Day 5, halfway point of our Eco Ventures Namaqualand Ultra Walk

Our itinerery simply says: 'Walk from Arkoep into the Kamies Mountains for lunch at the tea garden of Taaiboskraal. Sulene Archer will entertain you with stories of the area.'

Sulene is from the Karoo and has married a Namaqualand farmer. Their business is sheep and goats and in the flower season she runs her Teetuin and restaurant from the farm. Her story of life on the farm, where they move between their two farms, in the Kamiesberge and in Bushmanland, was fascinating for us city people.

She prepares Namaqualand specials like roasted sheep heads, crumbed sheep tails, in fact every part of the animal, although she draws the line at preparing the testicles even though her customers ask for them. Fortunately our lunch was loads of freshly baked farm bread, lathered with butter and homemade jam and a delicious rice salad.

Even more significant is arriving at the farm, Taaiboskraal, marked our 150km milestone. What an achievement, exhausted, hot, I hung my head under a tap for a few minutes to recover and just so happy to be walking and having this adventure with Fred and the rest of our small band of fellow walkers.

What a milestone, 150 kilometres , day 5, halfway point at Taaiboskraal.

• Walking log: 20th August

150km of 301km.

Body getting stronger with each day, true what they say about walking yourself into fitness.

My feet still need nursing, it takes a kilometre or so to 'warm' up the blisters, but the discomfort is bearable and I no longer fear them. 

Each night I have my foot clinic where Frik patches and plasters. Fred feeling great, he is getting stiffer and a little weary but her is remarkable, strong and like a machine.

Walking into the Kamiesberge

From our base in Kamieskroon we headed out into the mountain range to the east of town, the Kamiesberge of Namaqualand, a range of jumbled granite inselbergs which rise out of the sandy plain. It stretches from Garies in the south for about 140km to Springbok in the north. 

The walk was wonderful, a perfect deep blue sky, no wind in the valley, some flowers dotted along the way but mostly it was about the beautiful vistas. It did get hot as the morning wore on, I walked wearing a wet scarf, borrowed a hat and lathered on sunscreen and keep going. Kilometre after kilometre of this scenery that Fred captured on his iPhone panorama setting, the quiet farm roads, where all that distracted me were the bird calls and the odd horsefly.

It's day five of the Ultra Walk and I am eventually leaving my obsession with the numbers behind.

I am just walking.

Frik and Jaco give us the distance markers in the sand and also when the next break is coming. We walk somewhere between 8 and 10 kilometres and then have the stop. Sometimes its our lunch break too.

These breaks are a little bit of heaven.

Jaco sets out a green groundsheet, has a wash tub and cloth for our hands, the table is set with iced tea and water, a piece of fruit and we lie down on the ground, rest our bodies, air the feet, put them up on the little camping chairs, rub vaseline on our feet, or rather the parts of the foot not covered in plasters!

Then 5 minutes is called and we all scurry around to get shoes onto aching feet and start walking again.

Kamieskroon, the heart of Namaqualand in flower

We are now based here in Kamieskroon for the next four days with the Namaqualand National Park close by. Yesterday's walk was along the road to Hondeklipbaai which skirted the north of the Park. Today we will explore the area around Skilpad.

I had certain expectations about the Namaqualand flowers but goodness me I had no idea. It has been quite the most beautiful of experiences and we have loved looking at each and every little flower.

It is a spectacle beyond ordinary language. Once again Fred was loving the photography, he even had me crawling on hands and knees to get the 'perfect' Sharon in the flower moment!

Here are a couple of his favourites from the National Park today, they are joyous, a riot of colour, what a special day it has been.

• Walking log: 19th August

Real milestone achieved today, we crossed the 100 kilometre point on our Ultra Walk. Felt exciting and also daunting to have to repeat it all 2 more times!

With lots of  care before and during the walk, Frik got my feet walking ready. They have not gotten worse for which I am indeed grateful.

Total kilometres to date: 120km of 301km

Skilpad Viewpoint

The camel thorn in Bushmanland

Camel thorn in Bushmanland

O, Boesmanland, vat my hand en lei my oor die rant se kant.

As jy vir my kan sê waar die Boesmanland lê.

Boesmanland vat my hand.

