Clanwilliam is where the dry West Coast plain meets the first wall of the Cederberg, and the town has been shaped by that meeting. It sits beside a big dam on the Olifants River, among orange orchards and fields of rooibos, the red bush that grows nowhere else in the world as a crop and that locals brew strong and sweet. It was founded in 1808 and named after the Earl of Clanwilliam, the father-in-law of the then governor, which is a very Cape way of choosing a name.
For a rider it is the gateway to the Cederberg, a wilderness of strangely sculpted sandstone, and a place to refuel, shop and eat before the climb. The town has fuel stations, supermarkets and simple restaurants, and it is the last reliable supply point for a good while. From here the road to the east climbs the Pakhuis Pass, a historic mountain road built in the 1870s, with tight bends, rocky walls and views back across the valley. Beyond the pass, the road continues through a landscape of orange rock and fynbos, with gravel tracks leading to remote farms. Early mornings and late afternoons give the warmest colours, while midsummer heat can be fierce and winter can bring cold rain and occasional snow on the peaks.
The Cederberg takes its name from the Clanwilliam cedar, an endangered conifer that grows only in these mountains and was heavily logged in the past. The area is also famous for its rock art. San people painted elephants, antelope, human figures and handprints on the sandstone shelters, and some of the images are thought to be thousands of years old. The poet and doctor C. Louis Leipoldt, who loved this country, is buried near the top of the Pakhuis Pass, and a small memorial marks the spot.
Nature here is spectacular. The sandstone has been eroded into arches, pinnacles and caves, such as the famous Wolfberg Arch and the Maltese Cross, and in spring, from August to September, the plains and valleys explode into colour with wildflowers, particularly daisies. Leopards live in the mountains, though few people ever see one, and the night sky is incredibly clear. The air is dry and aromatic, smelling of buchu and sun-warmed rock.
Fill the tank here, buy water and food, and check road conditions for the gravel stretches. Carry spare tyres or repair kits if you plan to head deeper, and expect to share the road with farm vehicles.