Ceres: The Warm Bokkeveld

Karoopoort Farm

Ceres: A Trip into the Wilderness and Paradise

Of all the towns in the Western Cape, Ceres, nestling in the south-western corner of the Warm Bokkeveld, is one of the few places which are not only attractive but also is an excellent spot from which to explore some of the most interesting areas of our wonderful country. Instead of writing only about Ceres itself, I am going to suggest an ideal three-day trip from Cape Town – a chance to get away from it all and see some of the very best that this part of the world has to offer.

Leave Cape Town on the N1 and travel north-east through the Berg River valley, leaving the N1 at Klapmuts (R44) and turning left round the bottom of the Paarl Mountain, following the signs to Wellington, which you will reach after crossing the Berg River and after only forty-five minutes drive. Turn left for Nuwe Kloof Pass; turn right again over the railway bridge at Wellington and at the first traffic light turn left again travelling down Church St. The road leads straight through Wellington and continues up into the mountains (R303). This is the original road built by Thomas Bain and opened in 1852 and was for many years the main highway from the coast to the interior. Follow the road as it twists and turns on its tortuous way up the Hawequa Mountains and pause at the top to enjoy the view towards Table Mountain over the Berg River valley. Continue with this road as it falls away down the valley between high peaks with the Witte River tumbling along on your right. At the end of the pass is an excellent bush pub where you can stop for lunch before you continue your journey across the Bree River valley. Pass the turn to your left to Wolseley and carry straight on until just after passing the Mill and Oaks on your right, the road joins the R46 and enters Mitchell’s Pass.

In 1848 the present Mitchell’s Pass was opened and took over from the original Mostert’s Pass, which followed the riverbed through the bottom of the valley. Today, Mitchell’s Pass is a relatively high-speed road and, despite being busy, winds upwards through some of the most awe-inspiring scenery of the Western Cape. From the beginning of the pass the road climbs steadily with the twin peaks of Mostert’s Hoek on your right; just before the end of the Pass on your left you will see the original toll-house which is now open for light meals; soon after this, almost without warning, there is a sharp left turn, a short downhill stretch, and you are right in the middle of the town itself. At this time of year the plane trees and oaks are already turning colour and losing their leaves and there is a definite chill in the air, unlike the lower regions where the end of summer still clings. Ceres is a good shopping centre with every kind of shop you could wish for; it is also a very pretty town through which the Titus river joins the Skaap river and then tumbles through the pass and joins the Klein Berg river to flow through Nuwe Kloof Pass and into the Berg River proper. The river in Ceres is lined with trees, rustling now in the autumn wind, and passes under the main road as you enter the town. There are many good accommodation establishments in the tree-lined backstreets and a stop here is highly recommended. Ceres also has a very good golf-course and wilderness area as you leave Mitchell’s Pass. Ceres is the centre from which most of our local fruit comes and an ideal place from which to explore areas such as the Warm Bokkeveld, the Koue Bokkeveld, Bo-Swarmoed, Agter Witsenberg, and the Ceres Karoo.

Once rested and refreshed, and having explored the town itself, you are now ready to hit the road again. Take the R46 north-eastwards out of Ceres towards the towering wall of Theronsberg straight ahead. Soon after passing the informal settlement which lies to the right of this road and the jail which lies to the left, take a right turn for Bo-Swarmoed and follow this secondary road as it meanders through fruit orchards towards the backs of the Hex River mountains; climb the Swarmoed Pass, keep left and re-join the R46 just after Hottentots Kloof, a small picnic area. Follow the R46 for a short distance until, keeping straight on when the R46 turns off to the right for Touws River, the road becomes gravel and is now the R355. You should have been able to cover this distance in less than one hour from Ceres.

The R355 then descends into Karoopoort, one of the most fascinating and historical roads of this part of the world. Because of the high volume of traffic to the interior (and this was the only road, known as the Forgotten Highway) an inn was opened in 1850 and the original homestead still stands. There had been a farm in the poort which was noted as far back as 1774 by Thunberg, a Swedish gardener from Kew Gardens. The farm consisted of a thatched homestead, some cornfields, a fruit orchard, and a stream set about with oaks and poplars. The inn was a very basic structure built to the south of the present house and provided little more than overnight shelter to the weary traveller. However, it was an inn which was destined to offer its limited hospitality to many well-known people such as Rhodes, Le Vaillant, Dr.Livingstone et al. The original fig orchard still runs alongside the road on the left and the whole area is a national monument. It is a magical spot which is well worth stopping for; park your car under the trees by the stream where the original Outspan was, and listen to the absolute silence while you imagine the creaks of ox-wagons, the crack of the driver’s whip, and later the rattle of stage-coaches as they made their way through the poort.

Continue on the R355, ignoring the right turn for Sutherland (this is a journey in itself), until about forty kilometres from Karoopoort you see a left turn marked ‘Kaggakamma’.

All the way from leaving the mountains which form the gateway to the Ceres Karoo at Karoopoort you are travelling through the wilderness known as the Ceres Karoo. On your left the Swartruggens mountains rise towards the blue of the sky, while in the distance on the right are the Komsberg and the Roggeveldberg; the central area, through which the road drives, straight as a dye is a vast grey plain relieved at times by small hillocks. It is a dry, dull, area where on a clear day you can see for miles and over which the endless sky arches. Apart from the occasional ground squirrel and pygmy meerkat almost nothing moves and distant cars can be seen as great columns of dust in the veld. Despite the apparent emptiness of the place there are several fascinating farms and old homesteads hidden in the spurs of the mountains on your left.

Turn left at the Kaggakamma road and start your twisting and turning climb into the Swartruggens mountains. As the road climbs ever upwards there are some wonderful views backwards over the plain. After about half an hour’s drive you will see a signpost on your right pointing to Kaggakamma. Be warned: although the restaurant here is open for lunch, the kitchen closes at two p.m. sharp and the service road to Kaggakamma is often stony and seemingly endless, although it is only eighteen kilometres. Kaggakamma, despite being very well-known, was to me a rather disappointing place perched high up on a plateau above the Koue Bokkeveld. Overnight accommodation is available here, although it is fairly pricey and very much for the four-wheel drive brigade.

If you choose to ignore the right turn to Kaggakamma, continue to follow the minor road as it twists and turns through the mountains to suddenly burst forth on the edge of a dizzying precipice. You will be warned to engage low gear here as you start the amazing drop down the Katbakkies Pass. At the bottom of the pass the road crosses a curious white pan through which the Riet River passes, and then soon afterwards it joins another minor road which leads, on your right, to Mount Cedar, the Groot River, and the Cedarberg Pass to Clanwilliam. Mount Cedar is a large, modern hotel on the banks of the Groot River and is well worth a visit. Overnight accommodation is available here and the hotel is fully licensed. On you left the road soon becomes tar again and leads past some of the richest fruit-farms of the Koue Bokkeveld before joining the R303 at Op Die Berg.

At this T-junction, Citrusdal lies off to your right along a road which is particularly scenic but also somewhat precipitous when it crosses the Middelburg Pass, and to your left is the road back towards Ceres. Turn left here and follow the tar R303 through the Koue Bokkeveld, the Skuurweberg on your right, until you begin the descent of Gydo Pass. On your right is a turning marked ‘Agter Witsenberg’ and, if you still have time, this is a fascinating detour. The road quickly climbs the Skuurweberg, crosses the summit, and descends into a wonderfully green area laced with lakes and smaller farms; tar all the way, it is definitely worth making the small detour.

Back on the R303, you now find that you are dropping rapidly down the side of Theronsberg – the Gydo Pass - towards the Warm Bokkeveld. There are various viewpoints on this road, and it is well worth stopping to see the whole of the valley stretching away below you; you can see the road running through Prince Alfred’s Hamlet and then on towards Ceres.

The round trip is well under two hundred kilometres and I would highly recommend it. Take your camera, and some padkos, because you will need both!

The road back from Ceres to Cape Town is no less interesting. Follow the R46 back down Mitchell’s Pass and at the end of the pass turn left for Worcester (R43). Pass the Mill and Oaks on your left and follow the road until the next left turn at Bree River (R43). Follow this road for only four kilometres and then turn right onto a road signposted ‘Slanghoek’. The road soon crosses the Bree River and once more becomes tar as it wanders through the lush wine-farms of the Slanghoek valley. The views are stupendous, there is a very good winery, and twenty-one kilometres further on you come to the old N1. Turn right here if you don’t want to have a look at Rawsonville (there’s not much to see) and follow the road until it joins the present N1 at the beginning of the pass.

There is a good restaurant and winery off to your right in the middle of the pass, otherwise continue straight, pass through the Huguenot Tunnel, and then it’s a straight run back to Cape Town.

You will not forget the wonderful places you have been to or the sights you have seen.