Just three hours from Cape Town, nestled under the oaks and pines, is Beaverlac. For those looking to get away from the hustle and bustle, spend hours next to a natural pool and connect with the simpler, finer things in life, this campsite should be your next weekend-away destination.
We planned to leave the city on Friday afternoon around 3pm and, after piling four people, their tents and bags, and food enough for a week into the car, we set off. The road trip there is enjoyable with rolling hills and small towns swiftly passing by the car windows. After one wrong turn, a dusty and bumpy ride down into the valley and signing in we finally piled out of the car at around 6:30pm. The combination of fresh air and fading light was evidence enough; we weren’t in the city any more.
We set up our tents and shot off to the rock pool for a quick dip in the cool water before dinner. The pool is about a five minute walk from the campsite and like an oasis in a desert. The water is a perfect respite from the heat and the clear water makes it easy to see the small fish swimming beneath.
Back at the campsite we made a fire in the demarcated braai area, cooked our courgettes on the grill (ours was an entirely vegetarian weekend) and sat back to enjoy eating under the stars. Music is not allowed to be played in the camping area and as a rule noise is kept to a minimum after ten. The silence and serenity makes it easy to enjoy your own company while lying on the floor gazing at stars. This far from an urban setting and the stars suddenly triple in number!
On Saturday morning we had eaten breakfast and were ready to embark on the Totem Pool trail before 9am. The walk itself is semi-easy with a few tricky points on the pathway to get past. Halfway to the Totem Pools we stopped off at the bum slide; a section of smooth rock that you can slide down, landing into a pool. We took it in turns to sweep down the slope before continuing towards the higher pools. We found a secluded pool in a beautiful setting, parked our bags off on a dry rock and spent hours wading in the cool water, warming ourselves on hot rocks and nibbling on crackers, hummus and cherry tomatoes. The weather was perfect with not a cloud in the sky.
The rest of the weekend was pretty much the same and for avid campers like us, Beaverlac is the perfect spot. It’s a wonderful place to spend a few romantic evenings or a fun-filled family getaway week. There are a number of hikes to enjoy in a number of directions heading off from the site. Dogs are allowed, and to camp it is R35 per person; you can call the site on 022 931 2945 to find out more information or to book your spot.
Jade Scully is a copywriter excited about writing copy and stories, blogging about the world and editing. She currently and regularly publishes her stories on a number of blogs. Jade loves animals and hopes to begin writing copy for the animal rescue charity TEARS as her contribution to the cause.
