DAY 20 : 18 MARCH 2011 : SCHOEMANSPOORT TO PRINCE ALBERT

Explaining to Doggy where the farm was

There was still quite a bit of mist around when we ascended Swartberg Pass which overlooks the Oude Muragie Valley, with me trying to identify the ancestral farm – not very successfully, I might add.   I am sure that the farm has been incorporated into other farms, and the houses have long been demolished.

Klipspringer on way up pass

Protea spp



Protea spp



Tea on Swartberg Pass

It was very misty, but as we climbed the pass, we once again got into fynbos vegetation – lots of proteas, ericas, leucadendrons, etc.   Absolutely gorgeous.

Swartberg Pass

As we peaked, the mist cleared and we had a clear view over towards the Karoo.   We thought that Mr Baine’s efforts were mediocre on the way up, but the descent was spectacular and has been compared to the Khyber Pass in the Himalayas.   Unfortunately there had been heavy rains and there was some bad wash on the road.   They have already had 145mm of their annual 200mm rainfall this year.

Swartberg pass - on way to Prince Albert

The rugged scenery on the way down was spectacular, and as we went down, we got back into succulent Karoo vegetation.  
We stayed at the Olienhof Caravan Park on a small holding just outside Prince Albert – probably 8 sites and a couple of self catering bungalows.   We went out to visit the Renu Karoo nursery project that Mike  Cameron had suggested – run by Richard Deane and Sue Milton.  Richard was one of the three authors of the  big Roberts Bird book and he arranged to meet Doggy at 6.30 the following morning to go birding.   Sue is a professor in botany who lectures at Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Saasveld.   The work covers the rehabilitation of Karoo vegetation and it was a very interesting indigenous nursery.