Kameel Stoepstorie: Our route from Kameel in the North-West to Wilderness in the Western Cape 1

We have made time to explore the back roads during our trip to Wilderness. 

With no "padkos" but only cold water we started our journey.

We visited 25 small towns on our route 

And zig-zag through 3 provinces and traveled more than 2000 km 
Part 1

 Kameel - a farming community in a very dry part or our country. Many years ago my Dad bought 5 houses next to the railroad. 

My mom, Florence - 84 - her house next to the railroad and her pride and joy the garden 

The Railroad was built in 1894. The average elevation is 1336 meter above sea level. In the words of Cecil John Rhodes

" the railway will form the main trunk line connecting the markets of the Cape Colony with the British South Africa Company’s territory and, ultimately, on joining with the Beira Railway Company’s line to Salisbury, will afford through means of transport from Cape Town to Beira."

For accommodation you can stay over at Rust and Vrede.
It is hard to imagine the cool, green oasis that awaits you when your arrive after a 
journey through the hot, dry and beautiful North West
My mom and Hennie in the main picture
Grain Silos at sun set
A ride on a quad bike ride
Some interesting implements under an old blue gum tree
A ride on a donkey cart 

We took a dirt road to visit Devondale. 
There used to be an old Convent and we thought that we will be able to take some pictures but unfortunately it was all very much left to ruines 

Devondale in the not so good days 

Then we took the tarred road to the town Stella. The country town is known for the large salt pan on the outskirts of the town. It is know for the number of early European travelers including David Livingston and Robert Moffat. The area was proclaimed as the Republic of Stellaland and named after a comet which was visible.  

A stamp dated to the era of Stellaland
The church in the middle of the town
Granny Barlow's house in Brand Street
Granny and Grandfather
Salt pans 

My Great-grandfather Fincham and the family had a farm
called Lonely Hill just outside the town. 

Our next stop Vryburg and still remember the milkshakes and the Waldorf Cafe in the main street. 

It is renowned for it's cattle ranching and are often referred to as the "Texas of South Africa". The history dates back to 1882. when it was established and called themselves Vryburgers (Free citizens). The plots were apportioned to the volunteers by means of a lottery and by 1883 400 plots had been established. 

You can also read about Ofelia and Vryburg here 

A monument to commemorate the era of the Anglo Boer War.
One of the beautiful old buildings
A monument in honor of the Great Trek
A cattle loading ramp
The National Hotel in the main street
Farmers at an cattle auction taken by David Goldbatt in 1965
The old gentlemans club
The old Goal that is now part of a nature reserveThanks to Yolandi De Vries for sharing her photo's

We again paid a visit to Tierkloof (Tiger Kloof) Missionary Station. The stone church was established in 1904 by the London Missionary Station. It is now a national monument and restored as an educational institute 

Read about Tiger kloof here

My mom told us about Buxton and the Blue Pools that she visited as a youngster. 

It was worth the visit.

It was very dry so we could not visit the Blue Pools must be splendor due to the water flowing from the limestone cliffs could be a site to remember. 

We visited the Taung World Heritage site and it is known due to the evidence of early hominids that was found. It is the only site at which hominid fossils have been discovered in tufa caves. 

The caves were formed in an enormous tufa flow that came off the dolomite bedrock of the Kalahari escarpment and is situated just west of the village of Taung at the Buxton Quarry, were the Taung Child skull was found in 1924 in an old mine tunnel by a quarry worker. The little skull is to be from a approximately three year old child and is housed at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg. This finding proved that Africa truly is the cradle of humankind 

 The Buxton Quarry is no longer mined.  

Buxton 

A beautiful tarred road leads to the Taung Skull Site.
A short hike takes you to the monument.
The remaining abondant buildings at the quarry
The Taung Child
The World Heritage plaque of the monument 

We then enter the Northern Cape Province via the N12 next to the longest lane op poplar trees

The 38 kilometre poplar lane along the road to Hartswater, was planted in 1937 and has often been considered the longest lane of its kind in the world.

Next time we will tell you about the next leg of our travel 
Till next time see you soon 

Sandra 

The Oliviershoek Pass via the R74

The R74 is the primary route to the Northern uKhahlamba Drakensberg World Heritage site 

The road runs alongside the spectacular Sterkfontein Dam and down the equally spectacular Olivierhoek pass on to the mountains.

For many years this section of the R74 that runs along the dam has fallen into 

terrible disrepair but in December 2015 the newly built road was once again opened. 

We took the road and like to share our experience.

