The beautiful Cederberg: A wilderness gem of the Western Cape

I don’t think you’re going to see many stars this time round either, said Cederberg Ridge general manager Leisha Parsons with a smile, looking at the clouds that hung low and heavy over the surrounding mountains.

As long as you don’t run out of red wine and firewood, I joshed back. No chance, she scoffed.

No such deprivations occurred at the beginning of June when a group of motoring journalists landed on her hearth for a stargazing experience billed as “Under Cederberg Skies” hosted by University of Cape Town cosmology head Peter Dunsby.

The professor’s telescope was ignored, however, as the heavens heralded the arrival of one of the wettest Western Cape winters in recent history.

Nonetheless, a most convivial evening was enjoyed around the fireplace while floodwaters cut the nearby town of Clanwilliam, 250km north of Cape Town, off from the rest of the world for a few days.

I’d like to come back and do this place properly sometime, I said as we left the next morning. We’ll make that happen, Leisha promised.

I’ve loved the Cederberg since I arrived in the province in the late Eighties but, somehow, in recent years I’ve managed only a handful of visits.

There’s something wonderfully gnarly about the landscape and it’s not for nothing a 67 000ha chunk of the Cederberg has been designated a wilderness area that is administered by CapeNature (www. capenature.co.za).

On a wet and misty winter’s day – the red colouring of the sandstone formations notwithstanding – it reminds me strongly of the bleak Scottish Highlands. Even the vegetation is similar: gorse, heather and mountain fynbos are virtually indistinguishable.

Among the major differences are you won’t find leopards in Scotland and you don’t want to hike the Cederberg at the height of summer when temperatures can climb to a hellish 40°C.

Because hiking is the name of the game in the Cederberg and, while there are some easy walks such as the one to the grave of poet and dramatist C Louis Leipoldt just off the Pakhuis Pass, top attractions like the Wolfsberg Arch and Maltese Cross rock formations are a proper trek.

Autumn till the end of spring is – unlike the rest of the Western Cape – the time to be in the area and, by extension, at Cederberg Ridge itself.

There is a popular saying in the Western Cape that the province is capable of experiencing all four seasons in a day and, if you don’t like the weather, hang around for an hour; it will change.

By the same token, there is nothing finer than a winter’s day in the Western Cape and (contrary to what “the Vaalies” might think) they outnumber their dreich counterparts considerably.

Herein lies part of the charm of Cederberg Ridge; there is a series of well-signposted circular walks on the 3 000ha property commencing at the lodge and heading off in different directions.

These range from 3.5 to 12km in distance (most are about 7km) and vary in degree of difficulty from easy to moderate. There are also three self-guided mountain biking trails. E-bikes are available for hire.

Detailed printed maps of all the routes are available at reception. It’s best to let a member of staff know when you are setting out and which route you are undertaking; as mentioned previously, the weather can worsen in a heartbeat.

I’ve done my fair share of traipsing and have reached that stage of life of “so much wine, so little time” and was happy to relinquish exploration responsibilities to my lady love Rose-Mariè while I settled in the library with a book and glass of a very good local cabernet sauvignon. Cederberg Ridge is owned by Anton and Kate Bergh.

Anton is a tenth generation Clanwilliam farmer while British-born Kate is a successful inbound tour operator.

The couple live on the working farm adjacent to the lodge and guests can roam that section of their land that stretches into the foothills of the Cederberg and is effectively a nature reserve.

“Anton farms table grapes, citrus and pecan nuts but water and the rocky terrain are problems, so most of the property isn’t arable,” said Leisha, who joined me after a while.

“That and the fact we border on CapeNature’s land means there’s nothing to spoil guests’ wilderness vistas. “The lodge opened in 2018 and forms part of the Simbavati Lodge Collection (www.simbavati.com).

Ironically, even though this place has a distinct safari lodge feel, it’s one of just two of our portfolio of properties that isn’t.”

Simbavati is a management company and the properties it curates on behalf of private owners in the Cederberg, Garden Route, greater Kruger National Park, and elsewhere in southern Africa are anything but cookie-cutter clones of one another.

“While each retains its individuality, they are all bound by the golden Simbavati threads of elegance, luxury, superb food and superior service.” There are currently nine rooms and plans are afoot to add an extra two in 2025.

The entire lodge has been built in such a way as blend in to the landscape as much as possible. “Kate’s idea was that guests would use the lodge as a base from which to discover what the Cederberg has to offer.

Apart from the hikes and rides, there are historical sites, wine farms and rooibos tea plantations, caves with San art and lots of fascinating farm stalls and craft shops.”

Driving the Pakhuis – built by Thomas Bain, who else? – Krans Kloof, Nieuwoudt and Uitkyk Passes is a treat, especially in the wet season when the surrounding mountains might be streaming with waterfalls or capped with snow.

Keen birdwatchers can take a quick drive (90km) to the Verlorenvlei River estuary at Eland’s Bay (known as the Jeffreys Bay of the West Coast for its surfing).

According to the SA History Online website, eight nationally threatened species including the rare white pelican have made this wetland their home.

“It is a significant coastal lake that provides a nest and rest for over 75 species of water birds… supporting more than 5 000 birds most of the time and occasionally as many as 20 000.”

Alternatively, birders can sit on the lodge’s verandah for breakfast and simultaneously be treated to the antics of busybody weavers in an enormous fever tree nearby.

Other species that are likely to come and greet include bokmakieries, Cape robin-chats, Karoo prinias, warblers and sunbirds. Of all the reasons to visit Cederberg Ridge in winter, one stands out; the bath.

There are few experiences as indulgent as lying back in bubbles, a glass of wine at hand, while wild winds and rain squalls lash the thick pane that separates luxury from hostile elements.

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