Omdat ons by die see woon vermy ons gewoonlik die malligheid van ‘n Desember vakansie by die see en kies eerder koers binneland toe.  Karoo toe.  En waar meer kry jy Karoo as in die Baviaanskloof? 

Hier is dit boeklees-tyd, koffie-tyd, gesels-tyd en vriende maak-tyd weg van tegnologie en die gewoel van die stad.  Die staanplekke is met groot sorg uitgelê sodat elkeen ‘n koelte kolletjie het, wat belangrik is in die somer, maar tog nie so ingedruk dat jy oor mekaar kamp nie.  Dit is nogal iets wat vir ons baie punte tel.

Hier is oorgenoeg om te doen, as jy iets wil doen!   Jy word  begroet met ‘n blouste blou plaasdam swembad met ‘n groen grassie wat sorgvuldig elke dag nat gemaak word en waar die kinders bal skop en speel terwyl die grootmense in en rondom die dam kuier.   Wat is nou lekkerder as dit? 

As jy die oggend energiek voel kan jy met die paadjie stap tot bo op die kop en die wêreld bespied tot daar ver.  Begin maar vroeg, want hier word dit warm in die somer.  

Indien jy  wil weet in die buitewêreld aangaan kan jy data koop en op die regte kolletjie opvangs kry.  Omdat die kloof afgeleë is, is tegnologiese konneksies  uitdagend hierso, so hou moed.  Die klein winkeltjie het die mees basiese goed en ietsie koud, maar bring maar jou luukses saam vanaf die huis.   In die droogte tyd is die kampplek en winkeltjie vir die mense ‘n lewensaar so ondersteun hulle.

Jy kan ook jou fiets pak om die paaie in die kloof verder te verken.   Ons gesin het egter heelwat tyd spandeer om die kleiner voël lewe dop te hou en te identifiseer terwyl ons agter die koelte aan geskuif het. 

Die weer verander vinnig hier. Ons het in die hitte van die somer gekamp, maar een middag het die weer vinnig ‘n ander neiging getoon toe ‘n ysige wind instoot en ons moes skuiling gaan soek in die lapa teen bakke vol reën. Wees maar voorbereid vir alles!

Uitspan is ook ‘n lekker oornag stop vir ‘n eerste of laaste aand wanneer jy ver reis, want dit is aan die westelike ingang van die Baviaanskloof geleë.  Daar is ook chalets indien jy wil vroeg roer omdat die pad nog lank is. 

Akkommodasie:  kamp, boskamp en chalets

Waar:  westelike ingang na die Baviaanskloof  (  Longitude: 23.7008   Latitude: -33.51585)

Naaste dorp:  Willowmore (45 km)

Kontak:  Nico & Alta Smith  (044 923 1511)

oooOooo

*Artikel soos verskyn in Kamp is Lekker se aanlyn tydskrif vir Oktober 2020*

Kamp is Lekker>

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The Gamtoos Valley is quickly becoming one of our favourite places to explore. It was thus a no-brainer to spend Felicity’s birthday in the citrus capital of the Eastern Cape. Except, this time around there were no citrus involved, but instead we discovered another secluded campsite not to far off the main road.

After spending a night in Baviaanskloof, it was time to meet the parents for a weekend camping and spoils for mom on her birthday. So after stopping of at Tolbos (more about this quaint little “padstal” later) to pick-up the keys, I was on my merry way to meet them for a quick light lunch and catch-up before heading into the “no signal” zone.

Gonjah (the indigenous word for grasshopper) is a secluded bush camp, 9km from Patensie, situated on the banks of a small little creek running right through the middle of the camp. The campsite has 4 ablution blocks, each with a hot shower (gas geyser) and a flush toilet. Situated under the big old yellowwood trees, Gonjah is covered in shade almost all day as the sun only reaches the bottom of the valley after midday. Here you find peace and quiet for your soul. With no cellphone reception, you will have plenty of time to appreciate the Knysna Loeries and other bird life that is in abundance in this few square meters of paradise.

As a family we always look for some activities to do together and Gonjah 4×4 is just the thing for that. On Sunday morning we headed out to enjoy a morning exploring a bit further. The turning around point would be the lookout over the Grootrivier River and the rest of the Cockscomb Mountains. It is also at this point that you will find a Geocache, which was a bonus for us, as we love looking for little treasures. The route is an easy, but rocky one. You traverse farmland and fynbos and with the fires that burnt in the area some time ago, the hard, black Protea bushes might be an unwelcoming surprise to a neatly cleaned new SUV. However, if you can bear with the bumpy ride and not get lost along the way (the markers for the 4×4 route is not at all clear), you will be rewarded with breathtaking views. We suggest that you follow our example and pack a picnic basket and coffee to spend some time at the top of the valley. The route up to the valley took us 2 hours at a leisurely pace without getting lost or diverting off the path. No real off-road skills needed. With two or three inclines on route, you simply will have to stick to what you know about your vehicle to succeed.

