04 – 06 DECEMBER 2020
Beaverlac – When you need to hit Life’s Pause Button! Yes, if life is weighing you down, head to the peace and tranquillity of the Great Winterhoek Mountains. Beaverlac has been on my bucket list for many years, even before we retired. But, unfortunately, this is not the kind of place we could visit with Miss Daisy in tow – we would have to be a couple without a caravan! And I am not a fan of sleeping in a tent, especially not on a blow-up mattress… You inevitably wake up flat on the ground in a dam of perspiration. So, what to do, what to do?
I was fortunate that I got my wish sooner than I expected.
MEET BOB – THE NEW LOVE OF ANDRE’S LIFE
Two incidents during our trip to the north, convinced us that we needed a new vehicle.
Our trusted workhorse, Marius, the 2×4 Isuzu double cab bakkie, started leaking oil. Even though it was not very expensive to replace the oil seal, we decided that after 253 00km of excellent service, it was time for Marius to retire.
The second incident happened while we were camping at Swadini Forever Resort. (https://www.silversurfer-sws.com/?p=484) A friendly gentleman, whom we met in the warm swimming pool, recommended that we should drive up Mariepskop Mountain Pass. (Anyone you know, Friedrich von Horsten?) Even though Marius took us places that we never imagined he could go, Andre did not feel comfortable tackling Mariepskop without a 4×4. We realised that we were just missing out on too much because we did not drive a 4×4 vehicle.
After selling Marius, Andre was finally able to buy the vehicle that he has coveted for ten years – a Land Rover Discovery 4. Our son decided that it was his turn to name the Landy. Meet BOB – what a perfect name for the new English gentleman in the family.
TESTING OUT BOB
Of course, the Land Rover jokes and memes started streaming in from my dad, my brothers and my uncles. But Andre was unperturbed – he was driving his dream car!
One of the reasons why the Land Rover appealed to us, was that we could fold down the middle row of seats. This formed a flat surface that was big enough so that we could sleep comfortably inside the Landy.
We wanted to slip away for a quick weekend to test this out. I suggested that Beaverlac, near Porterville, was the ideal place to go.
GETTING READY TO GO OFF-GRID
Booking a spot at Beaverlac proved to be a bit of a mission. They explain the whole complicated procedure on their website. (https://www.beaverlac.co.za/) In short, you cannot just pitch up to camp there. You send an email to request the forms, then you need to register as a guest and then only can you do your booking. Luckily, we could still get a camping spot for our selected weekend early in December.
On Friday, 4 December 2020, we packed as little as possible to survive off-grid for a weekend. Beaverlac does not have electricity and we do not have a 12V camping fridge. Hopefully, our big blue Addis cooler box with a frozen 5l bottle of water inside would do the trick to keep our meat and cheese cold. Bob had a nifty little fridge between the front seats that could keep two beers and two Savannahs cold till we got to the campsite.
We just added our aluminium kettle, a black pot and a few other utensils to the crockery and cutlery in our picnic set. Miss Daisy’s cushions, which form the mattress in the caravan, fitted perfectly into the back of the Landy. Add pillows and sleeping bags and we had a bed. We loaded our gazebo, the netted groundsheet and a folding table and camping chairs. Andre even remembered to charge our camping lantern. What more did we need?
BRUNCH IN THE RIEBEECK VALLEY
We drove on the R302 to Malmesbury and from there on the R46 to Riebeeck-Kasteel. By this time, we were both famished. We had been so invested in our packing that morning that we did not even have a cup of coffee before we set off.
We liked the look of Panera Bistro & Bakery in Riebeeck Kasteel. (https://www.facebook.com/PaneraBakeryBistro/) Our Eggs Benedict were simply perfect, served in the beautiful garden behind the restaurant. We also bought a fresh Ciabatta, as well as decadent truffles for dessert, in the bakery next door.
TRAVERSING DASKLIP PASS
From Riebeeck Kasteel, we followed the R46 past Hermon before turning left onto the combined R44/R46 towards Gouda. Before the Nuwekloof Pass, we turned left and then drove through Porterville. When the R44 veers left towards Piketberg, you continue straight on the R365 and turn right onto the Cartoum/Dasklip gravel road after about 3km. This gravel road leads you to the foot of the Great WInterhoek Mountains where the climb up the Dasklip Pass begins.
