I've been a visitor to the Cederberg since 1982. I'm passionate about this area and its people, who live a fascinating lifestyle, many off the grid. I'm privileged to be called a friend, a virtual 'member of the family' by some of the people. This blog is my personal record of more than 35 years visiting this fantastic, rugged and mountainous region of the Western Cape, South Africa. The photo above shows the house that C Louis Leipoldt's family occupied. Now used as guest accommodation.

Recent Posts

Cederberg Private Cellar - News on the famous wines

Always something new at Cederberg Wines.

During my recent trip I had the privilege of tasting some of David Nieuwoudt's latest vintages, ably assisted by Alex and Tammy Nel. What a blast.

Here are my great friends, Julian and Simone Ardagh, enjoying a late afternoon tasting with Alex. Alex is responsible for the white wines from Cederberg, Ghost Corner in Elim and also assists with Longavi Wines, which come from vineyards near Santiago in Chili.





Lappies (below) is Cisca Nieuwoudt's (really) big farm dog, known for his keen nose in selecting which Cabernet Sauvignon should go into the famous Five Generations Cabernet. Here he looks keenly in the direction of the vineyard, from where opportunity calls.




Here's a review of my current favourite: Ghost Corner Pinot Noir 2015. (click on name).

I'll cover the latest developments at the winery and also the brewery in the next post.

New Life in the Cederberg 2017

Thankfully, some areas are showing their colours - the photo below was taken under Uitrus cottage and shows the famous March Lily (Amaryllis belladonna) that appears after the fire. There were just 3 of these!




The Cederberg Visited - After the December 2016 Fire

The best way to follow up is to go there in person - I did exactly this during my annual Easter holiday visit.

All in all, the landscape remains dry, scorched and grey. Here and there, a sign of new life, for example at the top of the Driehoek River Valley, where the fire blazed down to from its origins higher up. 


 However, further East along the valley, the earth remains dry and grey.

At the Sanddrif campsite, the hardworking Nieuwoudt family have made the best of the situation by clearing all the burned vegetation along the river bank and creating a wonderful recreation area, which gives the resort a new feeling of openness.

  

Above and below: Thanks to some clever landscaping, the resort with its campsite is looking great.




However, walking in the direction of the Maalgat trail, the devastation of the fire is noticeable in the North-east, below the Valley of the Red Gods.




Above and below:  These two young baboons did not make it to safety - consumed by the fire, it seems they died clutching each other. Blackened skeletons are all that remain.


Below: A memorial to someone's loved one, exposed by the fire when the bush burned around it.


However, the fire was selective.


Above and below: Thanks be - the famous One Huisie was spared, with its thatch roof, including most of the ancient Oak trees around it. One Huisie is the former farmhouse of the parents of C Louis Leipoldt in a bygone century.


Green grass sprouts where the fire burned the hottest.


Thankfully, the popular stone pine 'forest' at the Maalgat parking area survived (below).




Above is what the 'beach' looks like now, near the crossing.