The distant mountain has been calling our feet for the past two days. At last, Alex Petsch (the 30-year old son of a friend of mine) and I are hitting the gravel track from our shepherd’s hut in the direction of the impressive flat-topped range in the distance.
Since I first met him when he was seven years old, hiking is something we’ve always done together. But he’s walked a long way since that first hike up the Soetmuisberg behind Napier and become a “World Citizen”, trekking through the Annapurna Mountains in Nepal, summiting Kilimanjaro in Tanzania and, just recently, Rinjani in Southeast Asia.
The deep silence out here on the veld is broken only by the stones crunching beneath our boots. Alex is armed with a 600mm telephoto lens for distant game shots, and I have an 18-55mm wide-angle lens for landscape shots. Unlike the San who inhabited these climes for many thousands of years, we are unable to camouflage ourselves from our “prey” with cloaks of stealth and bush craft garnered from eons of hand-me-down experience.
This is evident when a distant herd of springbok and bontebok take flight as we come within 500m of them. The San of these mountains and plains had such keen eyesight, hearing and sense of smell that they could eventually get within easy bowshot of their prey.
But, luckily for us, we are feasting with our eyes only, hoping to capture images of these animals for memory and sharing with others, not servicing an existential need to feed oneself and the clan. The threat from European settler farmers reducing habitat for the San’s wild prey put them at odds with each other, a predicament that eventuated atrocities on both sides. Even up against the superior mobility and firepower of the Boers, the fearless San often fought to the last arrow, preferring death to a life of captivity.
There were some efforts of conciliation between Boer and San, but by the time these efforts, led by governor George Macartney in the Graaff-Reinet region near the end of the 18th century, too many San had been killed and those that remained had revenge indelibly stamped in their psyches. Their almost total annihilation was inevitable, and those like the local Nuweveld chief, Avantine, who openly challenged the Boers did not last long. It’s a genocide that hangs heavily in the silence of some of SA’s wildest spaces.
Our amateur stalking efforts are briefly rewarded when the mixed herd of buck pause on top of a ridge, allowing Alex to squeeze off a few frames before they disappear. Just before we set off again, we hear the distant rumble of many hooves. Erupting from a narrow defile in the valley below is a sizeable herd of black wildebeest, a serendipitous sighting.
But Alex and I are not just here for the animals. Next on his list of world adventures is a circumnavigation of South America — a sabbatical from field doctoring in the war-torn regions of Africa — on an adventure motorcycle. Problem was, until I agreed to teach him how to ride one in tough conditions, he had few of the skills required to power such an adventure. This is why we’ve come to the back country of the Karoo, me in a backup 4x4 and Alex on my old Kawasaki KLR650 scrambler, so he can put his newly acquired skills and learner’s licence theory to the test and gain some valuable practical experience.
By the time we return to the Cape he will have 1,500km under his belt, the last challenge being the tortuous Swartberg Pass. After a mostly dirt track ride into Beaufort West tomorrow, we’ll halt the training once more and drop the motorbike off at our overnight lodgings on the edge of town, after which we’ll explore the nearby Karoo National Park.
Though there are plenty of activities to keep one busy on Rooiheuwel guest farm, we are happy to hang around — literally, in the hammocks we’ve brought — and read or drift into the pleasant lobotomised state induced by the barren perfection around us. Our tiny shepherd’s hut (Kliphuisie) was apparently built in 1910 for the cattle-post’s minders who primarily looked after the sheep, corralling them at night to protect them from the leopards, lynx and jackals that would have otherwise preyed on them.
Its design is fairly typical of budget Karoo dwellings of that time, which used available materials such as rock for most of the construction. Even though the old acacia wood, mud and reed roof of old has long been replaced with galvanised iron, the thick rock walls and tiny shuttered windows still remain as they were. What we haven’t figured out, though, is why the entrance and bedroom door mantles are only about three-feet high; a feature that requires me to bend double and six-foot-four Alex to walk in on his knees.
The ablutions are similarly basic, but efficient. An enclosed compost toilet (long-drop nouveau) and open air, solar-heated shower serve our needs well; though it’s best to time use of the latter when there’s a gap in the icy winter wind. On the housekeeping and cooking front, there’s a gas cooker and solar-powered fridge/freezer inside, and two outside braai areas (one covered for shade) and a delightful old-style “bakoond” — if only we’d brought some flower to bake bread we would have enjoyed the full pioneering experience.
After the 110km journey into Beaufort West the next day we make our way to the 750km2 Karoo National Park. It’s a park I know well, but it is Alex’s first time here, so I’m keen to acquaint him with the full game experience. Like most visitors we are keen to see at least one of the 14 lions (split into three or four groups) but even though we see plenty of plains game and baboon in the first two hours of driving, the lions elude us.
As we edge onto a chosen route of the western 4x4 section of the park, we hope this less frequented section will provide us with a lion sighting. Again we see many plains game, including the largest herd of eland I’ve ever seen, and have some other standout sightings that include a recently born zebra foal; a steenbok hiding in the long grass; and a pair of bat-eared foxes seldom seen in daylight. But still the lions evade us.
With 25 minutes before the park’s gates close, we turn onto the Lammetjiesleegte road in the southeastern section of the park. We see a lone eland before having to turn around and make for the gate. On the way back, we can’t believe our eyes; a magnificent lioness lies on the side of the road where there was only bare tar five minutes earlier.
Travel notes
Where it is and routes to get there: From the N1 at Leeu Gamka (388km from Cape Town), turn onto the R353 towards Fraserburg. After 45km, turn right towards Beaufort West and travel 13km before turning left onto the Oukloof Pass’ southern access road. Rooiheuwel guest farm (3km) will be on your left. Kliphuisie is 10km further northeast. The Karoo National Park is accessed directly from the N1, 5km west of Beaufort West.
What sort of vehicle will I need: To access Kliphuisie and explore the dirt tracks on and around Rooiheuwel guest farm, and those of the Karoo National Park, an AWD SUV or proper 4x4 vehicle is recommended.
What to see and do on and around Rooiheuwel guest farm: Besides chilling in the silence of the vlaktes and nature watching, you may want to partake in the other activities on offer:
- Hiking — apart from pretty much walking where you please around this huge farm, there’s the five-day Erdvark trail where each night is spent on a different farm.
- Horse-riding — horses, routes and lessons are provided by farm manager, Kobus’ wife, Judith, at reasonable rates.
- Mountain-biking — there are many routes on and around the farm, some quite challenging.
- Hunting — Responsible hunting safaris are offered during the official hunting season.
- Adventure motorbiking and driving — Rooiheuwel is a good base from which to explore the epic Karoo dirt tracks that lead to Merweville, Sutherland (via Rooiberg Pass). Fraserburg (via Oukloof Pass); and those that end up in Williston, Carnarvon and Loxton.
- A trip to the museum in Fraserburg, followed by an excursion to the Gansfontein Paleosurface is recommended, as is a day trip to the Karoo National Park.
What sort of accommodation is on offer: Including the rustic and enigmatic Kliphuisie where we stayed, there are five accommodation options on Rooiheuwel guest farm.
What it cost us: R300 per adult per night and R150 per child (seven to 14 years old) per night self-catering. The other more comfortable and better equipped units are charged out at R420 per adult per night and R210 per child per night.
Best time of year to go: April to October.
Contact: Rooiheuwel guest farm — Marge on 083 387 6699 or visit rooiheuwel.com
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