Mossel Bay to Cederberg Spas, flowers and no whales Swartberg sandwich
T and I first met when we were at school in KingWilliam’sTown (Qonce) many years ago. He was keen to return for his school (Dale) Reunion in May and invited me to join him. We then planned to visit Hogsback and spend a few nights at various other spots in the Eastern Cape on the way home.
King William’sTown (Qonce)
The weather was tempestuous as we travelled up to Gqeberha (PE) where we spent the night with a friend before going to King. Fortunately the Friday morning dawned sunny and warm and we sped along to Qonce in time for T to attend the last hour of the 3 hour long assembly. Sadly only 1 of his classmates was present, but as he was partnered by his wife who was at school with me, we could have a good catch up. It was reassuring to see the school is still thriving.
In the afternoon we paid a visit to the Amathole Museum to see Huberta and the very good mammal collection it contains. It is well worth a visit if you find yourself in Qonce. Supper proved a bit of a challenge, but fortunately the Spur pensioners’ special came to our rescue. On Saturday morning we visited the Da Gama textiles factory shop and I succumbed and bought 2 pieces. Still to be made up!
The highlight of the weekend for T, who had played 1st team rugby, was the traditional rugby match between Dale and Selbourne on Saturday afternoon. The Dale grounds were packed and we found ourselves a precarious seat on a grassy bank. It was an exciting game which Dale won.
Before leaving King, we drove around visiting sites we remembered from our childhoods. I was a boarder, but T’s family lived in King and his childhood home looked cared for. I also photographed many of the historic buildings. It is sad to note that copper roofs and statues are being stolen and memorials have to be fenced in to be protected.
Hogsback
Hogsback can be an idyllic spot, but we did not strike it lucky. The wind howled the whole time we were there. This was when the W Cape was having floods. We managed a visit to the Arboretum where the autumn foliage was exquisite and braved a visit to The Edge where we were almost blown off the cliff face. We took shelter in their restaurant where I admired a colourful wall hanging. We were staying at the quaint backpackers, Away with the fairies, and can vouch for excellence of their chocolate brownies.
T very kindly drove me to Whittlesea and on to the Hilton Methodist church near Tylden where many of my forebears (which I understand is the correct term for forebearers), including my Mom and Dad are buried. The road to the church was challenging to say the least, but it was good to visit as I had not been back for 5 years. Battling the wind, I was able to see the graves and leave mom and dad whose ashes lie there, some autumn berries. I am so grateful that this churchyard is still well maintained and cared for.
Heading home
The wind continued to howl and we decided to beat a retreat from Hogsback and head for Bathhurst via Grahamstown (Makhanda). On the way we passed though Fort Beaufort (KwaMaqoma) and visited the Martello tower there. This is an amazing building and the only Martello tower not built on the coast. The stones are so precisely cut. Although neglected, it is still in pretty good shape and well worth a visit.
In Grahamstown we drove around and checked out Hobson house, my res when I was a student at Rhodes. We visited the Provost (old jail) which in all my years there, was closed up. It is now a coffee shop.
Bathurst
We headed for Bathurst and the Pig and Whistle, the oldest continuously licensed pub in the country, for the night. The pub and grub were good, and with friendlier management the Inn should thrive. It was rainy, but we went for a walk about town and visited the churches and graveyards there. Many of the British 1820 settlers were settled around Bathurst and the local toposcope points to where the different parties were allocated land.
The next morning we visited friends in Port Alfred and then set off for the Tsitsikamma National Park where we spent our last night in one of their little log cabins. These are near the sea and one can listen to the waves crashing at night. Before leaving in the morning, we walked to the swing bridge over the mouth of the Storms River. The bridge was undergoing repair, so sadly we could not cross it but saw lots of dassies on the way back. It was also sad that the new restaurant stands empty and the night before we had had to make do with a poor meal from a restaurant housed in a cold container. Hopefully things have improved by now.
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