I am taken by the majesty of this camel thorn from our walk on the farm, Klein Pella, there is nothing else that looks so strong and rooted like it in the Bushmanland landscape.

I am reading 'Weeping Waters' by Karin Brynard, and one of her characters plants a camel thorn on a grave and talks about the tree:

"It's the old man of the Kalahari. The wise man. Did you know they can live for up to three hundred years?"

"It doesn't need rain. It's a desert tree. It's roots will find water forty metres deep. He can see, that tree. Very far. Into the future. And into the past. It knows everything - even before it happens -so it makes provision. The old people say it has it has second sight, because it predicts the drought."

"...a wild thing, that won't allow itself to be tamed..."

Walking the Wildeperdehoek Pass

We are back in Namaqualand and walked 22km up, over and down the Wildeperdehoek Pass, one of the oldest passes in the area and built by Italian prisoners of war. Walking numbers that I have been talking about for so long and now becoming a reality.

A magnificent road to walk, right on the edge of the Namaqua National Park and to the west of Kamieskroon. An inspiring place.

The change in weather took me by surprise, we were cold quite early in the walk as the damp fog air from the coast blew in. Fresh and invigorating though after the heat of yesterday.

The flowers were amazing, carpets of orange and so many individual flowers that caught my eye and Fred's lens.

• Walking log: 18th August

22km and the evolving story of my left foot. So my capable strong leading right foot has healed quickly and carried me all  day.

Oh my, my left foot is in a state. 

The blisters on my heel are the size of R1 coins and as I compensate for the pain, my toes are under stress. 

Shew, the last 4 km were painful, I noticed with amusement that no other part of my body dares to complain, no knees, no back, no hips, everything is taking a back seat as I focus on my left foot. I motor up and down the hills my breath hardly changing, just trying to stay in touch with this foot in pain.

I am writing as I wait for Frik to cut the blisters and do his best to help me. Could be more pain in store.

Total kilometres to date: 92km of 301km.

A collage of Fred's wonderful photos from the walk:

A dawn walk at Klein Pella

Good morning Bushmanland!

Our call to walk was at 6.10, it was dark on the drive to our drop off point, our warm up exercises on the road with only the vehicle for light. It was quiet and just wondrous to watch the sky turn pink as the sun started to rise.

The walk down the access road to Klein Pella is special because of the 'forest' of quiver trees standing proud among the grasses.

I do so enjoy this first walk of the day, especially with breakfast waiting at the end. We then packed up, Fred bought dates and we headed back down to Namaqualand and back to the flowers.

• Walking log: 18th August

8km dawn walk.

The church at Pella

The post brunch walk was brutal.

The winter temperatures here in Bushmanland are hotter than Johannesburg in summer and in summer here, it is not unusual to experience temperatures in the high 40's. So very hot and 16km of walking on soft sand back road tracks.

We headed from Klein Pella to Pella over a vast veld of stubby grasses and the odd scrubby plant. Then up and over a couple of passes in the mountain range up here on the border of the Orange River.

Midges buzzed constantly, sand in my shoes worsening the state of my heels. I was too weary, in need of a shower and rest to really take in the strangeness of this beautiful Catholic Church at the centre of life in Pella. It was built in 1895 by Bishop Simon.

Bushmanland walking

We were hosted in a kind and thoughtful way by the two remaining nuns, tea and homemade scones, a table set with all their best things before visiting the church. Some of the children sang, we were asked to make 3 wishes, a service was held which moved some of the group.

I am conflicted, the phrase godforsaken describes this extremely isolated community of 2000 souls but this church is their heart and their lifeblood along with the date palms dotted around the small town. A place run by women, raising children as men find whatever work they can in the greater area.

• Walking log: 17th August

Second leg of the walk, 15km. Slow, as mindful as I could be, encouragement by Fred, my body holding up ok, my feet a constant discomfort though. A little tension in the group as we are all weary and have different needs to get through each day.

Just had my feet carefully lanced and doctored and plastered by Frik ready for tomorrow.

Total kilometres to date: 62 of 301km

Temples of date palms, Klein Pella at sunrise

Bushmanland, bordering Namibia, is a vast, arid landscape, harsh and formidable. We have transitioned away form the flowers of Namaqualand to walk here in Bushmanland.

