Somewhere Ellis

Somewhere Ellis Photos and Memories of our adventures in nature SOMEWHERE in this world. We wish to share our experi

What a view. đŸ˜đŸ‘ŒđŸ»
03/10/2025

What a view. đŸ˜đŸ‘ŒđŸ»

Time for camping again (Camp 3 of 2025). As Karen had leave days she had to use, we could opt for a place somewhat furth...
18/03/2025

Time for camping again (Camp 3 of 2025). As Karen had leave days she had to use, we could opt for a place somewhat further than usual. I also took off on Thursday and Friday so we can make it a long weekend, and left early on Thursday morning for Fynboskloof near Klawer in the West Coast/Cederberg area. (Naturally, our two camping cats, Jasper and Ikarus, joined in the fun.)

After a few business-related detours, we finally arrived at our campsite just after lunchtime in 39°C heat. The last section of road took us through a river and over a bridge with clear markings of a 2023 and 2024 flood. The road is not really marked, and heavily corrugated. (Just follow the GPS) I would definitely advise to use a high clearance vehicle, and possibly a 4x4 if pulling a heavy trailer, for extra peace of mind if you plan on going to this campsite.

The camping spots are fitted with a level concrete slab and some has a roof for shade. (There are no trees.) The ablution is well built, but since the campsite is high on the “escarpment” the water is pumped into tanks and there is little to no water pressure. (You need to start a generator to fill the toilets and take a shower after you heated water in a “donkey”.) We opted to rather use our own gas geyser and shower tent where we only plug in a pump to our electrical/solar system and have no unnecessary noise from a generator.

Availability of braai wood seems to be a problem at this campsite, so go prepared and take along enough wood to be self-sufficient for your stay. Luckily, we always have a small gas braai in the trailer for emergencies and that saved the weekend. Another bonus of using our own shower system was that we could use the wood provided for the “donkey” in order to have proper wood fire on our last night.

The majority of the campsites have wood fired hot tubs while the remainder has splash pools. It was a great relief to be able to cool off in the heat, the water obviously left cold this time. Other activities include lots of places to hike and hundreds of small caves and rock formations to explore around the campsite. The sunsets are out of this world. If you love photography, go prepared as there will be plenty of opportunities.

Be prepared!!! This is an off-grid wild campsite with a large troop of baboons and other wild life in the area. Never leave any food open (or feed any animals) and always pack away everything at night. The baboons were not a nuisance at all and it is best not to encourage them to interact with humans to keep the campsite safe for future visitors.

Will we visit again? Yes, definitely. The biggest downside is the 3 and half hour drive from Somerset West and therefore it is a bit too far for us to go there on a regular weekend. If you are a serious off-grid nature lover and love to explore the rocks and small caves with a camera in hand, then this is the place for you. For those who want to drive there with your lowered city golf or like luxury bathrooms and electrical points to power all your gadgets, this definitely is not the place for you.

Fynboskloof Nature Camp

Camp number 2 for 2025. So far, it’s looking good for our new year’s resolution. As it was Valentine’s weekend, Karen wa...
18/02/2025

Camp number 2 for 2025. So far, it’s looking good for our new year’s resolution. As it was Valentine’s weekend, Karen wanted to re-visit Simonskloof, but this time we decided to go camping. We had stayed in one of their cottages for our first Valentines getaway, exactly 10 years ago.

It was still the same underappreciated hidden gem that we remember from years ago. The large campsites are surrounded by huge old oak trees that make shade all day long and there is a stream running through the campsites. Our campsite (Nr.4A) was well protected against the elements and sun while the stream amplified the sounds of nature to ensure a well-deserved rest.

This is a fully off the grid campsite and facilities are the bare minimum, but still functional: a composting eco-toilet and open shower with a gas geyser close by our campsite. They were good enough that we didn’t feel the need to set up our own toilet and shower system.

Since there was only one other camper and some distance away, we just couldn’t ask for a more off grid and undisturbed experience. Once again, we appreciated our “quick pitch” versatile camping trailer. We only needed to set up the rooftop tent this time, the natural shade making the awning largely redundant.

I slept a bit late on Saturday morning as the trees kept the tent cool and in the shade. We spent most of the day in the campsite away from the heat, just resting. Only late afternoon did we decide to do a short walk to recreate some of the photos we took 10 years ago, such as at the farm dam and old car.

Sunday morning, we woke up much earlier (one can only sleep so much) and set out on a hike around 8:30. We followed the trail up the stream and then partially up the mountain on a well-marked circular hiking trail that went past some nice viewpoints. I guess it was about 5km total, but it felt more like 30km with the steep inclines for my unfit body, as I barely made it back to the campsite.

After lunch we were in no hurry to pack up, instead enjoying the sounds of nature a while longer and trying to recover from our walk. Packing up was a breeze and was done in no time, once we got going.

This is surely one of those campsites that deserve more appreciation and attention. We will make effort to go back there in the not-too-distant future. We truly can’t believe that it took us this long to get back there. We have likely found a new favourite camping spot.

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