My lungs are burning as I take the last few steps over the crest of Helsekloof. My knees aren’t doing so well either, shaking like an Elvis-impersonator, and the straps of my rucksack are cutting into my shoulders. I can feel a blister forming on my left heel. ‘Why am I doing this again?’ I think to myself.
And then the huge smile on my face reminds me. Far below, near the grassy campsites of CapeNature’s Algeria forest station I can see my car. Inside it is a week of frustrations, cell phone messages, deadlines, to-do lists and – for all intents and purposes – civilisation. Ahead of me: three days to enjoy the space, solitude and seclusion of the Cederberg Wilderness Area, all 71 000 beautiful hectares of it.
This chunk of mountain wilderness is one of the most alluring destinations in South Africa, attracting climbers, hikers and weekend escape artists who flock here to enjoy the otherworldly rock formations and untamed landscape. Forget the gentle grassy slopes of the Drakensberg or the crowded peaks of Switzerland. Here, within an hour of your car you can be slap bang in the middle of nowhere, with just fynbos, rivers and Cape Mountain Leopards for company. Yes, these elusive mountain cats still prowl these peaks; another tick on this area’s wilderness report card, so no need to head for the Himalayas.
Poring over the map with my lunch of ProVitas and marmite, the names of these vlaktes and valleys speak their own stories: Frustration Peak, Laurie’s Hell, Consolation Peak and Groot-Hartseer Kloof tell of tired legs and long days in the mountains. These are peaks to be reckoned with too, soaring to over 2000-metres and snaring heavy falls of snow when the winter cold fronts roll in.
Time it right though and you’ll be blessed with blue-sky days, plenty of water gurgling in the streams and peaks clad in rich green fynbos. If you’re lucky, there may even be some white stuff hiding in the gullies for an impromptu snowball fight.
It’s an idyllic scene in the sunshine, but if the weather rolls in you’ll need to be able to look after yourself. A good map is essential, and you should preferably walk with someone who knows the route. A few simple stone huts dot the wilderness, but if these are full you’ll be glad you brought that wind-proof tent and a good quality down sleeping bag.
Wandering the high-level wilderness areas in winter requires a bit of mountain chutzpah, but for a relaxing weekend with the family the Cederberg also delivers.
When the distant Sneeuberg wears its crown of white there are few better places to haul out a pack of cards than beside the fire in a cosy Cederberg cottage. The popular Sanddrif resort offers a range of modern four-person cottages, but the thatched Groothuis under the oak trees on the banks of the Driehoekrivier is the pick of the bunch.
Driehoek Farm has a smaller selection of cottages; along with wonderful grassy campsites, while Kromrivier farm (officially, and rather terribly, called the Cederberg Tourist Park) is a perennial favourite with its range of simple bungalows well suited to families and larger groups. Provincial conservation authority CapeNature also runs well-serviced campsites and basic cottages near the Algeria forest station.
The notion of a forest station in these rocky hills may seem unlikely, but these valleys were first settled in the search for timber, with the hard, aromatic wood of the endemic Clanwilliam Cedar (Widdringtonia cedarbergensis) highly prized for everything from furniture to telephone poles! Today the wonderfully gnarled surviving Cedars are mostly found on the high peaks where they were safe from lumberjack axes, but CapeNature and environmental groups are slowly restoring these majestic trees to the region through extensive replanting programs.
Shy trees hiding on the hilltops, rock formations carved by wind and weather and leopards watching from the high peaks; the Cederberg isn’t a destination to easily give up its secrets, but spend a little time soaking up the silence – either in a mountain-top hut or fire-lit cottage – and you’ll soon understand why this rugged range of mountains casts a spell on all who visit.
Don’t leave without
There’s more to the Cederberg than hiking… take the whole family along and seek out these local favourites.
- Visit an ‘art gallery’: The Cederberg is famous for its San rock art, daubed on the walls of caves and overhangs between 300 and 6000 years ago. Scenes of migrating elephant and shaman in trance dances are easily found at the Stadsaal Caves, but there are dozens of rock art sites across the valley so keep your eyes open!
