South Africa - (photo Roberto Armando, Chris & Stella)
I type on the remote control next to the seat yet another film after "Finding Nemo" this time I select "Blade 3". 13 hours of traveling, I'm tired, I try to sleep but I can not, for the first time we're going to Rockland, South Africa, I can not sleep .... Ahead of the movie fighting vampires and I see myself with my mind all the pictures of the magazines that we brought with us.
We land, super-queue for passport control and now we see Andy as a mirage, a very kind friend of Roby, came to take us to his home in Cape Town. His wife Esme prepares a great meal, now it is late at night, tired, we eat, we tell some stories and eventually the scent of the sea, thoughts of Rockland, images of vampires and immortal fish lost in the ocean were still in memory, we finally to sleep that long day.
In the morning there is no time difference, we all feel very well, after getting up from the window we see the curious mountain "Table Mountain", famous for its shape, because the top is flat as a billiard table. Andy takes us to rent a car and in no time we are over our Toyota Condor. The first day I dedicate to a sightseeing tour to the city through the characteristic local markets, where you can find many typical articles of Africa: from wood to stone statuettes and paintings with colorful drawings. For us Europeans it's all cheaper, buy some items and then we start to remember, as kids motivated for one of the world's most beautiful destinations boulderistiche. The first day of travel will always remember him as a special moment, everything is new and everything is a surprise.
Released from the center of Cape Town, stood out instantly the obvious economic and social difference, you see white showing luxury cars and expensive clothes next to black people who collect buckets of water in the fountain in the square, without a house to stay. This is a sad aspect of South Africa that is repeated everywhere from small towns to big cities. Whites living in the center, live in beautiful houses, but the black man is left aside to live in real neighborhoods together in isolated barracks a few kilometers. from the cities. We continue our journey and after a three hour drive we arrived in Clanwilliam, a small village a few minutes from the area. Take a house previously booked and after leaving a mountain of luggage and enjoyed a strictly Italian caffettino we discover the first block. Along the way Yuri pawing and continues to make signs to the bushes, a large family of baboons walking sideways to us, as if to welcome us, we slow down to take some pictures but they go away annoyed. Roby, have been here the previous year, guarantees that we would have revised almost every day. It is not uncommon to see animals in South Africa. A few more minutes and we arrive at the parking lot. I, Stella and Yuri remain speechless, it is impossible to quantify how many blocks there are too many beautiful, perfect shapes and rocks, all I heard about this place is true, all that exists.
Has not yet been made a guide, it's still all too "new", is also very easy to understand maps difficilecreare in a maze of blocks like this, so with photocopies, sketches and scribbled signs of local are some of the most famous passages discovered and freed by Fred Nicole, Klem Loskot and others. Some boulders as "Black Eagle" stay perfectly poised on the edges of expanses of rocks, it seems that they should fall at any moment, everything is so amazing, resume and photograph everything that happens before our eyes.
Climb steps with a rocky perfect, some of these: Nutsa: a high bow and colored, Carolina: overhang at 45 °, athletic, of notches that seem created by sculptors, the fomosa Pendragon: 45 ° to the cleats, Black eagle: line 
a historical and an egg taken svase notches, grooves Leopard: perfect tits, orange with small lists, Ulan Batar: 30 ° upper panel perfectly "cut" and stained, Metamorphosis: orange belly and black to grasp at. Finally we are here, driven from photos and video of friends, now we are here, in this huge expanse of rock, sand and animals. The potential of the place is huge and there are few courses already scaled. The rock is very generous, even under towering cliffs, you can often find workable lines, you just have a little 'imagination and desire to open new boulders. Do not even need to make big cleaning jobs, the rock is ready, just a toothbrush, a bit 'of chalk and anything can begin.
The village of Clanwilliam is small but has everything we need: grosmarket very clean and complete of all, banks, restaurants, bars, gas stations etc.. on the main road there is a small clinic.
Everyone here knows bouldering, each year sees many climbers around the streets of the town in search of information on the area. You do not see many other tourists in the area, apart from flower enthusiasts and Bushman drawings. In Rockland blossom season turns into a painting full of incredible colors, thanks to more than 250 types of different quality. They are in fact many photographers name magazines that come from all parts of the world in order not to miss this show.
For us Europeans, the cost of living here is lower, a "basket" full of spending costs around 30 euros and the house we rented 48 euros per day in four, with maid service twice a week.
