Namaqua Eco Trail - 27th April to 1st May 2007 - by Dave Short On the extended long weekend of 27 April to 1 May 2007, Philip Scott in his Landcruiser led a group of 5 Vehicles on a memorable trip along the Namakwa 4X4 Eco-Trail. The party included Stuart & Rosemary Cadderton in their Discovery; John & Shirley Armstrong and David & Nerine Short, both in Hi-luxes; and Sandy Wheltan and John May in another Landcruiser. We met in pouring rain before dawn on Freedom Day at the N7 One-Stop and headed north past Vanrhynsdorp before turning onto the R358. Somewhere on this very long straight barren gravel freeway, the weather started to clear and our spirits lifted at the prospect of relaxing along the Gariep river for a few days. After refueling at Pofadder, we made our way to Pella for late lunch and a guided tour of the Cathedral and Museum which proved to be very interesting. From there we headed to the river via Canyon Pass and set up camp at Pella's Drift. Some swam and bathed in the river before we all got to know each other a little better around the communal braai fire. Day 2 proved to be the most eventful and started with a battle to find our way onto the track through Charlie's Pass due to a newly ploughed field and some creatively obstructional fencing, but once on the track we were soon able to feel the vastness and unspoilt beauty of our surroundings, stopping to take pictures and soak in the privilege of just being there. After circling through Pella we headed westward along the river. Late in the afternoon, amidst the confusion of some brisk driving, clouds of dust, some forks in the road, lack of radio contact and a village, the last 2 vehicles became detached from the group resulting in some frantic radio activity and some backtracking before we were all re-untied at our camping spot on an island near Witbank. The next morning we headed for "The Ruins" as indicated on the information sheet but we were forced to backtrack and scrap the idea due to a stone wall which now obstructs the route. Our consolation was a fantastic sighting of 2 fish eagles circling overhead. After lunching and swimming at Grootmelkboom, we headed towards Goodhouse but with no suitable camping spot there, eventually found an impromptu spot which proved to be the best of the trip. On day 4 we stopped at a disused mica mine where we pottered through some scattered rock samples and got an impression of mica in its natural state in the mine's rock face. From there we took a turn to the "viewpoint", the drive to which, proved a lot more spectacular than the destination. From here Philip went ahead to secure a good campsite at Kamgab while others lingered a little longer on lunch. The drive to Kamgab is spectacular, winding for about an hours drive along a riverbed between high and varied hills, boulders and rock faces before the Gariep unfolds as an oasis. Here we spent a lazy afternoon and our last night around the fire together. Our homeward day required the earliest start, almost managing to leave at 9 a.m. We journeyed back up the spectacular gorge, through another and up a steep climb, then stopping at a site boasting numerous "halfmens" trees before reaching the N7 about 40kms north of Steinkopf. Here, tyres were inflated and we said our goodbyes before hitting the long road home. Many thanks to Philip for organizing and leading the trip in the way he did. While it would be possible to do this route in as little as 2 days, doing it over 3/4 days made for an extremely easy-going and sociable mini-holiday that has certainly called us to relax along this route sometime soon again.