We only had one night’s stay here and could have easily stayed over a second night, especially given the competitive pricing. It was unfortunately time to pack up camp and head over to Tolbos for our last and final lunch of the weekend. A true birthday celebration, just the way we like it in the peace and quiet of nature. At Tolbos we met the owner of Gonjah and Tolbos Restaurant (Hetsie Scheepers) and spend quality time chatting and reminiscing about Africa and our journeys we undertook over the years. Hetsie is a seasoned traveler and it is clear that she has a passion for the outdoors and for people. It is thus no surprise that Tolbos Restaurant situated in Patensie is a popular stop-over for motorbikers and adventurers alike exploring the Baviaanskloof and passing through the Gamtoos Valley. The shop at Tolbos stocks a large variety of hand-crafted products. Here you will find anything from preserves to homemade pies. Hetsie and her friendly staff also serves the most delicious meals for the ravenous bikers to the light eater who only wants a snack. Hearty meals plated in a high-quality restaurant manner will surprise you and you will leave here on a full tummy, licking your fingers and wanting more.

Another two establishments in the Gamtoos Valley which you can add to your travel list. A friendly warning: you might want to add another hour or two, or even an extra day, to your itinerary. These places are bound to take your heart.

Just a little bit extra:
• Gonjah also has a fully equipped chalet
• There is a petrol station in Patensie
• Only high clearance vehicles will make it to the campsite (my VW Polo did not)
• Make sure you have a bite to eat at Tolbos – their food is fantastic and the hospitality is really something
• If you are planning to do the 4×4 route, we will happily provide you with some waypoints to easily find your way to the top

The post GONJAH AND TOLBOS IN GAMTOOS VALLEY appeared first on TRAVELBUCKET.

Nestled in the heart of the Gamtoos Valley, 12km outside the town of Hankey in South Africa, lies the perfect spot to spend the weekend. John and Catherina Wait have outdone their selves with providing an enjoyable camping spot for the whole family at inniKloof. Whether you are looking for a place before you enter Baviaanskloof or have just exited Baviaanskloof or even just a nice breakaway weekend, this is the place to be.

inniKloof offers a main campsite with grass and multiple electricity points. The ablution facilities are neat and clean with an attached scullery. A big undercover platform is available with a built-in braai for those who do not wish to make use of the big round braais in the middle of the campsite. Might I add that these big braai pits becomes the centre of attention when a big group descends on inniKloof.

A new addition to the campsite is “Boskrapper” which offers two stands in “Bosloerie” and “Bosmusikant”.  These stands are under big yellowwood trees and are a bit more private.  These stands can only take tents and no electricity is available.  Each site has it’s own pool and the ablutions has a gas geyser and solar lighting.

With awards such as “Best Value for Money” and “Best Establishment in the Gamtoos Valley” it isn’t difficult to see why inniKloof became so popular under bigger groups as well as the small family.

Not only do they offer a big open area with shaded camping spots and ample space for kids to ride their bicycles and enjoy a game of cricket. inniKloof also now has three bush camping spots along the river. These camping spots share an ablutions. Two of the three camping spots have their own swimming rock pool and none of them has electricity. You will be away from the hustle and bustle of the big campsite, but you will have to follow a path of about 30m from your car to your camp.

Apart from the big rock swimming pool at the main camp, filled with canoes and tubes, inniKloof also offers 2 short hikes. Draaikloof is about 2.2km and Die Nek is about 2.5km. These hikes are available for overnight visitors. Day visitors can make a reservation and pay a day visitors fee to do the hikes.

Not only does inniKloof offer camping opportunities, but four pristine cottages awaits those that would rather opt for the self-catering option. Bedding is supplied and each cottage sleeps either 6 or 8 people. The cottages provides you with a kitchen, multiple rooms and a lounge as well as a bathroom with a shower and hot water.

The venue can be reached by a normal sedan car. Driving along the entrance path lined with Yellowwoods alongside the river, you immediately feel that this is a special place. A place that will steal your heart in a second. As you lose cellphone reception, you realize that this is the perfect place to get away from the city.

For bird watchers this is truly paradise, rare species such as the African Finfoot often makes it’s appearance at the waterhole. Knysna Loeries dance in the trees around the campsite and birdsong wakes you in the morning. For those who would like to relax in a different way, there is a golf course just outside of Hankey. For the food lovers, there are farmstalls all around the area in the likes of Padlangs and Tolbos close to Patensie. A visit to the Mooihoek strawberry farm to buy some good quality frozen berries is a must!