We climb almost always, without respecting too much the day of rest, there are too many interesting lines for a break and vacation time is precious, the days pass too quickly over the amount of goals that one seeks. Roby, perhaps for the change of climate or the trip, he finds himself with a conjunctivitis and a very sore throat that forced him to a course of antibiotics, so weak he spends his days, devoting himself to photography only. From 'Italy has brought the laptop, and every evening we review carefully all the photos taken. For those who have this passion, like us, it's very inspiring to see the images captured in real time, not having to wait to develop film.
Occasionally you can find between the blocks of Boshimani drawings, (men of Bosh: shrubs typical of South Africa): small handprints, stylized animals or people, so to learn more about their history Roby and take advantage of a Star day off to visit a park, 40 km from the blocks, inhabited for centuries by Boshimani. With a brochure and a path (not fully shown towards the end) you get to caves full of drawings that try to tell part of their lives. Five hours' walk from beautiful roofs and overhanging rock panels very compact, but "untouchable". A little torture for climbers ... At the end of the lap as if by magic, a group of famous local people 's hospitality offering him a cup of tea and a few minutes of rest in their home: a house of typical construction thatched completely immersed in silence of nature. The women who live there are very fascinated by their interest in the post, so proud and excited to show their way of life and many tell stories of their everyday lives, then as for wanting to capture THAT 'forum for exchange between cultures, taking the photos before heading to the final stretch that separates them from the machine.
Too many wonders of South Africa to be alone to climb, so convinced by some friends we grant another day off, to see the coast in Cape Town, beautiful place where the ventosissima Cape Hope, (Cape of Good Hope) or rather where the two oceans meet. Here we are warned not to give confidence to the baboons, which have become accustomed to the sight of man, aggressive and willing to do anything to get some food. We, however, apart from Chinese tourists, even the shadow of animals. Still the same day with a heart full of emotion we went to the beautiful
beach Boulder beach entirely inhabited by penguins. It 'amazing how much tenderness transmit these animals always curious and a bit' awkward in moving out of the water, the thought of all was that of a portarsene home to cuddle all the time. It is surprising to see hundreds of these beautiful animals run freely between the cars and the roads that link the beaches. At the car park there is even a sign that says: Before starting the machine, check under the vehicle. In hot weather, which corresponds to our winter, you can share the beach with them and maybe swim with a penguin on your side.
In the evening, Andy takes us on an incredible place to eat, thirty minutes west of Clanwilliam, on the beach, find a restaurant like the one for surfers, named "Muisbosskerm" (I do not know what that means), set menu for 15 euros head, all open to the sea, alone, without kitchens, bathrooms and more, only benches, straw walls and enormous concrete tables on which to cook fish, rice and seafood every existing freshly caught. Yuri "crazy", without understanding anything takes portions everywhere eager to try everything, Andy, and we recommend the best wine we spend together a beautiful dinner with us, new friends, the ocean and the wonderful climate of peace and joy you feel when traveling and we get together in such distant places.
Back again in Rockland, one morning in disbelief that we see a cobra all black stands on the red dirt road, beautiful, (we strictly locked inside the car), looks at us defiantly, without any fear, we try to capirese a threat. Instinctively extends his neck in a defensive position (perfect for taking a few pictures) and then when we realized we had more fear of him, he went silent. Since then I have not walked through the bushes with his nose in the air to watch eagles and overhangs, but very focused on my step. You always learn something from the experience ...
We wander for days as hermits, unfortunately do not meet many local climbers, the only arrive on weekends because the majority live in Cape Town and then a three hour drive. They are all very friendly and motivated, happy to found each step; devote hours to show to tourists like us. When released a new line are enthusiastic and fast write
the chosen name and the exact location for a future guide. We have the chance to meet Justin Hankins and Fred Nicole us the news from the show including a new sector, then Shaun and Scott, you guys supermotivati very kind every time we spend half a day to take us to the hidden blocks. It seems strange that a place as big as this has very few practitioners, the cliffs are more interesting, but maybe it's just a matter of time, young people who are passionate begin on the streets, but also practice bouldering, in fact, near Cape Town are starting new areas of both blocks cliffs, rock certainly not lacking in South Africa. However the most rehearsed of the block on Friday nights are all on time to camp, try to tell what the next two days. When they see a foreigner shall inform him about the rules of the place: The entire area is considered a nature reserve, there is an agreement (very critical) between climbers and managers of the park, you absolutely can not change the environment by cutting trees or putting spit on louder passages. After the paper work curious and proud of their "playground" want to know our judgment as foreigners, we have seen other places around the world: I like it here? The blocks are worse or better than famous places like Hueco Tanks? How we can respond accurately to a question like that ... at Hueco Tanks, along with everyone, every day you feel integrated into boulderistico, here during the week there's nobody here you are free to go wherever you want, there are at Hueco strong restrictions. In both places, the rocks are beautiful and certainly not enough of a vacation for a month scale them all. Rockland in my opinion is certainly one of the most beautiful places I've seen, I think it is useless to make a list with rankings, every place has something that you can not find elsewhere, you may like more or less than others, but the feelings and emotions you feel are always different and personal.
