THE completely untamed coastline, the profound sense of wilderness and the splendid isolation of the basic, no frills campsites combine to make camping in the Namaqua National Park a very special experience.
And then there are the flowers – not just the spring annuals but the wealth of jewel coloured flowering succulents – that make this very unusual national park such a winner.
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It is the newest reserve in the SANparks stable and we have only been able to get there once. We would definitely revisit it any time our wanderings take us back to Namaqualand, but particularly if it were the spring flower season.
A unique and wonderfully biodiverse national park, it really is a national treasure and it is well worth making a special effort to see.
Its history goes back to 1988 when Skilpad Farm, the northerly section of the park, became a wildflower reserve. SANparks eventually took it over, incorporated surrounding farms that had been purchased and, in 2002, proclaiming the area the Namaqua National Park.
The story of the park didn’t end there, though. In 2008 the almost untouched coastal section, between the Groen and Spoeg Rivers, was added to the park and this 150 000ha chunk of preserved Namaqualand gained a whole new dimension.
When we stayed there we set up our temporary canvas home on one of the four designated camp sites at the Kwas se Baai camping area.
Altogether there are 31 of these simple site at at eight camping areas scattered along the coastal section of the park. On this wild and windswept westerly shoreline, our tent and a small, crescent-shaped stone wall were our only protection from the elements.
Except for the sandy tracks and the discreetly positioned enviro loos these little shelters were the only visible manmade structures in the whole of this amazingly pristine Atlantic coastal landscape.
WE were allocated one of the nicest campsites, offering us a lovely view of Kwas se Baai, a picture perfect little bay, all snowy white sand and tranquil aquamarine sea, set amidst striking rocky outcrops, jagged, gnarled and water-smoothed, that make up this fierce shoreline.
Between our campsite and the rocky shore – and behind our tent, all the way to the horizon – the rocky ground was thickly carpeted with succulent vegetation.
As it was spring the vygies were in full, riotous bloom, the vivid jewel colours of the flowers perfectly set off by the more subdued bottle greens, rust and ochres of the fat, waxy foliage.
Although still a developing national park, with some areas still under rehabilitation, it offers visitors a fascinating mix of fauna, flora and interesting geographical features.
It ranges in altitude from sea level to about 1 000m above sea level and has habitats that range from beaches, rocky shores, estuaries, rivers and wetlands to dunes, grasslands and mountains. It is also part of the Succulent Karoo, one of South Africa’s three internationally recognised biodiversity hotspots.
Of the Succulent Karoo’s more than 6 500 plant species about 40 percent are endemic – meaning they occur nowhere else on earth.
The best way to experience the park’s amazing variety of scenery, habitat and vegetation is to enter at the flowery Skilpad section and do the long, slow the Caracal 4X4 Eco Route to the coastal section. It is a magical experience and we would recommend it to anyway who loves nature and enjoys a bit of an adventure.
Pretty Skilpad rest camp, famous for its annual wildflower show, makes a good first impressions and offers some lovely walking trails. As its name suggest many tortoises are found here and at certain times of the year it attracts a good selection of game.
The first section of the Caracal 4X4 Eco Route route takes explorers through the lushly vegetated, flower-sprinkled and scenic Kamiesberg and over the stunning Wildeperdhoek Pass.
Constructed in the 1860s under the supervision of Duncan Fletcher and using, first, convict then free labour, the fine dry stone masonary still bears witness to the skilful workmanship that went into the project.
It was built, with great difficulty, to transport copper ore from Springbok to Hondeklip Bay but was hardly ever used for this purpose. Soon after it was completed the powers that be decided to develop Port Nolloth rather than Hondeklip Bay as an outlet for the ore.
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Today it is part of a beautiful route through the pristine mountains – and a little bit of quirky living history.
Down from the mountains the eco route heads across grassy plains then into the glittery Riethuis quartz field, an area that is home to many rare succulents that are associated with quartz.
The vygies were in full floral glory there but, as lovers of succulent plants would know, the rich and varied colours of the foliage provide almost as much colour as the flowers.
The last section of the Skilpad part of the route transverses a rather strange, rain deprived area. However it receives enough moisture from the fog that rolls in from the Atlantic to support a vegetation type that has a rare fynbos element, with plants like restios and pincushions that one associates with better-watered areas like the Cape Peninsular.
The route crosses the turnoff to Hondeklip Bay then enters the newer coastal section of the park and past Swartfontein House. The vegetation in this section of the park is described as Namaqualand Coastal Dunefield and this is one of the few unspoilt places in South Africa that preserves this vegetation type.
Continuing along the route explorers will see notices warning them to deflate their tires as they approach a very sandy section, the strange, rather spooky grey world of the Bitter River Dunefield.
Described in the guide books as a sand movement corridor, this was a good and a relatively untouched example of a dynamic moving dune system.
These strange shifting dunes of very fine sand cover all sorts of interesting fossils and archeological treasures that are uncovered as the sands move. From a conservation point of view, this feature is very precious and rare.
Once safely ensconced in your camping site after the adventurous drive, it is a good idea to take a stroll or two along what is one of the wildest stretches of beach you could ever wish to see.
Little paw prints in the snowy white sand are reminders of the jackal and otter that share this special space with visiting humans.
Although the weather had been lovely on our first day in the park, it turned very cold, windy and drizzling. We hauled out our winter woollies, erected our windbreak and were soon snug and warm.
As inveterate campers we always carry plenty of warm clothes and bedding. You just never know when you might need them.
There was still a decidedly nasty little chill in the air the next morning but the sun came out and set the bay a glitter. We spent most of our second day in the park doing the little coastal loops and having a good look at the coves, bays and rock formations in the Groen-Spoeg Rivers section.
This stretch of the Namaqualand shoreline is awesomely beautiful and so amazingly pristine and wild. How privileged South Africans are to have places like this to visit.
Our turning point was the attractive Spoeg River estuary, a good birding spot but before heading south, we detoured to the fascinating Spoeg River Cave, an important archeological site with a strange, ancient feel. You absolutely must visit it if you are in the park.
Shell middens and detritus, dating back to 1 500bc show that this has been occupied by humans for many centuries However, of particular interest was the discovery of sheep bones that date back to an amazing 2 100 years ago.
These bone fragments provide the oldest evidence of domesticated sheep in South Africa. It is amazing to think that, while shepherds watched their flocks by night on that fateful evening near Bethlehem, some 2000 years ago, the Spoeg River Cave shepherds were doing just that, too.
Did they also wonder about that very bright star – and did they perhaps hear the whisper of a passing angel’s wing?
We spent another night hunkered down against the icy wind but did another lovely beach walk before leaving this magical new national park the next morning.
We wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the park to nature lovers, although the absolutely back to-basics camping might not suit everyone. Fortunately, the rustic coastal campsites are not the only option.
There are four attractive chalets in the Skilpad section- and during the flower season accommodation is offered in a temporary, ‘pop up’ luxury tented camp, also on the coast.
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