The West Coast Trail

Paul Murray

Christo Visser of Voëlfontein in the Sandveld remarked that you have not eaten until you have tried gebraaide skaapkop. This is the old-fashioned way of cooking a sheep's head (a smiley) over the coals in a hole made in the ground. What better accompaniment than the wine of the region made from decades-old vine stock from Cederberg Winery!

Friends will come together on Voëlfontein for a feast to die for. The date has been cast. The West Coast is certainly a place of mystery with its mountains that never age.

It has always been the task of the history teacher to accompany the American and English exchange students from school on outings around the Cape. They need the exciting history to be explained. And how can one endure without enjoying good food along the way?

A favourite is the Malmesbury - Lambert's Bay - Clanwilliam route. The friendly Malmesbury "bry" at Kontreispens in Retief Street in Malmesbury sets the tone for a fine few days of visiting and eating. There can be little difference between the full-on Kontreispens English breakfast served with fresh toast and coffee, and the original English breakfast served when the British Governor Sir Lowry Cole visited there and in 1829 renamed Swartland's Kerk Malmesbury in honour of his father-in-law, the Earl of Malmesbury.

The exchange student mission lies ahead. The feeling of explorative excitement fills the air when one looks back over the plain in the direction of Table Mountain before crossing the Olifants River range at Piekeniers Kloof Pass built in the 1950s. The name, translated as "the pass of pikeman", comes from the conflict with Gonnema and his followers in 1675. After having raided, Gonnema escaped into the mountains and was pursued by a party of European soldiers, which included pikemen. These pikemen were unable to apprehend Gonnema. However, their legacy is the name given to the pass in honour of their gallant efforts.

As the road descends into the spectacular Olifants River Valley, the original home of South Africa's champion roadbuilder Thomas Bain can still be seen beside the road that was once called Grey's Pass, built in 1858. Historical explanations range from that the first Dutch explorers came over the same mountain range in the late 1600s in search of gold, using the maps of the Portuguese, to locate Monomatapa or Vigiti Magna.

Eventually Simon van der Stel found copper at present-day Springbok, which ended the journeys of exploration. The copper was the "gold". Monomatapa is in present-day Zimbabwe. "So what went wrong?" asks one of the students. The maps were far out, explains the teacher. Maybe they were looking for jakkalskos, he joked.

The Nile of South Africa meanders through the valley until the turn-off to Lambert's Bay comes up. The students' experience, at Seekoeigat, of drinking rooibos tea with pecan nut cake served by hosts Martin and Yola Bergh, all from products grown on the farm, is an unforgettable experience.

From there it is a short way to Muisbosskerm, the boma-style eatery, which serves a fish feast that leaves an indelible print on the mind. A restaurant at the sea with waves breaking on to the beach - the serving of typical fish dishes of the area such as snoek and kabeljou - must rank as one of the seven eating wonders of the world.

In winter when it is closed, the Kreefhuis at Lambert's Bay serves as a suitable substitute. The guys just love the crayfish … and the prices, especially when paying with greenbacks. Sitting down for lunch together is an opportune moment to tell more history stories. Sir Robert Lambert surveyed the south-western coast of the Cape Colony from 1820 to 1821, hence the name of the town. Christo Visser, future host, practises law in the town.

No visit to Lamberts Bay can be complete without visiting the Sandveld Museum, sporting domestic and industrial items used by the people of the Sandveld. Bird Island with gannets, penguins and cormorants is the place's signature tune. You can spend hours listening to their calls.

From May to August is the best time for the students. This is the most glorious time for the flowers.

It is time to move on.

Leipoldt's grave is a rare treat to people who have come from afar. The San cave protects the sarcophagus of the philosopher-chef, C Louis Leipoldt who died in 1947. There is a link for both the American and English students. Leipoldt qualified as a doctor at Guys and travelled to the United States soon after his graduation. He visited Emerson's grave in New York, and admits to having been influenced by Walt Whitman. At an after-dinner speech at Alphen some weeks ago the history teacher, speaking to visiting Americans, even suggested there were links with characters in The Valley such as Tins and humorist Mark Twain's own characters. They seemed surprised when told that Samuel Leghorn Clemens alias Mark Twain visited Cape Town in 1896.

We read an extract from The Valley at Leipoldt's graveside, the opening lines of Stormwrack, where Leipoldt philosophises about life:

Not to all men is given the power to remain faithful, in their later life, to the loves and attachments of their youth. With the changing years the passions and emotions alter their flow into directions other than those into which they were forced originally. The defensive love of the child gives place to the proprietary, protective instinct of the adolescent, which in turn merges into the complacent masterfulness of the middle-aged, to dwindle, finally, into dispassionate, objective contemplation when the fire has burned out, leaving only the comfortable warmth of grey ash behind.

Reinholds Restaurant in Main Street, Clanwilliam, serves the most succulent steaks. History lessons for young people can go only so far. There is a time when the stomach juices take over. The ambience at this old-fashioned country restaurant is warm and cosy, especially in the Sandveld's biting evening air.

The building in which the restaurant is situated is close to the home of Elias Vantloo's posh residence where classic Cape Cookery was the bill of fare, such as the legendary meal described in Leipoldt's The Mask, of goeverneursboontjie soup, followed by tamatie bredie, then Muscovy duck served with beetroot and crumbled egg, ending with malva pudding.

By the time the students were replenished, they were subjected to yet another history story about this great son of Clanwilliam, C Louis Leipoldt, philosopher, chef, doctor, dramatist, poet, novelist and above all journalist.

Diagonally opposite the restaurant is St John's Anglican Church. The history lesson started up all over again. The Boer War had come to Clanwilliam. Right in front of the eyes of the English exchange students lay, resting in peace, the bodies of kinsmen who had fallen fighting first for Queen and country, and later for King and country. There had been a change of monarchy.

The Clanwilliamites had loved their "Ouma", Queen Alexandrina Victoria, and it had been decided to present her with a basket of lemons in honour of her Jubilee Year. The same sentiments did not prevail after the war, though. The residents were split down the middle as a result of the allegiances and atrocities of war.

There are several places to stay in Clanwilliam. The students fitted nicely into The Rectory, a B&B owned by the local doctor, a descendent of Dr Nortier, great friend of Leipoldt. In fact, Dr Strauss owns the house that belonged to his grandfather. The service is friendly. On the stoep of The Rectory one looks straight into the astonishing Cederberg.

A little further up, on the same stream, is the home where Leipoldt grew up. You can feel the aura even that far away. Leipoldt always returned to his home town wherever he was, especially to visit his dear old friend, Dr Le Fras Nortier. Mrs Nortier never liked Leipoldt, so he rarely visited for any length of time. However, he knew she was not a good cook. So sometimes, without her knowing, he would wander from the Cryterion Hotel where he stayed and would sneak into her kitchen from the roadside entrance, add a few spices, stir the dish, then leave. He knew the words of Catullus and was preoccupied by the fact that his dear old friend should eat well. Such was the history teacher's concern, that the exchange students entrusted to his care should get their fill of exciting stories and fine fare.



LitNet: 28 June 2005

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