A Visit to Windheuvel Bosskerm

by Neels Meiring

It was a random e-mail that set off this discovery trip through the Western and into the Northern Cape. Anton and Gail Hartman recently swopped the comforts of Gauteng for the more leisurely lifestyle of Hermanus but kept their ties with their biking buddies intact. Eric van Eeden is one of these and he passed an e-mail with pictures of a unique “asbosskerm” that exists somewhere in the vast expanse of the Karoo, on to Anton who then did this:

Re: Ons issie almal so nie

Dankie, Eric – nou moet ek dit self gaan beleef 

Skipper wanneer ry ons?

 

Well, Anton calls me Skipper and I surely could not resist the challenge. Some time spent on the internet took care of routes, stops and accommodation and on the morning of 24th September we were off.
From Hermanus there is a nice fast scenic road via Botrivier and over the Theewaterskloof dam wall to Villiersdorp where we stopped at Kelkiewyn for morning coffee. Second stage took us to Worcester on a road where the majestic Hexrivierberge beckons as a backdrop. Through town and onto the R62 until we hit Michells pass with its nice and fast twisties.  A lovely Bistro just before the exit from the pass took care of our breakfast pangs.

At Ceres we decided to refuel as there is no sign on the map of any town, village or “gehuggie” before Sutherland which is a cool 199 kms further on. The R46 is a nice tarred road which takes you out of Ceres and into the Warm Bokkeveld but after the Theronsberg pass at 40 kms out of Ceres it takes a 90 degree to the right and the N1 and straight ahead becomes the R356 to Sutherland.

And this is where the importance of doing your homework properly, became evident. After about 2 kms the lovely tar becomes a true Karoo highway of  sand, gravel and dust. Luckily I opted to take the V-Strom and left the Raider at home. Anton on his R1200GS did a Botswana, Namibia and West Coast trip last year and he would be quite comfortable I thought. What we did not know was that there had been some heavy rains throughout the Karoo earlier this year and it became obvious that the R356 is not a high priority with the National Roads Commission.

Those of you who are familiar with ruts left by vehicles sliding over slippery clay surfaces and which have dried into tire grabbing traps will know that our workday had just begun. There are no rivers in this area but hidden streambeds cross the road and they have all been heavily eroded by the rain. Some pretty nifty braking and sliding resulted and the GS actually grounded the belly pan twice. The clay also created pools in some of these hidden beds so the bike wash came free of charge.

The bonus of the rain was that the scenery was magnificent, all the Karoo bossies were green and for most of the way there were beautiful tapestries of colour created by the Namakwaland veldblomme. Along the way we passed exactly four vehicles so traffic was not a problem. Breaking down would have been one though, there are also hardly any houses to be seen. And out of this tranquil scene we suddenly came upon the object of our quest, in the middle of nowhere appeared the “Windheuvel bosskerm”.

This unattended oasis of cold drinks and food bears testimony to the faith of the owners in their fellow man. One of the signs says it all “God se jy mag nie steel nie – en dit is dit!” We slaked our thirst and did what we had to and then on to the last stages of our hard labour stretch.
On this stage we encountered another hazard of this unforgiving area, in the rockhard surface of the road anteaters (erdvark) had dug tunnels down, the holes are at least 40cms across and if you hit one of these you would probably have come a cropper. Luckily we spied them, (all three!) and managed to avoid any mishaps. We surmise that after all the rain, damp gathered under the crust and that termites had nested there and that the anteater was going after its meal. After another 25 kms, we hit the tarred R354 and 20 minutes later we were in Sutherland. After 420 kms and  the hard work on the gravel a cold drink was going to go down very well!

Daytime temperatures were up to 32 degrees but at sparrows the next morning it was only 3 degrees. Please believe that Sutherland is the coldest place in South Africa. After a hearty breakfast served up by Ester of  Alpha B&B we set of for the quaint Matjesfontein. The R354 is a good tar road with some nice fast sweeps but always take note of signs showing sharp bends, they tend to take you unawares. Hardly any traffic, nice Karoo views and mountains but not so much colour as the previous day. Lift your eyes to the skies however and the magnificent blue is unblemished by any  pollution.

At Matjesfontein we did our tourist thing together with the passengers of the Pride of Africa which was standing in the station. Now onto the N1 and its trucks to Touwsrivier for refuel. Back on the N1 for 25 kms and then onto the R318 and, thankfully, goodbye to the trucks.

The R318 is a well-kept secret. It takes one through surely the most beautiful Karoo valleys, the Koo and the Keisie. The road is tar, has nice long sweeps and two passes and hugs the beautiful farms of, especially, the Keisie valley. It finally meets up with the R62 at Montagu but after 10 kms through Cogmanskloof we took a left on the R60 towards Swellendam. Again nice fast long sweeps until we got to the turn-off to Drew where you cross the Breede river over a “laagwaterbrug” which suffers occasional flooding after heavy rains in the Western Cape. Now we join up with the R317 to Stormsvlei where we stopped for lunch.

After lunch it is onto the N2 to Riviersonderend and then the R326 via van Brakel and Akkedisbergpas to Stanford and then the R43 back home. Total distance covered was 830 kms. Total enjoyment was great. Companionship even better.

Highlights? Asbosskerm, the clear Karoo skies, Koo and Keisie valleys and, as always, the bikes, our partners and the roads.