For the more adventurous, why not hike up to Bergvenster to appreciate the views over this beautiful valley. Then visit some historical sites like the Old Mill Ruins, The Miller’s Grave, Phillips’ Tunnel, Phillips’ Grave and the slave tree.

The Gamtoos Valley truly offers something for everyone. So why not make inniKloof your basecamp and explore the area.

Contact John or Catherina at 042 284 0940 or 042 284 0697 to make your booking.

oOo

*This post was reviewed on 15/12/2020

A few notes:

• Hankey has a Spar for refreshments
• inniKloof has no cellphone reception
• You need to check-in at the Reception past the campsite upon arrival
• Bring your camera with, there are plenty of birds and photo opportunities
• It is only about 2.5km gravel road

The post LET’S GO CAMPING INNIKLOOF appeared first on TRAVELBUCKET.

Some of you will know the dam by its former name of Paul Sauer who was a prominent politician on the South African scene. However, after 1995 the name of the dam was changed to the Kouga Dam. The dam was built in 1957 for irrigation purposes in the valley and to supply drinking water to the greater Port Elizabeth area. Something that I did not know was that the Kouga Dam also serves as a flood-control dam (or as we say in Afrikaans a koffer dam) for floods originating from the catchment area of the Kouga river and to decrease the effects of these floods in the lower Gamtoos area.

Below the dam wall, albeit the present drought, there was a lush green picnic site. Being a Sunday and over a long weekend I sort of expected that it will be packed with visitors. It was empty. As we were departing a family with small kids arrived and unpacked the car to spend the day kicking ball and playing with the kids in the shade of the trees. It was apparent that they know this hidden spot very well.

We took the short steep drive to the top of the dam wall. Standing on the double curvature wall of 82 meters in height we had a view over the rest of the dam. The dam was only about 49 percent full and littered with branches of dead trees. It was disheartening to see how low the water levels of the dam was at the moment. On the other hand it must be an impressive sight when it is full and the dam basin stretches back 34 kilometres storing 128 million cubic meters – my brain cannot even calculate what so much water must look like!

The little tunnel next to the dam wall created some good photo opportunities and like everyone else we stopped to snap some pictures.
Standing on the dam wall you realise the impact of the drought in the catchment areas of the dam and the enormous part water plays in our daily lives. Without water there is no life – I pray that rain will fall soon in the Baviaanskloof.

—oOo—

Need to know:
Money matters: No entrance fee payable
Where : GPS coordinate 33.7406°S 24.5877°E
Why: It is a good place to teach the young one about caring for our water resources
Facilities: Braai area under shade and ablution facilities

—oOo—

I have an interest in dams and water levels in general and it will be interesting to monitor the level of the dam. When you have visited the dam please drop the percentage displayed on the board near the causeway in the comments section below the post.

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At the time that the farmer, Winston le Roux, embarked on building this cable way in 1967 on his farm in the Baviaanskloof (Eastern Cape) he was 33 years old.  Winston set out identifying the right spot for the cable way by consulting aerial photographs that was available from the Department of Agriculture. This was before GPS’s or drones arrived on the scene!

Winston sourced the components of the cable from the nearby EP Cement quarries at Lime Bank, Loerie who operated an 11 kilometer cable way from the quarry at Lime Bank to Loerie station. The quarry did maintenance at regular intervals and some of the components of the cable way became redundant and Winston saw the opportunity to salvage it and build his cable way.

More than 1 200 meters of cable were needed to cross the gorge at ground level. To bring the first wire cable through the gorge took him more than six weeks and Winston only used his regular farm workers to accomplish this mammoth task, using hand signals and binoculars to communicate.

BUT WHY?

Winston had two farms on either side of the gorge and had to traverse two very steep passes of a distance of 48 kilometers to get produce to the Port Elizabeth markets. A one-way trip with a fully loaded truck took 3.5 hours of concentration and exhaustion. The cable way reduced this time to a mere 12 minutes.  As far as it is known this is the only private cable way in South Africa. If you look closely you will notice the lettering W le R in the concrete of the anchor pole.

The span across the gorge is 410 meters and 287 meters deep and when you  compare this with the Bloukrans bridge at Storms river which is 216 metres above the river bed with a span of 272 meters it is even a greater accomplishment.

Hats off to Winston le Roux!  He surely is a legend of the Baviaanskloof.

—oOo—

The full story can be read in the book Beautiful Baviaans.

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