Off we go! Anette and I are, as always, very excited to leave on a mid-year break to some unknown or special location in our beautiful country, South Africa. It was snowing on the Cape mountains earlier this week and initially we were undecided if we should drive via Ceres, where it sometimes snow on ground level, to our first stop in Klaarstroom. The realisation that it was too long a distance for one day (given what we wanted to go via the R62 to Klaarstroom) and that most of the snow has already melted by the time we left, made the decision of which route to take easier. We decided to follow the N1 to just before Touws River and then turn right on the R318 to Montagu from where we will follow the famous R62.
Stellenbosch was cold and wet and we found great pleasure in departing for the dry (and hopefully warmer during the day) Karoo. Our first stop was at the Shell Ultra City just before Worcester on the N1 where we always buy take-away coffee at the Vida e Caffeè. But this time we drank our coffee on the spot – just for the fun of it. We then departed for one of our favourite farm stalls, the Veldskoen just outside De Doorns on the N1. On our way we drove past Worcester and the village of De Doorns with its surrounding vineyards and snow-capped Matroosberg as backdrop. The Veldskoen farm stall serves delicious meals which you can enjoy inside or outside. It is quite pleasant outside and we have a small breakfast. Anette takes the opportunity to take some pictures of the colourful garden with the Matroosberg mountains behind it. Very tranquil for a start.
After an hour we hit the road again, this time up the Hex River pass towards Touwsriver. As we exit at the top of the pass we turn right on the R318 towards Montagu. There is no sign of any snow here but you have a beautiful view of the Matroosberge from here and we can see more snow on it than we could from De Doorns. Beautiful. About halfway to Montagu we reach the Keissie pass with its picturesque descent into the valley below. It is clearly a fruit-growing area and even without the spring blossoms it is still something to see. We then drive passed the Montagu and Avalon hot water springs into Montagu. Most of the time we stop at the Capedry Montagu farm stall on the R318 just inside town to buy dried fruit and nuts as snacks for the road. And this time was no exception. Delicious and soft dried peaches, mango strips, roasted and salted mixed nuts with cranberries and chocolate coated peanuts and raisins.
It is becoming clear that we are progressing slower than expected and we depart for Barrydale on the R62. The R62 is a much more interesting alternative to the N1 and although a longer distance carries much less traffic. The R62 is wide between Montagu and Barrydale and after about half an hour we arrive in Barrydale, a small town between hills. The R62 winds through a big part of the Klein-Karoo of which Barrydale is part. A number of restaurants are next to the road and we stop at Diesel and Crème. Their coffee is nice and if you like a decadent gourmet milkshake this is the place. Most of the patrons are enjoying the day outside. Some years ago we stayed in town and had a great time.
Now on our way via Ladysmith, the Huisrivier pass and Calitzdorp to Oudshoorn. On our way we can still see remnants of the snow that has covered the Swartberg in a beautiful white sheet earlier this week. In Oudshoorn, home of the ostrich, we pick up the N12 towards Klaarstroom. There is some road construction between Oudshoorn and De Rust and it took us longer than usual to cover the distance. De Rust is the small, arty town it has been for a long time and although we sometimes stop there for coffee, our destination is now in sight and we want to spend some daylight still in Klaarstroom. Just outside De Rust we drive through Meiringspoort with its numerous river crossings, waterfall and beautiful rock formations. Just a few kilometers outside Meiringspoort we arrive at Klaarstroom.
Many people have driven past Klaarstroom on the N12 and would have barely noticed the place. You have to turn off to drive through the village and if you’re not awake you will miss it. There is only a handful of houses in the centre of the village, a small hotel, a small shop, a police station that is seldomly open and a deserted church. Last year when Anette and I drove from Beaufort-West to Prince Albert on the R407 we stopped at Klaarstroom for a body-break and discovered the Klaarstroom Hotel we didn’t know existed. We decided that we had to stay over the next time we pass Klaarstroom. And what a jewel we have discovered! The owners of the hotel (and the church and the surrounding farm De Klare Stroom) Frans and Salomie Steenkamp are such down to earth and welcoming people that you cannot help but to feel at home in their hotel.
We got a big room for a reasonable price and after unpacking, we sat down on the stoep for a cold beer watching the sun set behind the hills and with the Swartberg mountains in the back. As the Friday evening started, the locals started to flock to the hotel for drinks and dinner. This seems to be a Friday evening tradition. Wally and his wife were the other couple as guests in the hotel and also did Koos Roets (famous SA film director who also lives in town) and his wife Eunice join Anette, Frans, Salomie and I at the fire place for drinks. We got to know each other quite well by the time dinner was served. Although you could order a la carte the likes of Karoo lamb chops, most of us went for the special chinese dinner which we didn’t expect in the Karoo. Afterwards, we all head back to the fireplace as Klaarstroom was getting cold for the night. We laughed the evening away over jokes, sweets and Jägermeister that was on the house. The young people (some of them farmers and their wifes from the district) were karaoking until we all went to bed.
The next morning we got up well rested and were just in time for the rugby match between SA and New Zealand that was screened in the bar. Again supporters came from across the district (we even had a New Zealand supporter that drove by Klaarstroom and realised he would not make it to Oudshoorn before the match starts!). They all enjoyed the braai afterwards while Anette and I was given a short tour of the village given that we had to depart for Beaufort-West. Salomie showed us the arts and crafts she is teaching the local women on Saturdays (in the new shed the Steenkamps have erected close to the N12 that will later be used for attracting tourists). Each town member will get a space to display his or her creations with Koos and Eunice getting the darker part at the end of the building where they will screen Afrikaans and English art movies over weekends. Frans and Koos also took us to another shed up the hill on the farm were they were restoring old Buicks as well as a 1937 Jaguar race car. Another town member, Ronnie (he confirmed he was not the Ronnie of Ronnie’s Sex Shop, a famous watering hole between Barrydale and Ladismith we have passed!) is erecting luxury caravan stands outside town. They have also built a bush lodge some 15km away from Klaarstroom.
The loving kindness of the people of Klaarstroom touched our hearts and we know we will be visiting again – but now we have to leave for Beaufort-West for the 87th birthday of Anette’s dad, Oom Stokkies.