Sterkfontein Dam 

Sterkfontein Dam and all the interesting names
Sandy Bay is the area situated next to the R74
The name Poacher's Corner keeps us wondering

This dam is part of the Tugela-Vaal Water Project and located on the Nuwejaarspruit, 

a tributary of the Wilge River in the upper catchment area of the Vaal River. 

Nuwejaarspruit 

Views of Sterkfontein Dam 

The dam receives its water via the Tugela-vaal Project which is a pumped-storage 

scheme involving the net transfer of up to 630 million cubic meters of water and 

stored in the dam. The Dam is a highly effective reservoir, since it has the depth 

to store a large amount of water with very little loss to evaporation. 

It comprises of a 93 meters high earthfill embankment 3,050 long with no spillway. 
Thanks to Joburg2c for sharing the photo 

It is the largest dam wall in South Africa with regards to volume while the reservoir 

formed by the dam is the third largest in the country. 

At full supply capacity of 2,656 million cubic meters and a surface area of no more than 70 km.

The circumference is approximately 102 km 

It is situated in a nature reserve with 12000 hectares of considered land offering, wildlife, birding, boating, watersports, flyfishing and magnificent views over the Drakensberg. 

It is one of the windiest inland spots with the most consistend wind 

throughout the year and wind can pick up to over 30 knots within minutes 

and makes it ideal for windsurfing. 

Windsurfing 

It is also home to the annual Sterkiesswim 3000 m in February 

The vulture restaurant used to be a place where fresh and poison free carcasses were put out to feed the vultures and it contribute to the survival of the birds especially during periods of food scarcity and when young birds fledge. 

We hope that this project will once again be up and running 

It is home to the endangered Oribi and White Tail Rat, 

the vulnerable De Winton's long-eared bats, 

the Lammergeier

the Near-threatened South African Hedgehog

Kerkenberg 

The site is so named because the Voortrekker’s priest, Erasmus Smit, deemed the cluster of rocks at its base was worthy of a church. The heritage markers that can be visited are the Retief Klip, a stone engraved by the leader's daughter Deborah on his birthday to commemorate the Boer's successful land negotiations, and Retief Pass, the old wagon trail used by Piet Retief to descend into KwaZulu-Natal.

You can read more about the Kaalvoet Vrou here https://deoudehuize.blogspot.com/2017/06/kaalvoet-vrou-monument.html

 

 A visit to this area will not be complete if you do not take the dirt road to Leon and Elsa. They share a passion for the beauty of the past and have established a farm museum.

You can read more about Leon and Elsa Strachan here https://deoudehuize.blogspot.com/2017/03/the-ness-of-elsa-and-leon.html

 

Driekloofdam at the bottom
The old sandstone quarry
You will find a little bit more about the quarry and a certain Flip Pieterse
on this blog post
Wild flowers
Old ruin

Oliviershoek Pass 

The summit point of 1758 m above sea level and is close to the most southerly arm 

of the Sterkfontein Dam.  

The descent is gentle and enters a wide S-bed which straightens out at the 2 km point. 

it is often used as an alternative route to Van Reenen's Pass but for us it is a scenic alternative to the Northern Drankensberg. Interestingly, and to add a little history to the mix, it was along this area in October 1837, that Piet Retief and his trek party climbed the Drakensberg.  

Thank you for joining us on this wonderful scenic drive on the R74. 

Till next time

Sandra and Hennie

Flourless Chocolate Cake

DeOudeHuize

As the festive season draws closer we would like to celebrate with something different 

To show your appreciation bake this cake for the chocolate-lovers in your family. 

Today we will be sharing a wonderful recipe from The Liz McGrath Collection 

What is a Flourless Chocolate Cake
It is a type of cake made from aerated chocolate custard and it wows with its smooth and luscious texture.
It is also simple to make. 

Flourless Chocolate Cake

Makes one
85g unsalted butter
225g 70% dark chocolate, finely chopped
6 large eggs, separated
125g granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 135 degrees Celsius.

Melt the chocolate and butter over a bain-marie. 

Let it cook slightly, then whisk in the egg yolks.

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites till soft peak then start gradually adding the sugar. 

Continue whisking until stiff peak and glossy.

First fold half the whites into the chocolate then fold in the rest. 

Pour into a greased cake tin and bake for 45 to 50 minutes at 135 degrees Celsius. 

The cake will pull away from the side when cooked. 

Cool on a cake rack and dust with icing sugar. 

To serve, garnish with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Thanks for joining us and we hope that this unique cake will soon be part of your menu.   

