The next morning we did not spend time exploring Victoria West, which I regret as it seemed to have several buildings of interest. Instead we continued along the R63 to Melton Wold. This calls itself the oldest guesthouse in SA and is on a game farm. It was Sunday and we had planned this as a day of rest and relaxation. Both P & I lost our elderly mothers last year. Both of them were ladies who enjoyed travel and exploration and they were in our thoughts a lot on this trip as we reflected how much they would have enjoyed it.
Melton Wold
Melton Wold has a distinctly old world charm. We had comfy bedrooms with private bathrooms and were summoned by a gong for a large Sunday lunch. We took a nap and in the late afternoon walked to the nearby dry dam where we saw some buck, possible black springbok, and climbed the koppie with its dolerite boulders behind the guesthouse as the sun was setting. After supper and visit to the cosy pub we retired to bed with books from the library. Coffee was brought to our rooms early next morning and after a substantial breakfast we were ready to set off.
As we had no spare tyre we abandoned plans to visit Fraserburg to see the dinosaur pavement. This would have necessitated travelling along dirt roads again. Instead we stuck to the tarred R63. The morning was rainy which was a blessing as this part of the Karoo was desperately dry.
Loxton
First stop was Loxton, a pretty little town with a central church and some attractive old buildings. I think much of the charm is derived from the old pine trees planted many years back which provide a contrast to the barren Karoo landscape.
Carnarvon
After Loxton we headed to Carnarvon. We were starting to feel peckish and looking forward to an early lunch, but no such luck. Even though we scoured Carnarvon fairly diligently, we could find nowhere open on this public holiday Monday for lunch. The town does have some attractive old houses and streets; a large church with brick corners and stone infill; an attractive mission church and stone corbelled house constructed next to the museum. There is also a stone well, with a grate, but it was full of litter. This was another town looking a little the worse for wear.
Williston
Our spirits rose as we left Carnarvon and headed for Williston about 100kms away as we spotted a padstal (farmstall) sign, but disappointingly this was also closed. On this stretch of road we were looking out for the corbelled houses which appear in the area, and we spotted one. We were about to drive through the gate for a closer look when we spotted the now familiar camera so decided to stay on the road verge for our photos. We hoped to see more further on, but were disappointed.
We stopped for coffee from our flask at a picnic site and although the rain had stopped, there was still a very strong, cold wind making us hurry back into the bakkie and be on our way.
Great was our delight when we found a well patronized café/restaurant on entering Williston. This had an extensive menu of local dishes, but we stuck with toasted cheese and tomato sandwiches. What sandwiches! They were made of homemade bread and were 3 times the width of a normal slice. We could not finish them and they were boxed for lunch the next day.
We were hoping to visit the local cemetery to see the gravestones intricately carved by a Scottish stone mason early in the 20th century, but no one could direct us to the site and the local cemetery did not look promising. So we hit the road eager to see our first wildflowers and looking out for the Hantamsberg, which is the mountain behind Calvinia, our stop for the night.
Calvinia
As we sped along the 100 or more kms to Calvinia, we were eagerly searching the road side for the first flowers. Gradually the vegetation beside the road became greener and the first daisies were spotted followed by the spikes of yellow bulbinellas and the red flowers of Sutherlandias/cancer bushes. We made the first of many stops to take photos beside the roadside, especially if we found flowers surrounding the iconic Karoo windpump/windmill.
We arrived in Calvinia in the late afternoon and checked in at the Hantam House where we had booked our accommodation which was situated in an old house close by. We decided to splurge on dinner at the Blou Naartjie and enjoyed excellent lamb shanks.
After our usual breakfast of coffee and rusks next morning we packed up and after getting a new spare tyre, set out to explore Calvinia and see more flowers in the nearby Akkerendam Nature Reserve. Calvinia is the largest town in the area and seems well supplied with shops and facilities while retaining some attractive old homes.
Although we were told the flower season was delayed by the cold weather and we were too early to see the best blooms, there was still a great deal to see, especially if one got out of the bakkie and walked in the veld. A local graveyard was ablaze with orange daisies.
At midday we decided to head off to our ultimate destination, Nieuwoudtville, 70kms away.
Read about Days 7,8 & 9 of our Great Karoo Adventure
Melton Wold to Calvinia Gallery
