore the Western Front on foot, you realise how slowly things once moved. Each kilometre tells the story of ordinary people who dared to achieve the impossible without modern means.”

The 2025 Wesfront Challenge was made possible through the support of the Solidarity Movement, the Orania Movement, Solidarity Helping Hand and OOM (Ons Erfenis en Monumente). Their collaboration shows that preserving history isn’t just about monuments; it’s about people and about young generations willing to carry those stories forward.

As the sun set over Paardeberg, the message was clear: the Wesfront Challenge is not only a commemoration of war but also a celebration of life, change and individuality. In Tomlinson’s words, “Those willing to walk through the dust of the past don’t just find history; they find themselves.”