|
|
 |
::Ramskop Nature Reserve
::Rock Paintings
::Spring Flowers
::Wolfberg Arch |
 |
|
THE NAMES Knersvlakte and Hantam may conjure
up images of an arid and inhospitable landscape,
but it would be unfair to judge this region on
those views alone for that is only one side
of the truly split personality of this region.
In winter and spring, it puts on a spectacularly
colourful flower display.
A good place to start a wild flower trip is Clanwilliam,
one of South Africa's 10 oldest towns. Clanwilliam
is at the centre of South Africa's (and the world's,
for that matter) rooibos tea industry. This is
the only area in the world where the rooibos grows
naturally. The plant needs very specific climatic
conditions, a certain altitude and deep sand soils
to grow.
 Clanwilliam's
other attractions include a veldskoen factory
and the Clanwilliam Wild Flower Show, held at
the end of August in the old Dutch Reformed Church.
Just outside the town lies the Ramskop Nature
Reserve, which overlooks the Clanwilliam Dam.
Ramskop preserves samples of the area's unique
floral species.
Heading east out of Clanwilliam takes you over
the Pakhuis Pass. Although largely gravel, the
trip is worth it for the weathered sandstone sculptures
dominating the scenery. The grave of Dr Louis
Leipoldt, well-known South African writer and
poet, lies nine kilometres from the beginning
of the pass.
There are many caves in the area and some were
once inhabited by the San hunters, whose rock
paintings can still be seen there.
The road crosses a section of the Cedarberg Wilderness
Area, South Africa's largest wilderness area,
and home to the Cape leopard.
This rugged landscape, well known for the spectacular
Wolfsberg Arch (a 14-metre high gap in a sandstone
formation) can only be fully explored on foot.
After the Pakhuis Pass comes a long drive through
the arid Onder-Bokkeveld en route to Nieuwoudtville,
a town best known for its dramatic spring flower
displays and sandstone buildings.
The Old Dutch Reformed church is a good example
of outstanding stone masonry. The town also has
a glacier rock sidewalk, a 300 million-year-old
glacier formation.
 Nieuwoudtville
sits on a 700-metre-high plateau and, as a result,
has an annual rainfall more than double that of
the surrounding areas.
The wild flower nature reserve, just outside
the town, comes alive with colour in spring. The
flowers include many rare bulbs unique to the
area, which is sometimes called the "Bulb
Kingdom of the World".
Also nearby is the Klipkoppies Trail that explores
the dolerite "koppies" in the north
of the reserve, home to the world's richest concentration
of geophytes, with over 300 plant species.
A few kilometres north of the town is the beautiful
Nieuwoudtville Falls on the Doring River plunging
100 metres over a sandstone cliff into a deep
pool.
On the way to Vanrhynsdorp the road takes you
over the dramatic Van Rhyn's Pass. At its crest
the pass provides panoramic views across the Namaqualand
coastal plains and the aptly titled "Knersvlakte".
Vanrhynsdorp is well-known for its kern succulent
nursery, the largest of its type in the country.
From Vanrhynsdorp the R27 crosses the N7 and
travels to Vredendal. The huge Vredendal Co-op
wine cellar is located in this small town and
open for tasting and sales.
In March the town's annual Agriculture, Wine
and Food Festival takes place.
From Vredendal the R363 follows the Olifants
River Valley to Klawer where it joins the N7 to
Trawal. At this small town a dirt road splits
away to the Heerenlogement caves (used in the
past as a stopover by travellers like Simon van
der Stel). Some of the guests engraved their names
on the cave.
|
