Camping next to the water is like ice-cream on a waffle with syrup: the ultimate. We unhitched on both sides of Clanwilliam all along the Olifants River.
Camping next to the water is like ice cream on a waffle with syrup: the ultimate. We unhitched on both sides of Clanwilliam all along the Olifants River.
The Bulshoek and Clanwilliam dams have more than one thing in common: Firstly, the busy N7 runs past both, and secondly, the Olifants River flows through them to where it eventually ends on the West Coast. But what really gets us excited are the lovely places where you can pitch camp on the shores of both dams. And each have their own vibe.
At the Rondeberg Holiday Resort next to the smaller Bulshoek Dam you’ll find a whole lot of luxuries, whereas you can really kick back and relax on the shores of the Clanwilliam Dam between the orange groves and the water on the opposite side. >
Most of the stands in the centre have a fixed square stone braai. Just remember to bring your own grid.
RONDEBERG HOLIDAY RESORT
Peaceful sleep
The Rondeberg Holiday Resort is next to the N7 and you’d be excused for thinking that this busy road between South Africa and Namibia is not the ideal location for a campsite. But you would be wrong.
When you turn off the N7 and drive through the gate, the young date trees on both sides of the straight dirt road look like a guard of honour welcoming you to the resort. Behind the trees are vineyards. The 400 m long road takes you to the reception office where a boom stops you.
The resort lies in a bowl and is about 50 m lower than the highway. The traffic isn’t bothersome and you’re surrounded by natural beauty. Right behind the office is the round koppie from which the resort takes its name and the campsite stretches from here down to the Bulshoek Dam. The water in this dam comes from the Clanwilliam Dam, with the river that winds for 20 km to this spot.
The office also acts as a modest shop – on the one shelf you’ll find a few cans of baked beans, sunflower oil, a few loaves of bread and some serviettes. On the shelf to the right are goodies that the good people at Rondeberg make themselves. The words “Dam lekker” are written on the label of the spare ribs marinade (R26 per bottle) and on the makataanand-granadilla jam (R45).
The receptionist allocates a stand to you and gives you the code for the boom next to the office.
Take your seat
You’ll find all the different kinds of stands that you could possibly get at a campsite here: from ordinary grass stands with more or less no shade to the most luxurious ones with private bathrooms.
The layout of the stands reminds one of a music theatre. The dam is the stage with the middle stands forming the rows of seats. The row of six stands on the far right is higher, on a terrace, and are the cheaper box seats. The 10 stands in the “fancy neighbourhood” are to the left and this is where you have the luxury of your own bathroom.
The green lawn is immaculate and a great space for the kids to kick off their shoes because there are no thorns. The grass is so lush you won’t need to unfold your tarp.
Most of the stands in the middle have a fixed square stone braai. Just remember to bring your own grid. There are also a few free-standing steel braais and taps and three-prong power sockets aplenty. (An extension cord of 10 m will suffice.)
There are trees, but they don’t provide much shade. If you want to keep the sun out, you’ll have to make your own shade.
The terrace with the six stands next to each other also don’t have much shade, but the braais are better equipped. There’s a steel frame on the braai platform where the grid fits on to; you can also adjust the grid’s height. The power socket is on a post next to the braai and the light that you can switch on and off yourself is on top of the post. These stands are slightly cramped because they’re only 7 x 7 m big. Our medium-sized Quantum Comfort caravan took up the whole space and we had to park our towing vehicle opposite the stand.
Good clean fun
The bathroom for the bottom and terrace stands is on the far side of the terrace. Between the gents and ladies’ sides is a space where you can wash your clothes and your dishes. The tumble dryer and washing machine work with R10 tokens that you buy at the office.
We can’t emphasise enough how clean the ablution facilities are. It is by no means what you would call the epitome of modern design and there are no marble counters, but it’s super simple and cleaner than clean. It can get a bit cramped at the basins though if you and both your neighbours are tending to your dental hygiene at the same time. The two shower cubicles have a dry section with a wooden bench, but it’s the mat in front of the shower that draws your eye. When you get out of the shower you don’t have to worry about putting your warm feet on cold tiles. You’d think that after a day or two the mat would be wet from all the foot traffic, but it was dry the whole time. It is slightly disappointing though to see that it’s a shower curtain that has to keep the water inside. But at Rondeberg the shower is so big you’re far enough away from the curtain that it won’t bother you.
The stands with the private bathrooms are divided into two. The first six have three buildings where the bathrooms and open kitchen area border on each other. In front of the kitchen there’s a covered patio with paving and braais and there >
We like the peace and quiet. The people behind us were a bit noisy, but it’s more a case of us older folks having to be patient with the younger crowd. We like the six stands next to each other because those are where the most campers come and go. Over the last
35 to 40 years we’ve made many good friends with people we met at campsites.
is a big fridge as well as a microwave in the kitchen. The bathroom is a room with its own door.
