See Collage at end of Report.
Bookings commenced for this 5-day flower tour in October 2022 and by early February all our accommodation on the Papkuilsfontein farm had been pre-booked. We ended up with 12 people keen to spend time on the Papkuilsfontein farm & also very keen to see the flowers. Weather in the Western and Northern Cape promised us that the flowers were extraordinary because of the amount of rain and cooler weather making the annual flower season last that much longer.
We were fortunate to have new people on tour – Hazel from the UK; Anneliese from Randhart, Alberton; Hein and Jone from Durbanville; as well as regular travellers with us – Marie from Sunningdale; Mary from Century City; Ingrid from Goodwood; Margie and Jenny from Rondebosch; Elizabeth from Dundee; & Sip and John from Lakeside.
Day One – We set off on Thursday 31st August from the Blaauwberg Beach Hotel in a light drizzle. We had booked a Nomad 12 seater ‘luxury’ vehicle for the duration of our tour, mainly because some of the intended roads in our planning were gravel and these Nomad vehicles generally handle rough terrain better than regular coaches!
Our first stop was the West Coast National Park – we arrived in drizzle and headed down to Tsaarbank for coffee/tea – with the wonderful sea views from this spot it immediately puts everyone into flower viewing mode! The Postberg Flower Reserve is indeed very special this year. Fortunately, the rain held off for an hour and a half and we were able to view the splendour of Spring in the WCNP. The colours of the flowers are magnificent, and with it being a Thursday, we almost felt we had the park to ourselves – not like a week-end when 100’s of cars enter the reserve. However, by the time we reached the Look-out point over Langeb, the heavens opened, which forced us to enjoy our picnic in the Nomad vehicle. At about 14h00 we headed back towards Darling and the N7 for our trip to Piekenierskloof Mountain Resort. En route we stopped at the Desert Rose padstalletjie for a take-away coffee.
Dinner tonight at Piekenierskloof Mountain Resort was a braai – and what a huge plate of food it was! We started with Roosterkoek-with cheese, tomato and onion & a delicious potato salad; pumpkin pie; Steak; Boerewors; Chicken kebabs – in the words of good South Africans – “’n Groot Bord Kos” – so much so that many doggy bags left the restaurant for lunch the next day. This was all followed by Chocolate Brownie and Ice Cream. Somehow the rain and mist continued into the evening preventing us from watching the Blue Moon which was also reported to be terrific in other areas!
Day Two – We enjoyed an early breakfast as we wanted to leave the lodge by 09h00 – first stop was the Clanwilliam flower show in the NG Kerk in town. What a fabulous display of cut flowers and region by region gives the visitor a good idea of what to expect. A group of pre-school children who were ever so well behaved were the centre of attraction!
We then made a stop at the SPAR in Clanwilliam to stock up on lunch items for later in the day. We travelled over the Pakhuis Pass and saw fabulous views indeed and then a short stop at Travellers Rest before we headed into the Biedouw Valley, where we stopped on the side of the mountain and enjoyed our lunch, in a valley of flowers.
After lunch we intended having a short stop within the Biedouw Valley (there was a 2km sign at the entrance to the Valley – Coffee ahead) and then head to our accommodation on Papkuilsfontein farm. However, we drove on (& somehow missed the coffee stop).
We eventually stopped on the rustic Makweleni Farm where 2 young, very kind men informed us that the only way to get to Nieuwoudtville was to turn around and drive all the way back through the Biedouw Valley as further on from their farm the recent floods had cause damage to the road and there was no thoroughfare to Calvinia.
They informed us that the only other way to Nieuwoudtville (apparently at least 3 hours away!!) was to turn around and travel back along the gravel road from Travellers Rest! We managed to contact the Papkuilsfontein farm, and we eventually arrived in Nieuwoudtville with very weary travellers about 18h30 in the evening.
Confusion reigned supreme as we were told in the morning that our dinner was being served at the De Lande Farm – Carol decided to not individually check the group in (apart from the De Lande farm and Jan Voorman Cottage) BUT Mariette had other ideas and she took the 4 people up to Willem Strydom house – and at the end of the day with weary people, tempers flared.
However all’s well that ends well, and eventually we were served a delicious lamb shank dinner with dessert and all was good.
Day Three dawned and our 5* breakfast at The Farm Kitchen on Papkuilsfontein farm where Alrie serves an excellent breakfast to the group. We heard that after breakfast they would be shearing the sheep. What an absolute treat – we all piled into the barn and watched these men who come to the Northern Cape each year from Lesotho to do this task for the farmers. It was indeed fabulous to watch for us city dwellers. After this we headed to Hantam Botanical Gardens where we paid the R50 entrance fee to view what many said were such disappointing flowers!
Most of the group enjoyed pannekoek and coffee after this disappointing show of flowers. In fact, the flowers outside the NG Kerk were stupendous compared to the ones at Hantam!
We then headed to the Quiver Tree Forest; the waterfall and eventually back to the De Lande Farm where we enjoyed our dinner in their dining room; Roast leg of lamb, Springbok Pie and a fabulous broccoli/cauliflower dish which had the group going back for seconds. A delicious cheesecake finished our dinner on a great note.
Day Four – what a fabulous breakfast AGAIN – and then we headed to Willemsrivier farm, just 4km outside of Nieuwoudtville. Here the flowers were unbelievable, and we used their TREKPAD and travelled the 5km route on 2 of their ‘lower routes’. It was a wonderful morning, and many photos were taken! We were all ready at 14h00 to head out with Willem and Jaco his son, in their vehicles to enjoy the afternoon with their wonderful flower fields and extensive knowledge of the area. What a treat! We were taken to the waterfall on their property – another treat as our tour went over and above the two hours and had us all so excited about this awesome property – PAPKUILSFONTEIN FARM.
Dinner was again served on the farm and was a buffet of note as Alrie had not only our group to serve for dinner but other guests who were booked into the other accommodation they have on the farm.
Day Five – Sadly our tour comes to an end today & by 10h30 we were all heading over the last of the corrugated road back to Nieuwoudtville and via the N7 up to De Tol where we all enjoyed a short break before heading back to the Blaauwberg Beach Hotel where the tour finished with shuttles taking the group back to their homes.
: 😊
“The Flowers in God’s Garden were nothing short of a miracle in 2023”
“Sometimes the most scenic roads in life are the detours you didn’t mean to take.”
At least the 14 people on the NOMAD vehicle from 31st August to 4th September, have been-there; done-that &…
wear the T-shirt to prove we’ve been through the entire Biedouw Valley, and other flowers areas in the Western and Northern Cape.
The End