On the way: Spring 2014 at Saint du Barrys, Clanwilliam

The weather has been coming and going. The rain means that the fields and pockets of flowers are going to be there, but no-one can predict exactly where. Guests are reminded to have the sun behind them when they look at flowers to get the full benefit. Warmer days like today bring out the flowers, which are remarkable already.

This was taken in the late morning, on our usual walk.

Not bad for a winter's morning. This is a farm dam at the vineyards that surround the cemetery where we walk our dogs. At this time, the vines are bare and pruned, and the town is visible in the background.

The daily maximum temperatures are fluctuating between 13 and 22C, combined with rain or sunshine, as the case may be. The dam is full, and today the Jan Dissels river is running in full spate as well.

And the flowers are out.

These were taken around town today, no further than about one kilometer from Saint du Barrys. At home, the following are shots of our naartjie tree, outdoor detail, and the custodian of conversation at Saint du Barrys, our African Grey known as Ramius the Red October. He is looking forward to hearing from guests, who need to be aware that if he hears the word "Polly" he has been known to shout out "Say something intelligent!"

It promises to be an outstanding spring.



Guests are once again advised that coming from either north or south, there are roadworks from Citrusdal to Clanwilliam and from Klawer to Clanwilliam. The N7 is usually closed on a Tuesday and Thursday between three and four in the afternoon for blasting. It's a good idea to check with the Tourism Office (027 4822024) to be sure of what's happening on these days.

Looking forward to meeting you!

Winter sun in the Cederberg and at Saint du Barrys

For the past few years, we have been travelling in the UK at this time. Not this year. We have had to adjust dthe shape of our year because of additional family members arriving. I have just taken a short walk in the garden and right now have checked the temperature outside. 25C. I still have on a jersey and a jacket because I have been at the computer for much of the morning, and the office is colder than outside because, being a thoroughfare, we don't ligh the fire until we have settled down for the day.

Today is a good day for being outside, for enjoying the warmth and for noticing how nature is replenishing her growth.

Yesterday we decided to pop into the Dam Bistro just fifty meters away for a late breakfast. Sitting in the sun at a warm table was a good idea, but then we had to move to a table in the shade. It was too hot. The winter sun is a wrestler. Clouds, mist and rain contend, and contend well, dominating part of the season, especially when snow on the Cederberg joins in. But when the sun comes out, the other contestants are dazzled while the audience is warmed.

Give it just a couple of weeks, and the flowers will begin to respond, too. Some rain is forecast this coming Friday, a good sign of a floral explosion soon after.

Generally, May, June and July are the quieter months for tourism in the Cederberg area. Yet there is much to be said for turning this way during our winter: you will find very affordable prices, more sunlight than you would have in Europe, good quality of dining if you know where to look, a experience of nature that penetrates (the cold mornings) and pacifies (the later sunlight. The temperature will not drop to freezing. The height above sea-level in Saint du Barys parking area is 52 meters above sea-level.

While you are driving around in the sunshine, there are always the vineyards and the wine route to follow. More information on these will come later.

I recommend a visit at this time, if only for the sake of tasting a flavour of the Cederberg air that our more usual visitors don't. Because there is less fervour and clamour for a yet more vivid experience of the spring flowers, there is more space and intensity, and if you have or make friends amongst the locals, another dimension of social experience can be added. A restaurant that is not abuzz is often deemed to be boring. My experience is that this is when the most curious conversations occur: where people open up not because of the general atmosphere, but because something special is recognized.

Taking the season less travelled can be remarkably rewarding.

The coming winter solstice at Saint du Barrys

Each year at this time, I begin to tell Joan that summer's almost here. The solstice on 21 June is important to me. In the past I have tried to write a poem every solstice and equinox to mark the season. We've had snow, cold days, dull days and sunny days thus far, this winter. Today we noticed daisies in the late morning sun. But it's far too early for flowers yet. This spring should see good flowers; we've had enough rain to raise expectations. The Jan Dissels River has risen a number of times, water is flowing into the Clanwilliam Dam as I write,quite a bit of it from melted snow that we observed a morning or two ago, on the Cederberg peaks to the east of Saint du Barrys, and the town.

