LULA IN CERES
150km from cape town, za.
33.4007° s, 19.2950° e
We had been itching to see the snow, particularly as Max had only seen snow from a distance in the Cederberg and was desperate to see it up close. When finally, we heard that Ceres had received a fresh blanket during the night, there wasn’t a moment to spare. Completely ill-prepared, (next time, we’ll wear more layers) we set off from Hout Bay with frenzied excitement. It turns out though, we weren’t the only ones. The whole of Cape Town had heard the news too, and so together, we sat in slow-moving traffic on a journey that ended up taking 5 hours, more than double what we’d expected.
Grant was grumbling (he loves adventure but hates traffic) and I think if it had not been for the snowmen, which decorated almost every car homeward bound to the city, we might have turned around. Max simply had to see snow close up. He had to feel it crunch under his feet, to experience a snowball fight and it really did feel like, now or… next year.
It was absolutely worth the journey. I’d grown up in England, and I remember the chill of slushed ice in my wellies, my fingers aching from the cold, and the inevitable pink nose and ears that go hand in hand with brisk wintery days. Although our day in Ceres was all of that, it ended up being far more.
On every possible road from Ceres to Matroosberg Nature Reserve, people had parked, alighted, and were playing, adults and children, yelling and slipping and rolling down snow-covered hills, building elaborate snow creatures, chasing each other with snowballs, and enjoying a rare sight in a normally green part of our country.
The snow brought a sense of childlike wonder and joy. We all got to play with reckless abandon. What medicine for the soul.
Max loved it! We left well after the sun had set and most of Cape Town had returned to their homes to dry their socks and warm their toes, because we simply didn’t have the heart to tear him away. There is probably not a lot lovelier than seeing the world through a child’s eyes, and when they’re as big as saucers with elation, it’s impossible to protest. He played until he was shivering and tired, and only then, after building one last snowman on the bonnet of Lula our Land Rover, did we say goodbye to the snow and set off home with our bobble hats and memories to keep us toasty.
LULA IN CERES
150km from cape town, za.
33.4007° s, 19.2950° e
We had been itching to see the snow, particularly as Max had only seen snow from a distance in the Cederberg and was desperate to see it up close. When finally, we heard that Ceres had received a fresh blanket during the night, there wasn’t a moment to spare. Completely ill-prepared, (next time, we’ll wear more layers) we set off from Hout Bay with frenzied excitement. It turns out though, we weren’t the only ones. The whole of Cape Town had heard the news too, and so together, we sat in slow-moving traffic on a journey that ended up taking 5 hours, more than double what we’d expected.
Grant was grumbling (he loves adventure but hates traffic) and I think if it had not been for the snowmen, which decorated almost every car homeward bound to the city, we might have turned around. Max simply had to see snow close up. He had to feel it crunch under his feet, to experience a snowball fight and it really did feel like, now or… next year.
It was absolutely worth the journey. I’d grown up in England, and I remember the chill of slushed ice in my wellies, my fingers aching from the cold, and the inevitable pink nose and ears that go hand in hand with brisk wintery days. Although our day in Ceres was all of that, it ended up being far more.
On every possible road from Ceres to Matroosberg Nature Reserve, people had parked, alighted, and were playing, adults and children, yelling and slipping and rolling down snow-covered hills, building elaborate snow creatures, chasing each other with snowballs, and enjoying a rare sight in a normally green part of our country.
The snow brought a sense of childlike wonder and joy. We all got to play with reckless abandon. What medicine for the soul.
Max loved it! We left well after the sun had set and most of Cape Town had returned to their homes to dry their socks and warm their toes, because we simply didn’t have the heart to tear him away. There is probably not a lot lovelier than seeing the world through a child’s eyes, and when they’re as big as saucers with elation, it’s impossible to protest. He played until he was shivering and tired, and only then, after building one last snowman on the bonnet of Lula our Land Rover, did we say goodbye to the snow and set off home with our bobble hats and memories to keep us toasty.
Ceres, named after the Roman Goddess of Fertility (fruitfulness), is normally a mere 90-minute drive from Cape Town in the heart of the Cape Windlands. Known for its sprawling orchards of deciduous fruit and natural spring water, the valley of Ceres is surrounded by towering Goliath mountains which are often covered with snow in the winter months. It’s often referred to as Little Switzerland and driving through its scenic mountain passes, it’s not difficult to see why.
Like the Tanqua Karoo, the first known inhabitants of the Ceres area were the San and Khoi, thousands of years ago. In the 1700s, stock farmers crossed the Witzen mountain range and began to establish themselves in the ‘Koue’ and ‘Warm Bokkeveld.’ In 1848, Andrew Geddes Bain built the Michells Pass and Ceres was officially established in 1849. After the discovery of diamonds, the road through Ceres became the main route to Kimberley, bringing prosperity to the town.
Ceres, named after the Roman Goddess of Fertility (fruitfulness), is normally a mere 90-minute drive from Cape Town in the heart of the Cape Windlands. Known for its sprawling orchards of deciduous fruit and natural spring water, the valley of Ceres is surrounded by towering Goliath mountains which are often covered with snow in the winter months. It’s often referred to as Little Switzerland and driving through its scenic mountain passes, it’s not difficult to see why.
Like the Tanqua Karoo, the first known inhabitants of the Ceres area were the San and Khoi, thousands of years ago. In the 1700s, stock farmers crossed the Witzen mountain range and began to establish themselves in the ‘Koue’ and ‘Warm Bokkeveld.’ In 1848, Andrew Geddes Bain built the Michells Pass and Ceres was officially established in 1849. After the discovery of diamonds, the road through Ceres became the main route to Kimberley, bringing prosperity to the town.
what we learned
- Expect traffic when there’s snow, particularly over a weekend! Everyone is very excited to get out there to enjoy the white stuff, so try to be patient.
- Snow is cold. That sounds silly, but don’t forget to wear waterproof boots and bring a change of dry clothes! Jeans are not the best idea either as they hold onto freezing snow water and take forever to dry out.
- Pack snacks! And a flask of something hot to drink.
our trip
- We heard about the snow on Snow Report and set off around 9 am. We hadn’t planned on going, so we weren’t awfully prepared but spontaneous trips are best!
- We traveled along the N7 and the R46 slightly beyond Ceres. We did pop in at Matroosberg Nature Reserve, but we were a smidge late to go exploring that day.
- Our trip was featured in the June / July 2022 issue of Go Magazine!
what we learned
-
- Expect traffic when there’s snow, particularly over a weekend! Everyone is very excited to get out there to enjoy the white stuff, so try to be patient.
- Snow is cold. That sounds silly, but don’t forget to wear waterproof boots and bring a change of dry clothes! Jeans are not the best idea either as they hold onto freezing snow water and take forever to dry out.
- Pack snacks! And a flask of something hot to drink.
our trip
- We heard about the snow on Snow Report and set off around 9 am. We hadn’t planned on going, so we weren’t awfully prepared but spontaneous trips are best!
- We traveled along the N7 and the R46 slightly beyond Ceres. We did pop in at Matroosberg Nature Reserve, but we were a smidge late to go exploring that day.
- Our trip was featured in the June / July 2022 issue of Go Magazine!
