Still waters run deep
We invite you to spend a weekend next to the Berg River. It’s just around the corner from Cape Town, and has everything you need for a wonderful time away with your family.
In the late 1960s, Danie Ochse, a farmer from the Eastern Cape, decided he had enough of Graaff Reinet’s drought. He moved to the Western Cape and bought himself a piece of land next to the water in the hopes that he’d never have to worry about drought ever again. Here, on the banks of the Berg River, Danie – and then his son George and later his grandson Chris – eventually developed a family resort that’s one of the most popular campsites in the area and attracts thousands of visitors every year. When you consider everything this resort has to offer for the entire family, it’s easy to understand why it bursts at the seams, especially during peak season. The kids will stay busy for hours, that’s for sure. There’s the swimming pool – close to being an Olympic size and at its
deepest it’s a proper 3,5 m deep – a slide, playground, trampolines, a mini golf course, and tractor rides – not to mention the wide open spaces where they can play ball. The little ones have their own swimming pool, and on weekends and busy times, there’s a lifeguard on duty. Closer to reception, there’s a number of farm animals, including boer goats, pigs, and chickens (plus a guinea fowl that thinks it’s a chicken) where the young ones can take a closer look or even feed them. Also at the pool complex are two pool tables, a shop with basic necessities – including wine, beer, and frozen meat – a small restaurant that sells takeaways, a bar where you can enjoy a refreshment while watching your favourite team on the TV, and even a spa if you feel like some pampering. The river is, of course, a huge attraction, and you can swim here, search for crabs under the rocks, and fish. You might catch a carp, barber, or perch – so remember your fishing tackle. You can also rent a tube or canoe at the shop, but that’s a popular activity so it’s best to bring your own. The Berg River Resort is popular with day visitors, but they have their own site and amenities and aren’t allowed in the campsite or your ablution facilities. The resort focusses on couples and families and doesn’t allow groups on weekends. There’s a strict no-music policy music, so you don’t have to worry that Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, or Kenny Rogers will keep you awake. The resort only accepts bookings for the December holidays and the Easter weekend. As for the rest of the year, those who show up first are helped first. So, if you get stuck on the N1 at Bellville on a Friday afternoon on the way there, chances are that the stands along the river will no longer be available when you arrive. But Chris says it’s never happened that there were no stands available over a weekend. At most, you won’t be pitching your camp on the spot you identified online. By the way, on Fridays the gate stays open until 19:00, and if you let them know you’re stuck in traffic, they’ll wait for you until 20:00. WiFi is available here, but you’ll need to walk closer to the reception office to access it.
YOU PICK YOUR stand on arrival, except when it’s very busy. Choose from close to 170 stands divided into five camps. About 40 are next to the river, and if you hammer in your tent pegs there, you can sit under your rally tent and keep watch over your fishing rod. Block A’s stands are next to the river and Block B, which is only for caravans, is behind the chalets. Blocks C, D, and E are farther from the water, but there are also a handful of hidden stands in the farthest part of the resort (behind the shop) with a wonderful view of the river. There’s plenty of grass and shade trees, but as is often the case, the stands with lush grass have little shade, while the stands with shade trees don’t have
grass in some spots. So, bring your reflective sheet and gazebo, because you won’t want to sit in the sun in the summer months. Each numbered stand has its own braai, but you must bring your own grid. Also bring an extension cord because you share your power point (domestic socket) with your neighbours. You also share a rubbish bin in pairs, while the taps are spread throughout the resort. At least you don’t have to walk too far if you need water. The blue bins you’ll see in the campsite are for recycling glass. In the other corner of the resort there’s also a bush camp: there’s no power here, and you have to be largely self-sufficient. This site has about 50 unmarked stands. You don’t have to worry about safety. At night, at least four security guards patrol the campsite to make sure your belongings are safe.
In quieter times, you’re allowed to bring your pets along, but you have to arrange this with the resort in advance. Chris says that they’re planning a separate pet-friendly block that they hope to have ready after the Easter weekend.
A TOTAL OF 12 SMALL ablution blocks are scattered throughout the campsite, and you’ll never have to walk farther than 40 m to get to one. Each block has two showers, four basins, and two toilets, and the facilities are more than adequate, even for a crowded resort. There are also no complaints about the hot water here. The shower cubicles have a dry area with a bench and hooks for your towel and clothes. You get your own key for the ablution facilities and pay a deposit of R50 for it when you check in.