 It is our thirteeenth year of living in Clanwilliam and owning Saint du Barrys Country Lodge, and at the risk of nostalgia, I think of all the seasons we have experienced here. If there's one thing that I've come to feel because of living here, it's the ebb and flow of life according to seasons rather than any strict measurement of hours and minutes.The body has a limited memory when it comes to being in the centre of a season. It barely remembers the inertia brought on by February's soaring temperatures when mid-winter throws down its icy stare. The local people like to remark on the particular characteristics of each season.

Sitting in the afternoon sun, at a comfortable temperature of around 20C, I found my gaze settling on a point where air and matter seemed to merge: I could see so much movement of particles in the light, creating spiralling bridges between plants, earth and air-swirls. Yes, one is fortunate to experience life in this way, sitting on the patio, enjoying the left-overs of chilli con carne, naan bread and cold Blanc de Blanc, musing on the details of this season.

Saint du Barrys has seen growth of many kinds: increase in occupancy, staff stability, greater internet presence, family increase, family travel, favourable exchange rates for guests, town developments.

The last elections came and went peacefully, and the most noticeable thing happening around Clanwilliam is the road construction.We lived through construction between Piketberg and the Piekenierskloof Pass, we lived through construction over the pass itself, now we're living and waiting while the section of the N7 between Citrusdal and Clanwilliam is being rebuilt. At the same time, the N7 north of Clanwilliam is also being reconstructed. It's a nuisance but when everything is complete, Cape Town should be no more than two hours away, even less if you ignore the speed cameras at your own peril.

The next construction is to be the dam wall, which has been expected and delayed for years. Once that begins, the value of property on the dam and in the town should increase. New, big changes tend to inspire interest, especially when large areas of water are involved. New playgrounds are always welcome.

Thus, Clanwilliam's climate goes beyond weather. So many little Karoo towns to the east and north-east in the interior have died off. Clanwilliam's heart beats on, quite loudly, when busy days make the main road more like a daring computer game than a traffic thoroughfare. On days like these, tourists are advised to take the main road slowly and carefully, as movement across the road can be more evident than progress up and down the road. The right of way belongs to whoever gets there first. But once the shopping is done, things quiten down, and it's easy to stroll rather than dodge your way while you see what the town has to offer.

Visitors right now are the boulderers, who have waited for the colder weather so that they can grip the rock surface more firmly with finger-tips. Recently we had the dare-devil sport of slack-lining, the one-upmanship that goes beyond the tight-rope.

If you want to see spring flowers, it isn't necessary to wait for August and September. From the first warmer days in July, the flowers make an appearance.

So while we wait to see what happens, we light the fire in our office hearth, choose between a Merlot, Shiraz or Cabernet Sauvignon, and dream about tomorrow's meal.

 Five hundred pieces of wood were delivered a few days ago.  They are going down quite rapidly. The height of the pile is a good thermometer to go by.

Flower season notes

Non-officially flower season starts about now. Clanwilliam is pretty much in the middle of the area, the southern reach of which goes right down the West Coast towards Darling and Melkbosstrand, and northwards towards Springbok in Namaqualand.

If there has been enough rain during the earlier months of the year, a warm day will see flowers come out by mid-July, as indeed they are appearing, in Namaqualand at the moment, and in small patches around Clanwilliam, too.

By now most accommodation establishments are fairly full for the flower season. Pick the one of your choice, and if they can't help you with the dates you require, phone the Tourism Office (027 4822024, in Clanwilliam) and they will tell what's available for what date. They keep a list of flower season accommodation availability that is regularly updated.

The weather is the obvious factor that will make or ruin flower-finding. If there's no sun, the flowers won't open. I once had a frantic call from prospective guests in Japan. "We come this weekend, just for flowers! Yes? You have room? We come just for weekend! You can help?"

"No!" I was aghast. "It's too far to take such a chance for one weekend! Don't come!"

Not very adventurous advice, but then, I'm never adventurous with some-one else's time and money. It doesn't have to rain to put the flowers to sleep. Cloud will do it, too.

The next thing to watch for is to make sure that the sun is behind you if you want to see the full vista of open flowers. They look at the sun. If you're looking at the sun too, your face is pointing away from, not towards open flowers.

Pace yourself according to how far you want to travel in a day. Clanwilliam is in the middle of the extended area, but you know what distance you're comfortable with. You probably won't want to go all the way to Kammieskroon, for instance. The drive, the flower-seeking and the return will probably be too much. The Biedouw Valley is close by. Various routes into the Cederberg, taken slowly, can be magnificent.

