Fonteinplaas Camp Site: Gamkaskloof
Cost: R200.00 per site per night
Pet Friendly (no extra cost)
Ablutions: basic with hot water
Sandy camp sites nested in a tangle of scrub bush reminiscent of Mokolo Camp in Namibia. We are the only people in camp and can luxuriate in the stillness.
With Mountain Passes of South Africa ( https://www.mountainpassessouthafrica.co.za/find-a-pass/western-cape/item/103-gamkaskloof-road-to-die-hel.html ) along as a guide we entered the 37km ride on the road to Die Hel or Gamkaskloof at midday. Taking time to enjoy and appreciate the astounding geology of the Swartberg mountains. The ever changing flora ranging from scrubby grasslands to fields of protea, which still held many late season flowers, kept the route interesting and called for frequent photo opportunity stops. There was a surprising amount of icily cold water tricking under the road here and creating drifts there which tastes like heaven.
The iconic view of the road zigzagging up the mountain ahead drew us forward as we wound through numerous bends with the trailer following faithfully; the kilometer boards marking our slow but steady progress. At the apex of one of the hills that provided extensive views of the folded rock we opened the back of the Tripper and indulged in a cold lunch with freshly made gin and tonics. Our camp chairs, cooler box, plates, glasses etc easy to access and simple to pack away afterward.
Cresting the final hill the view of the Cape Nature entrance to the kloof valley lay below. A torturous 4km of road, filled with hair-raising hairpin bends, lay 333m between – the Elands Pass.
After careful, slow driving (4km’s in 30mins) we breathed a sigh of intense, pressure releasing pleasure and drove into Fonteinplaas. Exploring the camp site we wondered if the ‘available for hire caravans’ had been abandoned by previous visitors who were loathe to drive their vans back up the Elands Pass!
Our stay was magical. A basic egg and bacon breakfast made special by homemade boerewors, bread and jam provided by the young owner who is married to the son of the last remaining ‘kloofer’. Her matter of fact acceptance of the challenges of home schooling, fetching groceries from Outshoorn and living permanently in a very small community amazing.
We visited the museum, walked through a stoney valley to the Koninggat, which opened onto the Gamkaspoort, and were impressed with the care and attention to detail exhibited in the restored houses of the founding residents who had been isolated more by the difficulty of traveling the roads in and out of the kloof, before the gravel road was constructed in 1962, than by choice.
Traveling out of the kloof was slow as we stopped every kilometer up the Elands to allow the car to cool and to watch the progress of the few cars ahead of us as they snaked their way up the side of the mountain. 112km’s total round trip brought us back to the entrance road to the valley and the splendor of the Swartberg pass. The trip was awe inspiring and we count ourselves lucky to have experienced it. Would we do it again? Definitely – but we would stay longer to enjoy more of the hikes the area offers.
Itchy Feet! 