Day 85: Tankwa Karoo National Park

Gray woke at 6:30 and headed out into the cold and dark to get the donkey boiler started so we could have hot water for the day. He then brought me coffee in bed – got to love this man.

After hot showers and breakfast we set off for a day of driving and exploring. We started on the Leeuberg 4 x 4 trail. This was an unusual drive that took us along the ridge of the Leeuberge, up and down the hills. We would ascend steeply, perch on the top of the hillock, like a pimple, get out and check where the steep descent trail was. The views were mind blowing. Loved this drive.

Back on the flat Karoo landscape we headed back into the Sterretjiesberg area and did a tour of the natural springs that were depicted on the map. Most, like Varschfontein, had a farm house with the outhouses, some had windmills and farming paraphernalia and all had family graveyards nearby.  

Unlike Varschfontein, they were derelict and in ruins, the walls were crumbling and roofs had caved in. I hope Petrus and Gideonetta would be pleased to know their home was restored and people were enjoying staying there. I hope their children and grandchildren return from time to time to stay and visit their graveyards.

Along the drive we saw lots of gemsbok and springbok and a troop of huge baboons. We came across 2 bat eared foxes and then found another 4 running in the distance. The little tree stump next to the car turned out to be a Cape eagle owl chilling on the side of the road, posing for us.  What we have noticed is that the birds don’t fly very high here, they just skim above the ground. I guess they don’t have trees to fly into, or maybe they are scared of heights (hehe).

This afternoon a great wind blew in from the east, it was a hot wind and relentless. We opened the windows and the wind blowing through, heated the cold farmhouse. Gareth, the intrepid explorer, hiked to the top of one of the mountains to visit, what he thought, having scanned the area with binocs, was a gravesite. Windswept upon his return he reported it was just a pile of rocks.

Eventually the wind died down, leaving the sun, the brightest red ball, to set magnificently over the Karoo.

 Sipping red wine around the little kitchen table around candle light, Ga cooking over the open fire, the bright stars twinkling in the night sky – such peace is rare.

Tankwa Karoo is a place of unspoiled  Mother Nature, a place to breathe.