We also went to Die Hel

Iwas intrigued to read the article, “From Die Hel to De Hoop”, by Cyril Klopper in the October-November 2021 issue. My wife, Sue, and I have enjoyed visits to Die Hel and De Hoop on a few occasions. An enjoyable way to visit the isolated valley is to cycle in from Prince Albert and then up and over into Die Hel – and you can also only cycle certain sections of the route. Calitzdorp – mentioned on page 38 – has the impressive Dutch Reformed Church. In 1910, the original building was demolished and construction on the new church began, using wood from the original church and stone brought via ox wagon. The organ was imported from Hamburg, Germany, and the church was inaugurated in April 1912. Camping at De Hoop Nature Reserve, also mentioned, has been one of our favourite pastimes. Game in the Nature Reserve include bontebok, Cape mountain zebra and eland. De Hoop is also renowned for its resident and migratory birds, with over 260 species to be seen. Large flocks of flamingos can be viewed as they pass over the lagoon. Their flight path, a “V” formation, conserves their energy. Each bird flies slightly above the one in front of it, resulting in a reduction of wind resistance and, even when they have landed in the lagoon, this formation is evident. We were fortunate to observe the flamingos as they glided, pirouetted, and skimmed across the still, dark waters of the lagoon, justifiably earning the term applied to a group of these colourful birds as a “flamboyance”.

MARTIN BRIGGS Onrusrivier