We are based at the Klein Pella Guesthouse on the largest date farm in the southern hemisphere. It is such an impressive organisation, high tech, immaculate with a caring responsible approach to the people and the place.

The accommodation is a gem. We were up before dawn to drive to the Orange River to walk the sunrise over the vast 'temples' of palms. The plantations felt like the temples in Egypt. An eerie sight these huge trees set in the desolation of a semi desert. I look forward to taking a box of their medjool dates home.

We have safari style stops to rest feet and revive a little, here we are after the first 8km this morning and the views of the palms while lying on my back....

• Walking log: 17th August

The first 16km of the walking today was from the Orange River past the palms, the precision planting of export table grapes and the business premises.

The walking was nice, even with the long slow incline all the way to the Guesthouse. My challenge is the increasingly worrisome blisters on both my heels. It is makes me anxious.

The fabulous 'Halfmens' of the Garoep Nature Reserve

The end of my first day, quietly in the lounge here at Klein Pella on the Orange River, just having had some blister management and content to have done the first 31km leg.

On the path to Garoep

We drove from Springbok to the nearby Garoep Nature Reserve to walk among the carpets of wild flowers, swathes of orange, yellow, purple and white. We passed herds of Gemsbok, Zebra and Springbok while the baboons were barking from the hills. The perspective as a walker is so different to being in a car. What a privilege. We were well taken care of by Frik and Jaco all day too.

By midday the temperature was about 23 degrees with no wind, walking on the sandy tourist route, it was very challenging at that point. My feet took some damage, a few blisters from the irritation caused by sand, heat and friction.

Apart from the sheer pleasure of the flowers I just loved meeting my first 'Halfmens', the Pachypodium Namaquanum, it has a very narrow distribution here in the Northern Cape.

Fred is enthralled with the spectacle of the flowers, he would stop, take a few photos and then run to catch up with me, as I quietly put one foot in front of the next - his energy is remarkable.

• Walking log: 16th August

The walk was in 3 parts.

9km along the access road into the Nature Reserve. Tar road. I liked the warm up exercises that we
did in the fresh Namaqualand morning air before heading off. Walked well.

14km walk along the tourist loop in the Garoep Nature Reserve. Felt fine heading off after our quick 'safari style' rest for iced tea. But it got hard going, soft sand and very hot. Felt shattered when I walked into the toilet block, put my head under water and breathed deeply. Feet were burning and a few little blisters started up.
Good rest, feet up against a wall yoga style, crackers cheese, pate and an egg and was ready for the last leg.

8km return walk out of the Reserve. Held up fine.

I am of an age with the women on the walk, but they out stride me and I fall a few minutes behind them on each leg. I an missing my 'bubble' of just the two of us walking, but need to do my own walk each day.

Ultra Walk progress: 31km of the 301km

Fred's wonderful photos from our first outing in Garoep Nature Reserve

En route, driving from Cape Town to Springbok

A cold early morning view into the Cedarberg at Kardoesie

Afternoon light on a Quiver Tree in Springbok

We have arrived in Namaqualand.

Banana milkshake and a cappuccino in the quirky Springbok Hotel, the space defies description, part bookstore, part museum, part random memorabilia, part precious rock collection, part cafe and locals having an early dinner.

The scenery and weather has been changeable all the way up the N7, cold and overcast to start but its cleared up now, a vast blue sky here in Springbok, our overnight stop before heading to Klein Pella.

The flowers from the minibus look promising, swathes of orange, yellow, white and purple, I am looking forward to walking among them.

The most fascinating thing for me today was learning about the 'circles' formed in the landscape by the underground termite colonies. They leave these circular scars in the landscape where very little grows.

The wild flowers are calling

I have been resting the last couple of days, getting the last fews things organised, starting to pack now and we leave very early tomorrow morning to meet up with our fellow walkers in Wellington for the transfer up to Springbok.

Our final itinerary has arrived and looks quite marvellous.

Eco Ventures Namaqua Ultra Walk

Programme and Route 2015

Travel from Paarl, Cape Town to Kamieskroon via Kardoesie, at the top of the Piekenierskloof Pass, for breakfast. Along the N7 to Springbok, in the heart of Namaqualand    

Accommodation & Dinner : Elkoweru guest House

Briefing before dinner

Day 1

The “Big Walk” starts at Goegap nature reserve. The route takes you along Namaqualand scenery with Quiver trees and flowering succulents. . 