The second set of stands – four in total – you won’t often find at a campsite. These four share two buildings and also have the facilities of the first lot, but with an added bonus: Each one has a room with four beds with bedding included. You’re basically camping next to your own flat block.
If a good view of the water is what you’re looking for, there are two stands next to each other to the far left right next to the dam. Behind them is a stone ablution block with four rooms. Two of the rooms are allocated to a specific stand – you also get a key to keep the door locked. Inside is a basin and toilet and the shower is open.
Relax to the max
The jungle gym with swings is between the middle stands and the dam – a very practical spot because you can see it from almost all the stands. That means you don’t have to interrupt your downtime to check on the little ones. There’s also a sandpit next to the jungle gym and the pool is diagonally behind it in the direction of the mountain.
You’re allowed to fish for carp and bass in the dam, but it’s catch and release. Rondeberg has a decent slipway if you want to bring your boat, but you have to bring all your licences for yourself and your boat and it costs R100 extra.
The circular hiking trail around the koppie is a must. It’s 4,6 km long and
In front of the kitchen area there’s a covered paved patio with braais, and there’s a big fridge as well as a microwave in the kitchen.
there’s no climbing involved. The footpath mostly follows the contour of the koppie, making it a chilled outing. The path starts behind the office and is clearly marked. The first part runs through a young olive grove, after which you systematically start walking uphill. There’s a lovely view from here down to the resort and you can see the Bulshoek Dam stretching for kilometres into the distance. As you walk along the koppie you’ll see the Olifants River far down below in the valley – now you’re walking along the edge of a rock face. Apparently there’s a turn-off to a cave somewhere here but we couldn’t find it. As the trail winds around the koppie you see the dam wall where it spurts a wide stream of water through one of the sluices. The footpath connects with a dirt road that takes you back to the office. If you take it slow it’s about a two-hour walk – it’s even easy enough for young kids. >
LEBANON CITRUS HOLIDAY FARM For starters
Just like at Rondeberg, you turn off the N7 to Lebanon Citrus, and the corrugated gravel road is a sign of things to come as you drive further into the Cederberg. It’s the turn-off after Algeria, 25 km after the Clanwilliam turn-off.
Algeria is along that road, but 1,6 km further on, after a concrete causeway, you turn left to the holiday farm. The causeway is more than simply a way of crossing the wide Olifants River; to the left are a few cubic metres of clean river sand almost level with the bridge. The sand is very inviting and you can’t help but take off your shoes and dig your toes into it. The sand looks like the causeway’s personal beach, and you couldn’t ask for a bigger sandpit for the kids to play in. The clean water of the Olifants follows you all the way to Lebanon Citrus.
When you finally manage to get the kids away from the sand, the second pleasant surprise awaits: The road all along the river, together with the picturesque surroundings, makes the drive worth it. The smooth dirt road climbs up to the ridge, from where you can see the river down below. In the sections where the road isn’t a single lane, the dirt road runs in three tracks and you can only hope that you won’t encounter someone else with their wide caravan coming from up ahead because someone will have to reverse a long way. In certain areas you almost literally rub shoulders with giant boulders next to the road. The road is not bad and at 30 km/h an ordinary caravan should stay in one piece. At one stage you see an overhang to the right of the road; from now on you’re on Lebanon Citrus’s property (even though the gate is still a few kilometres further). The river has now become the Clanwilliam Dam, with the dam wall another 14 km on.
Turn off and turn around
The turn-off to the office is to the right of the dirt road and you have to drive up a steep section that runs between orange groves and palm trees with beautiful rose bushes. Next to the road to the right is an ancient caravan that looks like it’s being restored. The farmhouse is to the left, and the office is through the first door. You have to go out of the gate again, a few metres to the right in the road and then left through more groves in the direction of the water. Luckily there’s enough space to turn the caravan around. The orange trees look healthy and grow right next to the road. If your caravan is wider than your towing vehicle, it will scrape against some of the trees’ branches.
A sign in the road warns you against planes, and you cross an airfield to get to the stands. In fact, it’s easier to drive along the airfield if you want to camp on one of the farthest stands. Otherwise you drive over it to where the dirt road veers to the left and the stands begin. There are short wooden stumps on both sides of the road. If you have a long towing combination, you’ll have to make a wide turn and keep an eye on the left mirror so you don’t hit one of the stumps with your caravan.
All in a row
The stands are laid out next to each other and are between the airfield and the shores of the Clanwilliam Dam.
You can divide the stands into three groups, of which the first is the biggest. All Lebanon Citrus’s stands have lush grass, and your three-prong socket and tap are close by. Most of the stands are surrounded by small trees with the front open towards the water.
