Nature's Kaleidoscope - 440km

NAMAQUALAND NATIONAL PARK

The nucleus of this park is the Skilpad Nature Reserve, which was originally created in 1993 to protect the unique flora of Namaqualand. When the national park was proclaimed in 1999, it was expanded by incorporating 50 000 ha of land between the Groen and the Spoeg rivers, while a further 24 000 ha is to be acquired. For most visitors, the park’s main attraction is the mass display of spring flowers, particularly the orange daisy Ursinia cakelifolia, which predominates on the abandoned wheatfields of Skilpad.

In the surrounding veld, however, there is a wealth of succulents and other dainty flowers often overlooked in favour of the spring flowers. Since the park is still being developed, the Skilpad section is only open during the spring flower season. Facilities include a 5-km scenic circular drive, two short nature walks, picnic places and an information centre.

LELIEFONTEIN

The presence of water in an otherwise arid area and the fact that the spring attracted the pastoral Khoikhoi in summer undoubtedly influenced the decision of the Wesleyan missionary Barnabas Shaw to locate his mission station at Leliefontein. Situated east of the Khamiesberg, the mission was established on a loan farm awarded to the Namaquas by the Dutch Governor, Rijk Tulbagh.

Immediately after his arrival on 23 October 1816, Shaw set about building a mission house, a small church, school and other buildings. He also established a garden which produced substantial annual crops of wheat and vegetables. The settlement was named after a member of the lily family, Androcymbium, which grows in profusion in the sandy soil. Of historical interest in this typical Namaqualand village are the neogothic church (1855), old parsonage and an ornamental sundial presented to Shaw.

KAMIESKROON

When the Dutch Reformed Church decided to establish a seat in Namaqualand, the choice fell upon a valley on the farm Wilgehoutskloof, 8 km north of Kamieskroon. The church was inaugurated in January 1864 and became the focal point of a small village. Initially named Bowesville and later Bowesdorp in honour of Dr Henry Bowe, a well-known doctor in Namaqualand, a shortage of water and the narrow valley made expansion impossible.

In July 1924 Bowesdorp was relocated to nearby Kamieskroon, and all that remains of the village today are the ruins of the old church and a few derelict buildings. Kamieskroon itself is named after the distinctive crown on the Khamies Mountains, whose Khoikhoi name means ‘grassveld mountain’.