Overnight and Dinner: Klein Pella Guest Farm                                             30km

Day 2   

Start before breakfast on the banks of the Orange River and walk along the unbelievable ‘forest’ of

17 000 Date Palms. After breakfast, walk to Pella for tea with the nuns at the historic Cathedral, built by French priests.

Overnight and Dinner: Klein Pella Guest Farm                                             30km

Day 3   

Walk from Klein Pella, leaving Boesmanland into the ‘Swart Rante of Steinkopf in the Copper mining area

Overnight and Dinner: Randspaar Guesthouse, Kamieskroon.  30 km

Day 4

From Grootvlei to ‘Skilpad” – Namaqualand Nature Reserve and back to ‘Bowesdorp”.  Stop for ‘Pannekoek’ along the way!. Meet Lita Cole at her nursery – the real flower of Namaqualand

Overnight and Dinner: Randspaar Guesthouse, Kamieskroon.                        30 km

Day5

Walk the Wilde Perdehoek Pass, one of the oldest Passes in Namaqualand built by Italian prisoners of war and the Messel Pad Pass down onto the ‘flats’ of Namaqualand. (Optional change to Nourivier due to roads that is washed away)

Overnight and Dinner: Randspaar Guesthouse, Kamieskroon                           30 km

Day 6

Walk from Arkoep into the Kamies Mountains for Lunch at the tea garden of Taaiboskraal. Sulene Archer will entertain you with stories of the area. Walk after lunch to the top of Kamies Pass, surrounded by farmlands and scenes that are only a reality for 6 weeks per year.

Overnight and Dinner: Randspaar Guest House, Kamieskroon                        30 km

Day 7

Take on the Kamies Pass to Leliefontein along the ridge of the mountains to Garies. Visit G’nis se winkel for dinner, and shop while drinking a glass of wine

Overnight and Dinner: Garies Guest House                                                           30 km

Day 8

Drive to the Knersvlakte Spens for coffee and a talk of the succulents find in this area. Walk ‘Brand se Berg’ into the Cedarberg Mountains with its amazing rock formations and fynbos. Today the going gets tough and the tough get going!

Overnight and dinner: Boskloof Swemgat Chalets.                                            30 km

Day 9

Walk from Boskloof, a green valley with beautiful farms and rock formations to visit ‘soldaat kop’ and the grave of CJ Louis Leipoldt. Visit the Rooibos tea factory in Clanwilliam.

Drive to Lamberts Bay

Dinner: Isabella’s Restaurant in the harbor of Lamberts Bay. 

Overnight: Albatros Guest House, Lamberts Bay                                                30 km

Day 10

Along the coast from Elands Bay to Lamberts Bay for the last leg of the 301 km Walk.  Finish on the beach at Lamberts Bay.

Dinner and Prize giving evening at Steenboksfontein at the Plaaskombuis.

Overnight: Albatros Guest House Lamberts Bay        30 km

Depart from Lamberts Bay to Cape Town International Airport, via the Pepper Tree Restaurant in Philadelphia for breakfast. 

"This Ultra Pilgrimage walk offers every one that participate an unbelievable challenge.

It was designed professionally to renew the “whole being” - the physical as well as the psychological."

Walking the distance from Johannesburg to Cape Town

Solitude of Long Beach, Noordhoek

This morning the tide at Noordhoek was perfect for a morning walk, the beach was as good as always, even though it is overcast in Cape Town today, the sea sparkled and it was a luscious green in places. Horses, a whale out to sea, avocets and stilts among the gulls, just so marvellous being out and about, breathing deeply and feeling strong.

I have now walked over 1400km in 7 months in preparation for our Ultra Walk in Namaqualand, that is the distance from Johannesburg to Cape Town. It is one of those 'who would have imagined' moments. Delighted about how this year has shaped up for Fred and me. 

The next target is 1000 miles....

• Walking log: 12th August

8km Long Beach walk in Noordhoek.

Total kilometres to date: 1407

Lilies on the Common

Keeping walking. Enjoying the flowers on the Common.

• Walking log: 11th August

5km midweek speed walk.

Total kilometres to date: 1400