Daily communication with other flower seekers and info offices is a good idea. I hear guests swopping notes over breakfast, and being greatly helped. The Clanwilliam Tourism Office develops flower routes as the season progresses. Daily updates are available. I would advise planning flower routes on short notice rather than long forecasts. Daily news is good to go by. The cloud-map is extremely unpredictable.

Come with a relaxed attitude. If it's "I will see flowers if it kills me" you won't die if you don't see flowers, but the fun will. And if the illustrious Law of Attraction works, flowers, sun and you will surely find synch, if your soul is filled with grace of colour and contentment, as the fields of flowers are. You find what you are. Enough esoterica.

Plan your day and route in respect of your meals. If you have nibbles and drinks with you, you won't need restaurants. If that's okay, you can be more free to change routes.

In Clanwilliam, a typical day's weather pattern for good weather works like this: it's heavily misty from early till later because of the town being between the Olifants River and the Jan Dissels River. At about ten to ten thirty the mist lifts and the clear sky opens the way for sunlight. The temperature could be about 20 - 22C. If you stay in the sun, a short-sleeved top can work.

Listen to locals, even if their directions seem odd. I once heard people being directed in entirely the wrong direction, so take care, too. But so what? You're on holiday, and life is as short as a flower season, and equally unpredictable. Wear lotion. Speak slowly. And don't pick flowers. That hurts the universe.

 

When is a good time to visit the Cederberg?

As a preamble, South Africa is a good place to visit, notwithstanding bad press. It's unfortunate that our national image looks really silly if not downright stupid from time to time, but that can nearly always be laid at the feet of our politicians, and certainly not our geography.

South Africa has many geographic, cultural and natural faces, and from the deep silence of the Karoo to the open, roaring throat of the Augrabies to the mystery of the Cango Caves to the vista of Table Bay to the baffling question of where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans begin and end, there's more than enough for a lifetime's travelling.

As usual, preferences can be applied to the Cederberg, with its inland towns of Clanwilliam, Graafwater, Citrusdal, Wuppertal and coastal towns of Lambert's Bay and Elands Bay. Not everyone enjoys the intense heat of mid-summer, peaking in February, up to 45C, and over, yet I have seen guests relishing the challenge of logging their mountain hike on some of the hottest days.

My own favourite seasons are spring and autumn, when the weather is warm, mild, with an edge of cold in the mornings and evenings. It's not always about the season, though. For me, travelling is about mood. Like a face, place has a sense of being singular and having many moods. When you feel a place's mood, it's like getting to know a person. I remember standing still one day in the middle of Southern Namibia, knowing how solitary I was in all those square miles empty of another human, yet not feeling lost or desolate. I remember waking up in the samll hours somewhere in the Karoo, and going outside to sense the surrounding air, hearing infinitesimal subtle noises that made the vast backdrop of darkness and silence even more tangible.

The Cederberg has its own many moods and if anyone were to ask me when to visit, my answer would be "Now". The appeal of the place has to experienced. I doubt if it can be explained. The mountain range is not cosy, the weather can be intimidating. The extraordinary beauty of the sping-flowers is transitory. Yet in every mood there's an ancient face to be glimpsed, and many stories to be found.

If visitors are looking for bright lights and glamour, they will look in vain for these in the Cederberg. The spirit of the place speaks more clearly from depth to depth. I have seen visitors coming back from a day's excursion, having been touched in wordless ways by what has been experienced.

"Did you have a good day?" is our usual question.

They will put down the small bag, or bottle of water. Their hands will go up in appeal for words. "Wonderful!" is often the first one. And then the search for the explanation of what is wonderful.

Which time of year does this happen? All times. Which season? All of them. What disappoints guests? To be truthful, I can think of a handful who decided that the weather was against them, either because of rain or heat, I think also of a couple who were expecting a casino.

The spring flowers are always a major attraction, yet this is only one face of the area. The other many moods are always there, to whisper, command and captivate the appreciative attention.

Hot season

Now that we're into March, we can start looking forward to some cooling down. Summer heat is intense in Clanwilliam, with maximum temperatures going over 40C in the shade, and into the 50C range in the sun. I heard someone mention something about 60C the other day, but I preferred not to listen.

