Simply Golden Gate

“You’re so lucky, you work and live in the most amazing place,” I blurted out to the bewildered guard at the security check point. He stared back at me, not quite sure how to handle this overenthusiastic tourist nut. “No seriously bru, how awesome is this place? What an office you’ve got!”I continued. By now the national parks employee was looking decidedly wary of this raving lunatic, whose eyes were full of the zeal of the converted, hands waving in the air.

Okay, so I’d probably overdone the coffee that morning, and was in all likelihood scaring the poor guard at the entrance to the Golden Gate Highlands Park. My brother (with whom I’d been camping for three days) had prepared one of his extra strong brews to see me on my way, as I left at the crack of dawn so I could get home in time to see off a deadline.  When I say stiff, I mean the spoon was almost standing up in the cup . . .. by now my heart was pumping and I was experiencing some kind of spastic euphoria. Or was it just that the park really is supernaturally beautiful, and on that morning it was in another class, the plains full of game (zebra, blesbok, black wildebeest, springbok and red hartebeest to name a few), the air fresh, warm morning light washing over the grasslands and a clear blue sky above.

Fresh

Fresh in my mind also was the perfect sunset we’d had the previous night, when the seemingly divine light of early evening, for which this region is famous, brilliantly touched the Maluti mountains.

I’d set off from Durban to Golden Gate along the N3, then headed through Winterton and Bergville, up the Oliviershoek Pass and around Sterkfontein Dam, before taking the R712 toward Phuthaditjhaba and then on to Golden Gate. Sterkfontein Dam is a wonder all on its own, its vast waters seeming infinitely calm until vicious winds whip up threatening those brave or stupid enough to still be sailing its waves.

There’s a fantastic exclusive lodge on the dam,  by the way,  for anyone with a bit of spare cash to burn. Wild Horses Mountain Lodge is the kind of getaway where the chef pops in for a chat during the day and discusses the evening’s menu, while the lodge’s management will take you out for a quick spin in a super duper, James Bond-like speedboat, perhaps dropping you off at a secret fishing spot if that takes your fancy. But more than anything else, the quiet of this place is powerful medicine for the soul.

Mahai in the mountains

Now exactly how did Golden Gate get its name?

Back on the subject of Golden Gate Highlands National Park – the park has a number of accommodation options, which include self catering huts and chalets and the newish looking Golden Gate Hotel. The Highlands Mountain Retreat looks really inviting, perched on top of a hill off the beaten track within the park. With some of the best views you will ever find, these four-sleeper units may be a tad more expensive than the regular chalets,  but they offer exclusivity and a guarantee of genuine piece and quiet in the mountains.

We, on the other hand, opted to camp at Glen Reenen Rest Camp. Glen Reenen has top notch facilities (for those who are a bit squeamish, these include plenty of modern, clean toilets, showers and hand basins . . . there was even a plug to charge your cellphone), units come with or without power, depending on your requirements, and there is a fairly well  equipped shop just across the road. The hotel is also nearby if you feel the need for a beer at the action bar or a meal at the restaurant.

But the weird thing about Glen Reenen is that the main road connecting Phuthaditjhaba and the hippie village of Clarens runs right past the camp. This means that around 9pm, as you turn in for the evening, there’s every chance  of a heavy truck gearing down as it approaches the speed humps outside the camp . . .Klunk, klunk ka-klunk go the trucks, a most interesting sound to nod off to. Then there’s the odd car with house or kwaito music blearing out the windows.

My brother Rhys, relaxing next to the fire

I asked a few people around the camp what they felt about this racket and the general consensus was that they were happy to live with it because they loved the camp. After three nights, I must say I felt rather the same way. While it’s not quite on the same level as, Mahai or Garden Castle, for example, because you rarely feel like you’ve truly got away from it all, Glen Reenen has its own unique charm.

The situation is absolutely stunning, a number of walks and trails start right from the centre of the camp and the facilities, as mentioned earlier, are absolutely first class. And then there’s the small matter of being just 25 minutes from Clarens, a definite attraction once you get weary of pounding the trails.

www.sanparks.org

About Golden Gate Highlands Park

Antelope species include: Black Wildebeest; blesbok; common duiker; eland; grey rhebok; mountain reedbuck; oribi; red Hartebeest; springbok; steenbok

In brief: How Golden Gate got its name

The Van Reenen family bought the Vuurland farm in 1878. When moving to their new farm, the Van Reenens reached the valley in the late afternoon just as the sun was setting behind two magnificent sandstone cliffs. They named the land Golden Gate.

Cosmos, a common sight at the roadside

Golden Gate did not escape the ravages of the Anglo Boer war. Jan van Reenen was held captive in Ladysmith, while women and children were taken to concentration camps in Harrismith. Crops were set alight,  stock raided and houses ransacked. Some of the women and children decided to hide in the veld and krantzes, rather than go to the camps. Many used caves for shelter.

In 1962 the government began the process of buying the land (including Golden Gate) to be handed over to National Parks and today it covers 11 630ha, bordering Qwa Qwa National Park and Lesotho. – By Garth Johnstone