Sending Lots of Love from South Africa 

Sandra 

A Stroll Thru Life; A delightsome life; Craft Berry Bush; Crafty Allie; 

Create with Joy; China on a shoestring; Confessions of a Plate Addict; Elizabeth & Co; 

Embracing Change;  Fishtail Cottage; Funky Junk; Have a Daily Cup;Imige-in-ingblog; 
Ivy and Elephants; Katherines Corner; Knick of Time; Life on Lakeshore; My Romantic Home; 

My Salvaged Treasures; Miss Mustardseed; Rooted in thyme; Redoux Interiors; 
The Dedicated House; Shabby Art; Savvy Southern style; Sweet Bella Roos; 

The Shabby Nest; The Jenny Evolution; Too Much Time  

Believe in well-made bed

DeOudeHuize

Sleep is the best meditation." - Dalai Lama

What could be better than slipping into a crisp, well-made bed? 

Rebecca, our housekeeper that is responsible for the making of the guest room beds, and 

Aletta, our housekeeper that is responsible for the crisp and fresh feel of our linen 

we say thank you. 

De Oude Huize Yard shares a few secrets for making the perfect bed.

Using an excellent cotton sheet is very important
We always make sure that it is white and crisp 

The right pillows is very important. 

We make sure that they are of the best quality aren't prone to sagging.

When prepping the pillows, they get a karate chop down the center of the pillow 

to fluff it then fold in half lengthwise and insert into its case.

We prefer a oxford style pillow case with a beautiful satin stitched border 

For a more attractive look and to ease the ironing we use a flat sheet instead of a fitted sheet. 

For the bottom sheet we tuck it in top and bottom and at each corner it is lift to form a triangle. 

Pull and tuck the sheet under. 

With the top sheet the bottom is tuck in, leaving sides hanging. 

Fold the top of sheet back around 15 centimeters.

From bottom to top:  handmade quilt, fluffy soft blanket, cotton thermal blanket,
flat sheet with lace use as top sheet, flat sheet used as a bottom sheet and
Oxford pillow cases with satin stitching 

Place the pillows on top 

Fold the quilt to about 50 centimeters and place at the bottom of the bed 

Thanks for joining us and if you do have any tips for the perfect bed please let us know in the comments.  

Sending Lots of Love from South Africa 

Sandra 

A Stroll Thru Life; A delightsome life; Craft Berry Bush; Crafty Allie; 

Create with Joy; China on a shoestring; Confessions of a Plate Addict; Elizabeth & Co; 

Embracing Change;  Fishtail Cottage; Funky Junk; Have a Daily Cup;Imige-in-ingblog; 
Ivy and Elephants; Katherines Corner; Knick of Time; Life on Lakeshore; My Romantic Home; 

My Salvaged Treasures; Miss Mustardseed; Rooted in thyme; Redoux Interiors; 
The Dedicated House; Shabby Art; Savvy Southern style; Sweet Bella Roos; 

The Shabby Nest; The Jenny Evolution; Too Much Time  

The story of a Lawyer and a Building with Bank History

DeOudeHuize

The history of the Cloete and Neveling building 

A post card the Bank build in 1905

Standard Bank was expelled from it's border of our provice in 1865 after the British occupation and during the Anglo-Boer War in 1900. 

The bank as the Army Pay Department's banker was allowed under martial law to open branches in the Free State and this lead to the abolishment of the law of 1865. 

Harrismith was the first town in which the Bank was interested and was permitted to operate where the British forces maintain a permanent garrison.  

The Railway also requested that Standard Bank open a branch in town. 

A new Branch was opened for business on 1 October 1902.

Land negotiations took place and in Nov 1902 it obtain land with 50ft frontage and a depth of 180ft. 

This was a central and practical site on the Market square between the offices of the Bank of Africa and the National Bank and it purchase the ground for 1570 GBP.  

In the absence of any local architect the Bank used the services of one of the Royal Engineers who was carrying out some military work in the vicinity. 

The plans were completed in November 1903. 

They were drawn up and provided a further story to be attached to provide for a residence for the Manager. 

The architect modified the plans without altering their essential character.

 It was completed at the beginning of April 1905. 

The manager and his family occupy the house which was very convenient and comfortable. 

A large brass plate should be fixed to the wall immediately below the middle window. 

The new building the the best and most note able on in the square and surpassed all the other bank buildings in town, both internally and externally 

The very first photograph taken after completion for the Standard Bank.
Note the human pulled cart known as a rickshaw
The date at the top of building referrers to the date that Standard Bank was established in South Africa  

A post card of the early day in Harrismith
The only building that is still standing is the Bank building 

The original safe that is situated in the strong room of the building
It still in use in the lawyers offices. 
Look at all the detail 

One of the teller machines that was used in the bank 

This post is not only about Standard Bank but also about a Lawyer firm called Cloete and Neveling

Cloete & Neveling inc., initially established as a partnership, has practised uninterrupted since its establishment in 1945 

Chris Cloete and Barney Neveling 

A deed of the "water erven" these had water rights from the river 

The gavel that was used in the Harrismith Court rooms
Gavel is that small wooden hammer that a judge or magistrate uses in a court room in order to get people’s attention or to emphasize on something that he has said.