It's actually not so bad. With aircon, cold drinks, and cool interiors, and of course the big tree protecting Saint du Barrys with its immense shade, summer goes by with plenty of guests enjoying the change from minus degreees of severe cold in Europe during these months. In particualr, those who suffer from arthritis and other movement-restrictive conditions may find relief offered by the heat.

The Cederberg mountain range was on fire in large spread out areas for weeks. The fire was started by lightning, and wind caused it to jump and spread. Many hectares were burnt and the threat to farmlands and farmsteads was high, yet the firefighters were dedicated and skilled, and protected farms successfully. A well-loved local man died while involved in fire-fighting, and the sadness of this will be felt for a long time. Bushmanskloof went on high alert when the fire starting moving towards the resort, but was not damaged although guests were evacuated for safety's sake.

The socio-political season was hot, too, with striking farm-workers threatening violent action, and damaging farms in the Western Cape. Clanwilliam was fortunate to have minimal disruption. A crowd gathered at a a couple of different corners for two days, but was swiftly dispersed by police when protesting became rowdy. No damage was done.

With regard to fashion, nothing happened in Clanwilliam. In these summer months, light clothing and something on your head is the order of the day.

During March temperature levels can still be high, but local folk know that the end is in sight. Soon enough, cold air with curve in from the Atlantic, bringing seasonal change. Autumn and spring months bring almost perfect weather, neither too hot nor too cold. The evenings beg for braais. I have a new system for getting a fire ready quite quickly, although most of the point of having a braai is sitting or standing around the fire having chats and drinks. It takes twenty to twenty-five minutes to have coals on one side and flames on the other; on goes the steak or the chops, and ten to fifteen minutes later you have the perfect steak or the perfect chop. Forget about wine at sophisticated temperature. I don't like putting ice in expensive wine, so I go for quaffing sauvignon blanc, chenin blanc or blanc de noir, with enough ice to keep it cold. Winter will be long enough for the reds.

Shopping in Clanwilliam

As far as I know there are two Clanwilliams in the world: one in Ireland, and the other in South Africa in the Cederberg region. It is the latter that has reference in this blog. I have never been to Clanwilliam in Ireland, but I would think that there are considerably more shops in that main street than there are in this main street. This information is written for guests at Saint du Barrys and indeed all propective visitors to Clanwilliam who want to know about shopping in Clanwilliam for practical and therapeutic purposes. Most visitors do not come to the Cederberg for the shopping experience and certainly Clanwilliam does not compete with Dubai, Zurich or New York in this respect. The most common questions we are asked are like this:

Is there a general store and when is it open?

There is a Spar, in fact a SuperSpar which means it's a bigger one with more lines and ranges, and it's open for seven days a week from seven till seven, except for Christmas Day and Good Friday. There are also other general stores, but the Spar is the best stocked.

We are not often asked about liqour stores, but here is the information: I have seldom looked for alcohol in the early morning, but I do know that Tops opens at eight in the morning and closes at seven in the evening, except for Saturday when closing at five is compulsory.Cora opens at eight as well, and closes at eight each evening, except for Saturdays when the cut-off is at five.  The law in South Africa is strict about no alcohol being sold after five on a Saturday, and no sales during Sunday.

When are petrol stations open?

There are three petrol stations: the two in town are open from seven in the morning till nine in the evening and there is another on the N7 open for 24 hours a day. All three stock petrol and diesel.

Where can I buy airtime?

Spar, Pep and possibly a few more places.

More generally, there is a good butchery, "Ramskop", the surf shop (I have no idea why it has this name) which sells clothing and footwear, a video outlet, McClans which is akin to KFC, two gift shops, one in Nancy's Tea Room and Tannie Poppie se Shoppie. Pep Stores is mainly for clothing. Visitors who have read up on the town look for rooibos tea products which are sold from the Rooibos Tea factory. Here Saint du Barrys is allowed to boast: we stock rooibos products sourced from three different manufacturers, and after using the products in the bathrooms, many guests take advantage of buying from us what they have experienced in respect of soap, shampoo, body lotion, body butter and other products.

Guests frequnetly want to visit the Strassbergers Shoe Factory. For those who like shoes, this is often a hit. Once we had a guest who had to buy an extra suitcase to take all the shoes home.

There are more service orientated shops, all located on or close to the main road.

The majority of shops accept major credit cards.