The Cederberg is the spiritual home of many nature lovers. Its enigmatic rock formations and gnarled cedar trees seem redolent of some ancient cataclysmic event that holds fascination for many.
Over the years I’ve explored almost all the roads in and around the Cederberg and never tire of the bizarrely sculpted rocks which resulted primarily from glaciation in the times of Gondwanaland, and water and wind erosion over hundreds of millions of years. Yet some places, like Pakhuis Pass, with its train wreck of scattered rocks, almost look like they might have been blitzed by a strike from outer space.
But, whatever the forces that shaped this otherworldly landscape, there is a spiritual aura here, too; some might even say haunting. Perhaps it’s brought on by the collection of anthropomorphic rocks that stimulate one’s imagination or an unconscious reverence for the totemic structures that ooze some sort of pagan or religious significance.
I’m contemplating all this as I page through the late writer and poet Stephen Watson’s In These Mountains in our off-grid mountain cabin off Nieuwoudt Pass, near Algeria Forestry Station.
Watson delved deeply into the “spiritual geography” of the Cederberg and while in love with its unique natural beauty and the prolific San rock art found here, the complete erasure of the San’s physical presence struck a profound sense of loss and loneliness in him. Reflecting in the “diary”, he says: “There are few forms of loneliness that are so lonely as to have to live without the presence of the dead ... one suspects that it is the very absoluteness of their absence that makes the valley doubly haunted.”
After a hike up the now indistinct wagon road (Wagon Trail: Moderate difficulty; 7.2km; three hours) that served this region before the modern gravel roads, Pendoornkraal farm owners Mia and David Hunter collect us in their bakkie and take us to see some rock art sites.
The first site displays an unusual collection of what at first look like donkeys, and even though one shows the markings of a quagga, we suspect the others could be depictions of the Cape mountain zebras that were also once found here. The second site is near a stream and requires my wife and me to scramble up an old iron ladder to an exposed ledge where a fascinating assortment of somewhat indistinct figures and animals awaits us.
When we up the contrast on the photos we’ve taken, we’re delighted to see a fairly distinct hippopotamus emerge on screen, perhaps not so surprising when the small stream adjacent to the rock art site flows into the Olifants River some 5km distant.
Though most of the bigger game species no longer roam these mountains, numbers of Cape leopards still do thanks to the educational and conservation work undertaken by the Cape Leopard Trust. It’s something I’m mindful of as I head for an outdoor shower at dusk, about a 50m walk from our cabin down a shadowy rocky defile.
A few months later we make for the more luxurious Leeustert cottage at Mount Ceder, located at the southern end of the Cederberg Conservancy. It’s a recently renovated old shepherd’s cottage that appears to blend modern luxury with an in-nature experience.
My wife and I take the Clanwilliam Dam dirt track for 7km to the Grootkloof/Algeria turn-off. It’s one of our favourite routes, and it doesn’t disappoint today, showcasing scenes of indefatigable fynbos clinging onto tortured yellow and red rocks while the peaks of Sneeukop and the Koerasieberg appear to prop up the clear blue sky in the distance.
Peter Slingsby, a man who has been visiting this mountain “wilderness” for 70 years, is deeply passionate about preserving the natural (including the critically endangered Clanwilliam cedars) and anthropological heritage of the Cederberg. Long a renowned mapmaker, Slingsby has recently had his Cederberg — the Book published, and it’s a useful companion to his maps of the area.
After a night of stargazing and sumptuous comfort, Annette and I make for the Waterfall Trail, 6km south of our cottage.
From the car park we descend a few hundred metres towards Tuinskloof, mindful we’re going to have to track up this steep slope on our return.
Following a signboard, we turn left up the southern part of the kloof, alert for any leopard spoor in the track ahead. As a veteran Cederberg visitor, Slingsby has seen only five leopards over the decades he’s hiked here, and while these shy creatures are almost half the size of their savannah cousins, I’ve always wondered how I would react if one crossed my path.
Apart from taking a wrong turn and doing some rock climbing to get back on track, we make it to the waterfall intact. It’s an idyllic scene, and the deep pool below the diaphanous web of spray lures me in for a swim, after which I lie on a bed of cool, river-smoothed stones and moss, the surrounding earthy-green smell lingering in my nostrils as the sun warms me.
Back at our Mount Ceder cottage we find a flock of hungry sheep mowing the lawn. They soon crop the tender shoots and move on, allowing us to get to our dinky splash pool, which, with its sensible plastic lid removed, is surprisingly warm — just the tonic after a good hike.
Travel Notes:
Getting there: The central Cederberg region (Algeria Forestry station) is about 220km from Cape Town and is best accessed via the N7. A copy of Slingsby’s Cederberg map will be helpful in guiding you to your desired location.
What sort of vehicle will I need: In good weather, you can get to most places in a normal sedan car with reasonable ground clearance, but if you choose wintertime to visit and/or you’d like to drive the scenic Matjiesrivier to Wupperthal dirt track, you’ll need an AWD SUV at least, while a proper 4x4 would be preferable.
What to do here: The Cederberg region covers a huge 162,000ha area of rugged mountain terrain that reaches from the Grootrivier in the south to beyond Pakhuis Pass in the north. The predominant activities include hiking, climbing and bouldering; San rock art trails; visiting iconic Cederberg rock formations; and craft beer and wine-tasting at Cederberg Wines. One of the greatest joys in the Cederberg is accessing its waterfalls and inviting rock pools, while the abundance of endemic flora and fauna also provide excellent observational opportunities.
Where we stayed: Sunka Cabin on Pendoornkraal Farm (10km from Algeria) — a rustic yet comfortable off-grid cabin that provides a wonderful in-nature experience; contact Mia Hunter on 076-511-5873; and then Leeustert cottage at Mount Ceder (96km from Ceres on the R303), which offers a top-drawer self-catering experience combining privacy and sublime scenery — contact them on 023-004-0848.
Best time of year to go: April to November.
More travel stories:
From old-fashioned gentlemen’s club to representative meeting spot
Remote hamlet offers quiet refuge for fishers and birders
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