Gijon to Santander
Our time in Spain had come to an end and we had to drive from Gijon to Santander to take the Ferry back to the UK. It was sad to leave but at... READ MORE
The Parador in Gijon
The Parador in Gijon is on the edge of the town, at the far end of the San Lorenzo Beach from the old town. I’ve talked a lot about it so a separate... READ MORE
Isabel la Catolica Park in Gijon
The Parador of Gijon overlooks the Isabel la Catolica Park in Gijon, in fact you might say it is situated in the park. It was a joy to stroll here at some point... READ MORE
Wandering in Gijon
On this day we decided wandering in Gijon would be a good idea, so we took a taxi to the town centre again. We were also on a hunt for wine! The harbour... READ MORE
Cimadevilla of Gijon
The old town is the Cimadevilla of Gijon, situated on and around the Santa Catalina Hill in Gijon. We took a taxi into the town – I was still on somewhat ‘go-slow’ –... READ MORE
The Museum in Gijon
The Museum of the Asturian People in Gijon is situated close to the Parador. We visited twice because there was just too much to take in at one time. Spain is very proud... READ MORE
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Potlekkertjie Circular Drive in reverse!
We had enjoyed the Potlekkertjie Circular Drive so much that we followed the route again the next day, but started earlier in the morning – just after 7.00am – and drove anti-clockwise. The Karoo National Park was looking wonderful after … Continued
Stormy weather in the Karoo National Park
The morning had been hot and clear but the sky promised rain in the middle of the day. We only had misty showers in the rest camp, although the clouds gathered again at the end of the day. The sunset was … Continued
Potlekkertjie Circular Drive in the Karoo National Park
The Karoo National Park is just outside Beaufort West, in the Great Karoo, and situated in the Nuweveld Mountains and surrounding plains. It was established in 1979 after decades of efforts by local people to preserve the original veld in this … Continued
Evening drive in the Karoo National Park
We arrived at the Karoo National Park in the burning afternoon haze, driving through the gate into the silent, magnificent scenery. We booked in at the reception, found our chalet, did some rinsing/washing, and sat down with a cup of … Continued
Travelling from Matjiesfontein to the Karoo National Park
The weatherman forecast another hot day and so we set off early from Matjiesfontein to drive to the Karoo National Park via Beaufort West, 240 kms. I could hardly believe this was only our 6th day in South Africa!
The Witteberg Mountains in the Great Karoo
Matjiesfontein is in the Great Karoo, a seemingly endless expanse of silent, semi-arid veld under huge skies, with mountains near and far, and baking, shuddering heat in the summer. The vastness and the isolation is haunting; it draws you closer when … Continued
Laingsburg in the Great Karoo
In the Cape the expansion of the railways proceeded rapidly in the 1870s, passing the farm Vischkuil aan de Buffelsrivier which was owned by Stefanus Greeff. A small siding was built on the farm and the first plots sold for development. The … Continued
The Matjiesfontein Cemetery
We were driving along the N1 towards Matjiesfontein when I noticed two memorials on a hillside and we turned off on to a very bumpy dirt road to investigate. We had found the Matjiesfontein Cemetery, about 10 kms west of Matjiesfontein … Continued
Cricket at Matjiesfontein
James Logan, the Laird of Matjiesfontein, was a cricket enthusiast and we stopped in Matjiesfontein because of this, and in particular because of the book, Empire, War, and Cricket in South Africa by Dean Allen.
Gardens at Matjiesfontein
Matjiesfontein is in the Great Karoo, surrounded by miles and miles of semi-arid countryside and endless mountains. It is a land you either love or hate – you can’t ignore it and it doesn’t allow neutrality. In this seemingly arid landscape … Continued