On top of the world

Day 3 of our Passes Roadtrip – and today was something else!
We woke to patchy sunshine, and after phoning the Tiffendell Ski Resort and getting their OK on the road, we decided to take the plunge and do the round trip through Carlileshoek Pass and Volunteershoek pass to Wartrail.


It was an adventure! The road was wet but not too bad on the first leg of the trip, and then we reached a sign. I didn’t get a picture because I was rigid with fear by this stage, but it said “Engage lowest gear, keep revs up, take corners wide and drive with confidence!” Up an incredibly steep concrete switchback, Pete did all four – not that I saw much of it – my eyes were tight shut! Fortunately only a short distance before we got onto a strip road – steep, but straight. And then right onto the top of the world. The wind was howling, the sun seemed to be blown about by it, and we stopped for a cup of tea that was cold almost as soon as we poured it. Past the Tiffendell Ski Resort, and a long stretch across the roof of the Eastern Cape. The roads seem to be farm roads – lots of gates and cattle grids, and sheep and woolly cattle. We saw some people fixing the power lines, and a farmer supervising something to do with his sheep. The road stretched out ahead, we looked down into an inhabited valley – and then the road disappeared! We were at the top of a cliff, and no road in sight! Luckily, Miss Garmin was with us – and she showed that the road doubled back again and again – right below where we were. Sadly, the Garmin doesn’t show elevation – so I wasn’t really prepared for the 1:4 gradient. But I was brave and Pete drove safely. Only 3 hrs to do 42 km! We had to go so slowly that coming down Volunteershoek Pass, the Garmin asked if we would like to change to pedestrian mode.


Driving on to Wartrail – which, despite a dot on the map is not a town, but an area. We stopped for lunch at a farmhouse – it was raining, so instead of a meal in the garden, we had lunch in their lounge, entertained by the farmer’s dogs and 2 toddlers. It was only 10 km to Lundeans Pass, so we decided to do that too.
We hadn’t planned to go very far, just to the top, but were enticed further and further by the spectacular vistas that kept opening up – we drove almost to Telle Junction, before going back up. A few bumpy patches but nothing like Sani!


A long day, especially with the rain in the later afternoon, but a beautiful rainbow that we chased for about 10km on the way home – always just out of our reach.