You’ll be hard pressed to find bigger stands than the first six. They’re a good 17 x 10 m, and besides having your own small farm, there’s almost double as much space in front of you to the water. The braais are built out of stone and are on the shore. You have to bring your own grid.
The next stands, numbers 7–15, are closer to the standard size you’re used to (7 x 9 m) and they’re also easier to reach if you drive along the airfield. The entrance is opposite the farthest bathroom, and double-axle caravans won’t fit on these stands. The strip of grass in front of these that stretches to the water is narrower and there are more shade trees than at the first lot. Besides the standard socket there’s also space for your blue Fredlin plug. There’s a fixed braai on your stand (also without a grid).
The following eight stands are a smidgen bigger and your braai is opposite the entrance road. >
The clean waters of the Olifants follow you as it winds along the road on your left all the way to Lebanon Citrus.
There are plants next to the dam, so you don’t have direct access to the water.
The washing-up area is between the first two groups of stands and is simply two basins out in the open where you’ll have to make do with cold water.
The slipway is just before the first stands, if you brought your boat. It’s a neat, clear spot on the shore where you can pull your trailer in the water.
Stone and wood
All three of the ablution buildings are on the other side of the landing strip. Two of them are close to the first stands while the third one is at the bottom, opposite the last stands.
The first two buildings are next to each other – the one is made of stone and the other wood, almost like a Wendy house. It looks like the stone one was there first, and in it are two bathrooms, each with a toilet, basin and shower. The shower has a curtain, but the space behind it is big enough so it won’t cling to you.
In the wooden building are three separate bathrooms with similar facilities. It’s spacious enough that more than one person can use it at the same time. Even though it’s made of wood, the floors are, oddly enough, tiled. The farthest bathroom is also a wooden building and looks like the newest of the three. The building is right next to the airfield and also has three rooms. Unlike the other wooden building’s, this one’s toilet is open and the floor has some kind of Novilon finish. The shower cubicle has a glass door, but be careful before opening the taps. Some of the showerheads are positioned in such a way that when you open the water you’ll get wet outside the shower. Turn the showerhead to the side before turning on the taps. The hot water for all three is supplied by gas geysers.
For the birds
Even if you’re not a keen birder you can’t help but marvel at all the feathered friends next to the water. One of the resident species is the spur-winged goose, which looks almost like a black swan. But unlike the swan, this black bird is so ugly it’s almost beautiful. When it spreads its wings to fly you can see how big it really is. Spur-winged geese and Egyptian geese often choose the same pastures, and that’s also the case here at Lebanon Citrus. Don’t be surprised if you see the
The ground in the shallow parts of the water is sandy and it won’t become a muddy affair if the kids want to play there.
Campsite 25 stands on grass that range from extra-spacious to small. Most have power sockets (5 without), water and a braai without a grid.
Ablution facilities 3 buildings, with the closest stand 30 m away.
Price Depending on the season and stand it’s R300 per stand for 2 people and up to R480 for 4 people. Egyptian geese in pairs – these birds mate for life.
And the dozen or so black “ducks” that drift to and fro on the water in front of the stands are actually red-knobbed coots.
Keep boredom at bay
There are no facilities like a play park to keep the kids busy, and there are no swimming pools or trampolines. The ground in the shallow parts of the water is sandy and it won’t become a muddy affair if the kids decide to play here. But this is a farm, so there’s more than enough safe open spaces where the kids can occupy themselves. Bicycles are a good idea too because the airfield is an open stretch of flat ground where they can cycle to their hearts’ content.
Arrival and departure times 2 pm and 10 am
Contact 027 482 2508 or 072 895 1993
lebanon@hantam.co.za lebanon.co.za How far from Clanwilliam? 16 km (dirt road).
Road condition The last 13,8 km after turning off the N7 is dirt road that ranges from rocky with corrugated areas to a decent dirt road. At 30 km/h your ordinary caravan will stay in one piece.
GPS S32.267344 E18.930442
go! Drive & Camp says At night it’s pitch-dark and there are no lights at the stands, so remember to bring your own.
It’s also not long before our young ones return to camp with their bikes and an orange or two. Harvest season has just ended and the trees are still full of blossoms. The kids cycled along the entrance road up the koppie and picked up oranges. Some of the fruit look about as big as a bowling ball. The owner, Paul Raad, explains that the best size for quality and taste is an orange as big as a tennis ball. Paul also says that the Russians prefer extra-small oranges because they want to be able to fit the fruit into their lunchboxes.
The farm of more than 600 ha has belonged to Paul for 30 years, and if you’re wondering where the name comes from, the answer is that Sue, Paul’s wife, is of Lebanese descent.