- Go time travelling: Hidden away in the valleys to the north, the residents of Wupperthal have quietly been growing rooibos and making their renowned velskoen since the mission village was settled in 1865. Today this neat and prosperous little village is cottoning onto the benefits of eco-tourism and there are a few cottages to hire, as well as the excellent ‘Lekkerbekkie’ tearoom.
- Swimming in Maalgat: Refreshing in summer, downright bracing in winter; the icy-cold inky-black waters of Maalgat are one of the best swimming spots in the valley. It’s a 20-minute walk downstream from the Sanddrif campsite, and is a great spot for hanging out on a hot summer’s day, or admiring the waterfalls in winter. Permits available from Dwarsrivier Farm.
- Stargazing Saturdays: The passionate volunteers behind the Cederberg Astronomical Observatory bring the stars down to earth for visitors to the valley, with an informative slideshow and a range of telescopes for you to experience the heavens up close. The Observatory is open most Saturday evenings from 8pm; closing only when the moon is full or winter storms obscure the heavens. There’s no charge for their stargazing events, but donations are welcome.
- Pedal power: Mountain bikes aren’t welcome in the wilderness areas of the Cederberg, but there are still a few great off-road options for you enjoy. Apart from pedalling the network of gravel and farm roads, you can tackle the Wolfberg and Lot’s Wife MTB trails, with some entertaining single-track through the weird rock formations. There are also five trails to explore on the farm Kromrivier.
Top 5 walks
- Maltese Cross: This 3½-4 hour day walk makes a great family outing and is suitable for anyone who’s reasonably fit. The Maltese Cross – a six-storey freestanding column of rock – is the Cederberg’s most famous rock formation, and typical of the other-worldly shapes that have been carved out of the soft red sandstone.
- Sneeuberg: Towering above the Maltese Cross is the Sneeuberg, the highest peak in the Cederberg at 2027m. It’s a stiff climb to the summit, and your best bet is to overnight at the Sneeuberg Hut before you tackle the peak. The sweat will be well worth it though: from the summit the views over the entire range are spectacular, and on a clear day you can see Table Mountain some 200km to the south. In summer, keep an eye out near the peak for the rare Snow Protea.
- Wolfberg Cracks and Arch: Across the valley, the ‘Cracks’ in the sandstone mantle of the Wolfberg are another popular day excursion, with a steep climb (you’ll realize just how steep when your knees turn to jelly on the way back down) from Sanddrif leading you through these towering alleyways in the rock. The well-marked path leads through the easy first crack, but scrambling up through the second, smaller crack to the right is a whole lot more fun. If your legs are feeling strong it’s worth extending your walk to include the magnificent Wolfberg Arch, about 90-minutes’ walk away.
- Tafelberg: From the top of the Cracks you can clearly see the ‘kettle’ and ‘spout’ that make up the Tafelberg. Popular with rock climbers, the stiff climb up to the Spout and onto the flat top of the main peak is also a fantastic day walk for fit hikers. Alternatively, pack a sleeping bag, lots of water and warm gear and spend the night in the ‘Spout Cave’.
- Sleepad Hut: Although little more than four stone walls and a tin roof, the Sleepad Hut is surely one of the most spectacular wilderness huts in the country, and an excellent base for a few days of wilderness walking. From here you can tackle Crystal Pools, Tafelberg, Sneeukop and Shadow Peak with just a light daypack on your shoulders. After a hard day on the trail, the hut also offers one of the best sundowner supper spots on the planet, with views out over the untouched Cederberg.
How to get there
The Cederberg is situated 240km from of Cape Town. Follow the N7 north of Cape Town. Approximately 30km past Citrusdal take the sign-posted Cederberg road to the right. Cross the low-water bridge over the Olifants River and travel past Algeria Forest Station, over Uitkyk Pass and into the main Cederberg valley. If the Olifants is in flood there are alternative routes via Cirtusdal or Clanwilliam.
For more information on permits, accommodation and touring the area, visit www.capenature.org.za or www.cederberg.co.za.
First published in the Discovery Magazine, Spring 2010.
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