Back to the fairest Cape

Yellow Sands Resort near Cintsa and East London had been recommended by several people and it certainly is a superb spot with many of the sites having sea and/or river views.

A stroll around the extensive grounds turned up these gorgeous clivia in all their blooming glory!

Very sad to come across this large jelly fish stranded on the beach but wasn't about to risk picking it up and returning it to the sea.

Next stop was in the Baviaanskloof just past Port Elizabeth and along a very narrow road to Innikloof about 20 km from Patensie.  Never mind Innikloof, the road was so narrow that if I'd met anything coming the other way I'd have been Innikak!  A magical, sparkling river runs along the valley and provides water for the naartjie farm on which the camp site is situated

While talking an amble, I discovered this puzzle bush Ehretia rigida in bloom with flowers far more colourful than usual, must be something in the water.

Simply had to take a ride along the old road to Van Stadens Wild Flower Reserve where the newer of the two bridges forms a stunning backdrop.

This fork-tailed drongo was busy hawking insects in the picnic site..........

......and the leucospermums were full of both yellow............

        

.....................and orange flowers.

Stopped for coffee on the way back at a cafe that looked out on this view ...........

...........and later in the evening was treated to a lovely sunset - SA really is a magical place to live.

Speaking of magic, a Cape Chestnut on the side of the road was really showing off.  It's botanical name describes it perfectly - Calodendron capensis - beautiful tree of the Cape.

And so to Sedgefield and Lake Pleasant on the aptly named Groenvlei, whose water definitely has a green tinge though it was difficult to capture in full sun. Spent a good deal of time helping my former landlady get her newly acquired house in order after the move from Forest Hills.

When you fully appreciate the astonishing beauty of the place it's easy to see what prompted the move.

This beach near Lake Pleasant is mostly deserted and stretches for about 10 km to the mouth of the Buffels River.

Whilst taking an early constitutional I encountered a small family of white-fronted plovers and this youngster seemed very concerned with something above it, though I failed to find what it was.

A little further on a pair of African black oyster-catchers appeared to be either doing some sort of pair bonding routine or a courtship dance involving a lot of bobbing and weaving.

Driving back after the stroll, I noticed these terrestrial orchids Bonatea speciosa with their odd shaped, green and white flowers.

Paid a quick visit to Plettenburg Bay to have dinner with friends and was again struck by the magnificence of the scenery around this part of the world.

Going in the other direction towards George you have the mountains.....

..........and the Seven Passes road back to Wilderness which was a joy on Big Red.

As with all the rivers in the area, the water is stained to tea colour by the high tannin content

Leaving Sedgefield I headed over the Outeniqua Pass to Oppidam, 20 km the other side of Oudtshoorn, the ongoing drought once over the mountain was much in evidence and farmers in the region are having a torrid time.

In contrast the plentiful supply of water from Grobbelaar's River ensured a camp that was well grassed and and provided a full on glamping experience, with individual, kitchen, dining and ablution facilities.

The road up to the Cango Caves was not only ideal for a ride but provided some awesome views......

..........as did the spectacularly winding road through Meiringspoort with it's dozens of river crossings.

Also couldn't resist going back over the Outiniqua Pass on the bike and found a very large species of aristea A bakeri which has flowers about 30 mm in diameter on an impressive metre long stem.

............and a scarlet watsonia W. fourcadei ...... I think.

The trip to Warmwaterberg along the R63 was through some of the most drought stricken regions of the province.  Typical of South African though, just outside Ladismith, was the gang of weed-whacker toting workers vainly searching the verges for a blade of grass to cut.  Priorities people!

Just before Ronnie's (famous) Sex Shop - which is actually a cafe and bar - a dirt road leads up a fairly steep slope to a resort that boasts hot springs and a forever view. 

Final stop was at Siver Sands just outside Robertson which is conveniently close to one of my favourite estates, Van Loveren, home to the very reasonable but excellent Tangled Tree range - good wine cheap packaging.

And finally to Riebeek Kasteel, which, though named after Jan van Riebeeck, has decided that it doesn't need the c. Nestling below the Kasteelberg it's a quaint little village with a monster kerk that could house the entire valley community comfortably.

From the top of the nearby Bothmaskloof Pass the extent of this verdant valley may be appreciated with it's many hectares of vines, olives, fruit and wheat stretching towards the Liemietberg mountains. Fully intend to thoroughly explore all the passes in the area over the next four months.