We personally in Rockland we will be back for sure.
Access:
From Cape Town take the N7 north. After about 3 hours we arrive at the crossing for "Clanwilliam"
, Follow it for a few minutes to the village.
Arrived on the left you will see a petrol station, after a pharmacy. If you turn right you enter the country if you continue straight for another 5/6 km. you get to the blocks after the first 3 km the road becomes a gravel road, look carefully through the bushes because often there are baboons. The parking areas are visible from the side of the road, the first is 1 km. about before the camp, about 3 km after the utimo.
- To the east side parking area to the left of the road in an apparent square, 1 km. prior to camp, walk back to 100 mt. And you turn left onto a track between bushes. (Follow the little men of stone.)
- For the camping area, park your car at the campsite and climb into the houses and blocks of cement.
- For areas Fortress boulders, boulders Road Crew, Roadside boulders, continue for 3 km. After the camp, on a long climb to the top where you see a wrecked car upside down on the right, there to enter the mall and follow the dirt road for 100 meters. to the gate. (We recommend you download maps from websites: www.rockaddiction.co.za , www.bouldering.co.za ).
Approaches:
In areas near the camp site (East Side, River side, Camping area) where there are boulders as "Rasta roof, The new Arch, John Denver, The egg, Kingdom in the Sky, Au bored de l'eau, etc.." Is walking 10 to 30 minutes. In higher areas, (Fortress boulders, boulders Road Crew, Roadside boulders), there are passages like "Ulana Batar, Amandla, Nutsa, Pendragon, Carolina, Black Eagle, Leopard quarries, Armed Response, etc..", You walk through the gate 30 to 45 minutes.
Rock:
Very compact sandstone of various colors with almost all types of sockets, mainly are notches. Absolutely to avoid scaling the day after the rain (although it's nice), the rock absorbs moisture and becomes much more delicate.
Do not clean with brushes made of iron.
Guide:
Currently in the works. On weekends it is very easy to meet a guy named Justin Hankins, is working to make a complete, work is very long because the area is really wide. The few local know who meet nearly all the steps.
Prohibitions of the park:
The park rules state that you must pay a daily entrance to an office inside the camp for several days we have tried to find someone to no avail, until we gave up. The local, however, told us that was an exception. Admission is 5 euros.
You can not enter the park by car, then you go into any area, park in designated areas and walk.
Where to stay:
Along the street for blocks of Rockland, on the right there is an obvious campsite where you can sleep in tents and campers. There is no electricity. Only has bathrooms and showers heated by gas cylinders. It should cost 5 euros per day.
Clanwilliam offers some hotel, and delightful guest house for rent. For general information: www.clanwilliam.info
Where we stayed cost us about 12 euros per person per day. A very comfortable house with all the conveniences. For those interested in the same, call Alicia: +27-4821603 Home phone, mobile: 083-6833338, e-mail: liciae@mweb.co.za
Best time:
The seasons are reversed, so our summer is their winter, from May to mid September is the best time, in July it could rain often. Always bring a complete clothing because the weather changes quickly.
Vaccinations:
You do not need any kind of vaccination.
Useful tips:
- Rockland is full of beautiful lines, the problem is finding them. Get an approximate general before leaving on what to try, and when you ask the local climbers on site, will show the exact location, and who knows them well and took steps.
- You can drink the tap water, and mega-zanzaroni which met in May in the night they are harmless.
- The restaurants are excellent, especially for meat and fish.
- A few accept credit cards, bring a little 'cash. You often find ATMs.
- Be careful in the big cities to small thefts of wallets.
- Even if we later realized that the markets it is customary to haggle prices may go down a lot, even third.
Most used language:
English
Websites of interest:
