EXPERIENCING A LAAGER
HAVE you ever slept in an oxwagon? No, I’m not talking about going on the wagon, but sleeping inside one. Well, actually, would we sleep inside, or underneath? This was the discussion around the fire on a farm near Napier.
Later, looking up from a comfy mattress, I watched stars twinkling through the blades of a watermill. Earlier, while sitting around a blazing fire, we had watched it whizz around frantically. Ahead lay two days of exploring the Napier Mountain Conservancy with nights sleeping under canvas.
The idea of sleeping in an oxwagon was very appealing and added to this was the chance to climb the Soetmuisberg. Having passed this mountain range many times on the way to somewhere else it’s a temptation for any selfrespecting hiker.
Leaving a rainy Cape Town behind, and after a three-hour drive, we’d arrived to be greeted by a howling wind.
“We have a different climate here in the Overberg,” said Cape Union Mart hiking guide Lionel Whatley.
Enclosed by a wooden fence are four ox wagons fitted with beds, carpets and lamps. Overlooking fields where ponies galloped and waves of wheat blew and Napier’s church spire poked through, the two nearby watermills worked overtime. In fact the wind was blowing hurricane-force and it was no wonder that the blades from two nearby water-wheels lay dead on the ground. But the sunset made everything worthwhile, even more so accompanied by a glass of local wine.
My wagon, called Kakebeenwa, was the smallest with Sandy next door in Blue Saloon. Helene and Andre were on the far side in one of two long ox-wagons which were apparently used for freight. Maybe Charles was worried that his wagon would leak because he opted to sleep in his vehicle. Kakebeenwa, being located on the edge and in the teeth of the gale, I decided to take over his wagon. Listening to rain on canvas with showers throughout the night, thankfully it turned out not to leak.
The camp is basic with a shower and toilet beneath one of the wagons and a fully-equipped kitchen with fridge opening on to the braai area. Campers need only bring bedding, toiletries, towel and food.
Next morning with clouds pregnant with rain it was tempting to stay in bed with a book. But we were here to hike and so we set off on a 6km drive on a dirt road. We hadn’t gone far before finding a pine tree blocking our way. Leaving it to driver training consultant Lionel we trusted him to get us through. And he did.
Passing the Napier Mountain sign it felt as thoughwe had entered a different world. The fynbos is plentiful and varied both in species number and colour… bright red proteas against neon yellow cone bushes, lime-green ericas and delicate pink serrurias. It couldn’t get better than this, but it did.
At the end of the road, under the Sentech tower, the Grootberg Trail is well-marked and passes through the private property of Vierfontein Farm. It was developed by Pieter Albertyn who now lives in Napier but previously farmed on the Agulhas Plains. From this trail Albertyn could see his farm and all of the plain that he knows so well.
The pamphlet states that hikers are welcome to hike the trail and are not required to get permission to walk there as long as they do not disturb the owner. They must leave the trail as they find it, be wary of starting fires and are welcome to remove alien vegetation, which is mostly pine trees.
The first section on the 8km trail is along a jeep track before going off to the right with a steep ascent to the Grootberg beacon dotted with towers, photovoltaic panels and the equivalent height of Lion’s Head.
From here there are views south over the wetland system of the Agulhas Plains with Arniston and Struisbaai on the coast. To the north are Napier and the rolling hills of the Ruggens with Bredasdorp to the east and Elim to the west. Following the crest of the mountain the path descends to Spopieshoogte and a stone wall built in the 19th century to keep sheep on the farm. After a tea-break it was a gentle descent to the lowest point on the trail where waterloving plants are found along the stream.
Now for the sting in the tail as the path ascended to the base of the Grootberg. For our small group this was made worse by the hurricaneforce wind that made us concentrate on staying on our feet and not our backsides.
Back on the farm and after a hot shower, energised I went in search of the original Kakebeenwa in Napier while the others watched a ball game in a bar. Located on the main road of this charming village, the monument commemorates the Ossewa Trek of 1838 and the exodus of dissident Afrikaners from the Western Cape. Other local attractions include a toy museum and a watermill, a giant sundial at the municipal offices, restaurants and galleries.
After debating the pronunciation of the village it appears that Napier was founded in 1838 after a dispute between two neighbours over the location of the community church. Michiel van Breda wanted the church on his farm, Langefontein, while Pieter Voltelyn van der Byl wanted it built on his property, Klipdrift. Neither would give way, so churches were built in both places, the town of Bredasdorp growing around Van Breda’s church and the town of Napier founded around Van Der Byl’s church and being named after Sir George Thomas Napier, the British governor of the Cape Province at that time.
After another night of watching stars through the canvas doorway we woke to the rattle-like cry of Blue Cranes, Anthropoides paradiseus. Reluctant to leave our beds Lionel promised a short hike to a rock arch.
Back along the jeep track but not to the end, we set off, initially downhill through dense vegetation on the Vler Muisgrot trail. Reaching a ridge we suddenly dived down a steep, rocky, bushy and sometimes slippery slope into a gorge and the promised rock arch. Actually not one but two.
Climbing out of the ravine we walked to the spot above the second arch where rivers converge, as a pair of black eagles soared above. Retracing our steps to where we began, all too soon it was time to return to the city.
Passing Botriver, I recalled Lionel’s words as he recalled his grand-mother’s description of annual journeys by ox wagon to Cape Town to buy clothes. Only three out of five ox wagons made it over nearby Van Der Stel pass. Apparently the Voortrekkers did not sleep inside the ox wagons but underneath them because usually there was no space inside.
Directions: From Cape Town take the N2 to Caledon and then the R316 for one hour on the Bredasdorp road.
For the Napier Mountain Conservancy, from the Caledon Napier Road drive out of town on Plein Street and up the mountain along the gravel road to the Sentech tower. There is a small parking area.
Take your binoculars for bird watching. Call Napier Ox Wagons at 082 340 5385.
Watkins is author of Off the Beaten Track and Adventure Hikes in the Cape Peninsula.