As is our custom we try and keep off the main roads so after we had crossed the lagoon at Knysna we turned off to Phantom Pass and started what is known as the Seven Passes Road. The road alternates between gravel and tar, good and bad and the scenery alternates between forest and farmland. It is all very green though and there is a lot of water flowing in the rivers and across the road forming some vicious ditches for which you have to come to almost a dead stop before crossing. It is so much nicer to travel these back roads which have so little traffic, wind down the window and smell the grass. Because you are travelling so much slower you can see so much more.
We eventually got to George at about lunch time. I have put my watch away so am not keeping track of time all that much. It is not so easy though as there is a clock on the GPS and in the car. It was about this time I discovered I had lost my wedding ring. Fortunately it is not my original one, which is back at home in the safe, but it still makes me irritated that I was so stupid as to lose it. L: That is why I have given you a spare one.....and insured everything. So it is a wedding ring, silver bracelet and your Aqua shoes that you have lost!! Oh dear.
Anyway we stopped at the first shopping centre we came to and had something to eat at a place called Annelien's. Then it was back on the road, unfortunately the main road up the Outeniqua Pass to Oudtshoorn. But not for long. At the foot of the pass is the turn-off for the historical Montagu Pass. It is almost automatic now as the vehicle just turns onto the rough tracks.
Montagu Pass was amazing. It is narrow, winding and most of the way single lane. There are lots and lots of waterfalls with a lot of them right next to the road. Unlike a lot of the other old passes this one was not built by a Bain. One of the noticeable differences, I think, is this one has a wall, all the way, of about half to a full metre high built on the outside of the road (to stop you falling off the edge). At the start of the pass is an old toll house which is being restored. We stopped off near the top of the pass to photograph one of the waterfalls directly under the old railway bridge – this train line runs over the high pass.
On the other side of the pass we drove past a farm which had a large dam with two black swans in it. Needless to say we had to stop so that Lesley could go photograph and talk to them. Yes, you heard me right. The farm's name was Leliefontein which she said was just like her nickname, Lellie. I tried to tell her that Lelie is an Afrikaans name and means lily.
A short time later we were back on the Oudtshoorn road and heading for Badenhorst Butchery, which had been recommended, but as we suspected was already closed. We decided to drive past the old military base – South Base, where we both served 33 years ago and met (on the shooting range) while doing our military service in 1980. The base is now a SA Police Service Training Academy. The man on duty came over and we explained that we both had lived in the base, he waved us through. It was so surreal to see where most of the buildings were still used, but so altered and updated. The memories.....
By this time we had decided to stop over at the Calitzdorp Spa for the night as it was getting late.
L: We drove straight in and set up camp as the man at the gate said that we could pay the manager in the morning – only R175 for the night.
We toddled off down to spend some time in the warm baths surrounded by peacocks and peahens. We had a braai back at the camp site and enjoyed our lamb chops while watching a herd of Springbok grazing a few meters away. At one stage, one of the babies got startled and ran so close to our neighbours fire that he was almost dinner.
We had another relaxing swim before bed and had the pools to ourselves for a while.
Off to bed in the rooftop tent with all the birds chirping quietly for the night.
Like the" heart" the swans are forming. Did you go to the lovely wine farm at the top of Montagu Pass?
ReplyDeleteSpecially for you, Jenni.
DeleteNo, we missed that wine farm and went to replenish the stocks in Montagu itself a few days later.
Look for 6 Nov, for some special duck and gosling pics for you.......so sweet. X