vate, there are also six fenced-off
campsites, each with its own kitchen
and bathroom. This is a fantastic fam-
ily oasis in the mountains with much
activity centred around swimming
in the pristine natural rock pools. A
short spin further and on your left is
the infamous Calabash bush pub. This
is a great stop off for a cold coke if you
need a sugar rush after surviving the
pass. Easy on the beers though, you
still have a good way to go.
After leaving the Calabash you
will pass a double bridge as the road
crosses the Breede River. For the
next few kilometres you are going to
have vineyards to both sides of you
for as far as the eye can see. Tow-
ering in front of you is the massive
Mostertshoek Mountain. Reaching a
height of just over 2000 metres this is
the most impressive peak in the Hex
River range due to its domination of
the surrounding landscape. Ten min-
utes more and you get to a T-junction.
Here you turn right and enter the Mi-
chell’s pass. This ten kilometer road
that cuts a path through to the valley
above is not nearly as hair raising as
the earlier Bainskloof, but none the
less, the views to both sides will leave
you breathless. Just over the top and
you look down onto the picturesque
village of Ceres. Famous for its fruit
juice factory, the town is surrounded
by farms growing everything from po-
tatoes to peaches and pears.
About half way through the centre
of Ceres, a left turn will point you im-
mediately out of the town. Just five
minutes further and you will pass
through the tiny village of Prince Al-
fred’s Hamlet. This is just a scattering
of shops and houses that service the
farming communities. It is the last
chance for a reasonably sized store
if you need any supplies before head-
ing into the mountains. Beware of
the speed cameras that line the sides
of the road as you both enter and de-
part this village. They are a little less
expected than those that probably
TRAVERSE 47
snapped your picture as you entered
and left Ceres.
The next big rise is up the Gydo
pass. This hill is used for an annual
‘King of the Mountain’ car race, but
assuming that you are travelling on
any other weekend, you will have the
road all to yourself. Watch out for the
one hectic hairpin bend about half
way up. On top, again, there is a view
point with views right across the val-
ley. The entire plateau below is cir-
cled by mountains. It really makes for
a jaw dropping sight. As you stand at
the viewpoint looking back over the
valley, far in the distance, a little to
the left is the Matroosberg peak. A lo-
cation famous for getting snowed out
in winter. It is the highest mountain
of the Hex River range and towers up
to 2249 meters. Matroosberg means
sailor’s mountain. Perhaps a sign that
it was a good beacon for navigating in
years gone by.
From the top of the Gydo pass it is
just a short and very straight ride to