An old filing cabinet that is still in use 

The original deed of the Muller's Hoek farm 

Another view from the Town Hall toward the Cloete and Neveling building
The double story has once again made way for a new development 

A deed of Matthys Johannes Wessels dated 1886 of the farm Parkhurst 

Deed of Pieter Cornelius de Beer 1868 

A beautiful old book case filled with law books 

The Cloete and Neveling Building
Nee The Old Standard Bank Building 

The Law firm was bought by the current partners and we say thank you to Gerhard van Wyk for taking us on a tour and showing us around

A selection of Spy cartoons all depicting the Law 

Sharing some of the sketches of  the Chief Justice of South Africa
Starting top Left: Ismail Mohammed 1997, L C Steyn 1959 - 1971 and N Ogilvie Tompson 1971 - 1974
Middle Left: John Wessels 1932 - 1939, J S Curlewis 1936 - 1938 and James Stratford 1938 - 1939
Bottom Left: William Solomon 1927 - 1929, Sir James Rose-Innes 1914 - 1927
and Lord De Villiers 1910 - 1914

But like in all building and in this instance a Law firm there will be a lot of stories.

Like to share this one with you.  
Thank you to Leon Strachan for sharing this with us

The Ghost Will

Flip Pieterse was orphaned when he was very young.

His two uncles took him under their wings.

"Come and bend over the rocks with us", they said, with these two tough men 

he began to dress stone in the area. 

They erected stone sheds, made stone kraals and built neat sand stone homes.

It was hard back breaking work but there was always something in the chest and 

now and again time to be jolly.

Work disappeared because of the depression and they had to go and work 

for the State wielding picks and shovels.They helped to carve out 

the van Reenen Pass in the Drakensberg and then they chopped the slopes of the same 

mountain to pieces for the Oliviershoek Pass and it was here that Flip heard about the daughters 

of Piet de Heer. They lived in the Lost Valley. Deep in the folds of this mountain between the two passes Flip Pieterse lost his heart. 

After the wedding he built a little stone house for his bride and became a "bywoner". 

Flip and his father-in-law were as one mind from the start. 

Piet (the father-in-law) was work shy and people jested that he was a professor from 

Leiden who lived on his wife's property and was too lazy to work.

He taught the children of the Valley.

In any case Piet De Heer died in about 1950. Flip Pieterse's wife inherited the farm and some of the other children were most unhappy about this.

One night van Heer Jr. had a vision. He dreamt that his father visited him and told him that the will was incorrect. The other children also had to inherit.and he explained how the will should actually read. It was an unbelievably clear dream with amazing detail..

Early the next morning he rode on his donkey to the town . He went to Cloete and Neveling where he obtained an appointment with Barney Neveling.

Barney in his young days 

He told him this remarkable story. 

Barney listened in utter disbelief. He has seen some interesting wills but that one takes the cake. 

Barney had an inextinguishable enjoyment of life and a lively sense of humor.

"Well" he said " 

come back in about two hours give me time and can have the new will drafted and it typed. 

Barney complied, He drafted the will exactly as Piet had spelled it out in the dream.

 He have it to the younger de Heer .

"If your father visits you again, you may give it to him to sign. Then everything will be in order. Oh Yes! remember to have him initial every page."

Chris Cloete in his young days 

Details of the building
The date on the building refers to the date the Bank was established in South Africa 

Thanks for joining us on a short walk visit to this building and the interesting history hiding between die walls. 

Sending Lots of Love from South Africa 

Sandra 

A Stroll Thru Life; A delightsome life; Craft Berry Bush; Crafty Allie; 

Create with Joy; China on a shoestring; Confessions of a Plate Addict; Elizabeth & Co; 

Embracing Change;  Fishtail Cottage; Funky Junk; Have a Daily Cup;Imige-in-ingblog; 
Ivy and Elephants; Katherines Corner; Knick of Time; Life on Lakeshore; My Romantic Home; 

My Salvaged Treasures; Miss Mustardseed; Rooted in thyme; Redoux Interiors; 
The Dedicated House; Shabby Art; Savvy Southern style; Sweet Bella Roos; 

The Shabby Nest; The Jenny Evolution; Too Much Time