The pass itself is tarred and the gradual incline at the bottom could lull you into a false sense of security. But do not be fooled – this is quite a pass! After travelling north for about two kilometres, the first hairpin bend turns sharply south. The gradient then becomes steeper with tight, testing turns until you reach the viewpoint at the last hairpin bend.
Stop here to enjoy the wonderful vistas over the wheat fields. The plain stretches all the way to the Piketberg Mountain Range in the west.
After the viewpoint, the incline gets even steeper, and the bends become tricky. Drive slowly and carefully! On the left, you will pass the site from where the paragliders launch their big wings.
Right at the summit, you reach the turn-off to the Beaverlac Campsite. It is situated down in the valley on Grootfontein Farm, a natural heritage site owned by the Olivier brothers.
The most hazardous part of the journey begins now – the road down to Beaverlac! Although we saw normal sedan vehicles driving down that gravel road, I would not recommend it. The corrugation is quite bad, and especially after rainy periods, erosion creates ditches and potholes. At the least, I would suggest travelling with a high clearance vehicle to prevent damage to your car.
HITTING THAT PAUSE BUTTON
This was the time to hit that pause button to put your life and troubles on hold. Beaverlac does not have electricity, cell phone reception of WiFi. For at least the weekend, life will pass you by.
After a warm welcome at the gate and paying for our weekend in cash, we explored the vast campsite. We were amazed by the sheer size of the campsite with many large trees providing shade. Individual plots are not demarcated – you camp where you feel comfortable. For the less adventurous souls, they also rent out wooden huts in various shapes and sizes.
Because we arrived early, we found a perfect spot in the campsite next to the entrance gate. It was situated on the perimeter of the campsite under a large oak tree. We parked Bob right under the tree and just threw open our groundsheet on the lush green lawn. The tree provided more than enough shade which made the gazebo redundant. After setting up the table and chairs, Andre tested out the groundsheet for a siesta.
Look, when they describe their campsite as “rustic” on the website, they are not kidding. Ablution facilities are scarce and the campsite was full. There most assuredly are not enough showers for the number of campers and the water pressure in the showers is non-existent. They must bargain on visitors bathing in the crystal-clear rock pools – which we did.
BEING ACTIVE IN NATURE
There are two main hiking trails on the farm. The Leopard Trail leads you through the indigenous fynbos on a steep trek along the Ratel River. You will pass many pools on our walk, reaching the Totem Pool after hiking for more than an hour. Another option is to follow the Olifants Road towards pools like Langgat and to soak in the sun on Flat Rock.
Many of our fellow campers also brought with their mountain bikes to cycle on the farm.
A WATER BABY’S DREAMWORLD
It was already warm this early in December and we opted to spend our two days in a water baby’s dreamworld in the two pools closest to the campsite.
On Saturday, we packed snacks and walked the short 5-minute trail from the campsite to the Main Pool. We plunged into the refreshing (read flippen cold) water of this deep pool. Andre only swam for a short while, before retiring to sit in the sun like a dassie. But once my body had adjusted to the temperature, I never wanted to leave.
The sun warms up the water on a flat rock bed above the Main Pool and then it cascades down into the pool. It was especially lovely to shower in the luke-warm water under this waterfall. The nimbler youngsters climbed up onto the rock ledge above to bomb down into the pool. Families with small kids enjoyed the shallower pools upstream from the Main Pool in the Ratel River.
Beaverlac has a small shop which sells basic groceries, drinks and snacks, wood, ice and most importantly, ice-cream. I can’t remember a Magnum ever tasting as good as on that warm Saturday afternoon in December.
On Sunday, we packed up our camp before heading down the farm road towards the Olifants River. We turned north before the concrete bridge and followed the trail. After about 10 minutes we reached the Secret Pool. The most brilliant landscaper could not design a setting as perfect as this. It is not as deep as the Main Pool which meant that the water was a bit warmer. Yet, Andre preferred to stay dry whilst I floated and frolicked in heaven.
LEAVING WITH A HEAVY HEART
We walked further down the Ratel River to enjoy more of the beautiful scenery on the farm before reluctantly turning around to head home. The road back to the car seemed much longer than when we walked to the Secret Pool that morning – most probably because we wished we could stay longer.
