DWARSKERSBOS HOLIDAY RESORT AND CAMPING

Dwarskersbos Holiday Resort and Camping September 2024

Table of Contents

Dwarskersbos is a municipal caravan park in Dwarskersbos near Velddrif on the Cape West Coast.

Dwarskersbos Holiday Resort and Camping — *Strandlelie, Red Babiana, Rooi Bobbejaantjie on the beach near Dwarskersbos*

Sunset at Dwarskersbos Holiday Resort and Camping — *Sunset over St Helena Bay from Dwarskersbos*

It is an old campsite but is well-kept. The resort offers 125 campsites, 12 luxury chalets and 5 rondavels.

We camped on campsite 12 with 11 on the corner opposite the rondavels.

When we were there, fibre contractors stayed in one of the rondavels and a tent next to us. We did not experience any problems but they went out early in the mornings, which may disrupt certain campers.

On this side of the resort (around campsites 11, 30, and opposite 118 – 120), the ablutions are older and the shower cubicles are smaller than in the ablutions near stand 27 where we were initially booked. We made a mistake in choosing Stand 12 for its shade. The smaller cubicles lead to water flowing out of the cubicle door into the passage.

If we camp at Dwarskersbos again, we will probably camp more on the southern side. We were initially allocated stand 27, which is a better choice than stand 12, where we camped.

Stands 20 and 25 are directly opposite the laundry and more modern ablutions with nice, large shower cubicles. The laundry offers two Samsung washing machines, which are free to use, and a scullery.

There are an increasing number of campsites that offer free washing machines. We first encountered it at Lake Pleasant Resort in Sedgefield where the owner told me that it is financially better for him to buy new Samsung machines every 3 to 5 years than to buy industrial machines at three times the price of a household washing machine, and then still have to pay for call-outs and maintenance when the machines give problems.

Dwarskersbos Male Ablutions

Dwarskersbos Holiday Resort and Camping ablution

Dwarskersbos Holiday Resort and Camping male ablution

Dwarskersbos Holiday Resort and Camping abllutions

Dwarskersbos Holiday Resort and Camping bathroom

As usual we had the weekender campers which usually don’t pose any problems.

At Dwarskersbos we had a caravan club from the Cape who were especially loud and kept going until early morning. Partying weekenders and holidaymakers do not give us problems because we enjoy the buzz of the weekends after the usual quiet midweek camping.

Unfortunately, we had neighbours who threw firewood on the back of their bakkie and slammed doors without regard for the campers around them in the early morning hours. We also had to listen to teenagers discussing their love lives right next to our caravan.

We learned later on that other campers complained about the noise.

This is an example of stereotyping that one encounters. The club members loudly complained that “the old people” complained, thereby labelling all senior campers as fun spoilers. In fact, we have often found that the people who complain about other campers are weekend campers with only two or three nights of camping available and who do not want to endure the disruption by other campers.

Generally, long-term campers do not complain often because we know the camp will be alive over weekends and holidays. We enjoy the weekend laughter and conversations of the short-term campers because on Monday we have our quiet camp back!

I must mention that we had locals (some farmers and business people from Piketberg and surroundings) with small children, before the club arrived, and they were a pleasure to have around.

We also encounter many interesting people at every place we camp.

One afternoon, two weary cyclists pedalled into Dwarskersbos en pitched their one-man tents next to the ablutions near us.

That’s how I got to meet Shaheed and Charles who cycled for 13 days on a circle route in the Western and Northern Cape and were on their way back home.

These two are excellent examples of retirees refusing to act old, and I hope they reached their homes safely.

Shaheed Koelenberg and Charles van Wyk at Dwarskersbos Holiday Resort and Camping — Shaheed Koetenberg (63) and Charles van Wyk (65) spent a night at Dwarskersbos after cycling for 13 days from Bishop Lavis in the Cape through Ceres, Prins Alfred Hamlet, Tankwa National Park, the Cedar Mountains, Doringrivier, Wuppertal, Clanwilliam, Lambers Bay, Elands Bay and Dwarskersbos on their way to Saldanha, Yzerfontein and back home.

Elands Bay

We visited Elands Bay Campsite and were not impressed.

Although we would not camp at Elands Bay, the ablutions were clean and many campers will be quite happy to camp there.

The receptionist told us that 4 permanent campers had an agreement with the municipality that owns the campsite. They do accommodate long-term campers for up to 10 months.

Redelinghuys

What we learned in our first 20 months of camping is that you must visit the unknown places to stumble on the gems.

Such was our visit to Redelinghuys.

*Elmie Smit, owner of the art gallery at Redelinghuys*

We drove through this small and quiet town, saw the church that burnt down several years ago due to a problem in the Vodacom wiring in the tower, and ended up at the Sandveld Dorpshuys at 14 Voortrekker Street.

It houses the Sandveld Gallery en Koffie Winkel, owned by Elmie Smit. She actively promotes artists who live in Redelinghuys. Call her at 072 833 0291.

*Coffee, Cappuccino and cake at Sandveld Gallery and Koffiewinkel*

The Sandveld Dorpshuys and the Vensterklip Guest Farm and Restaurant between Elands Bay and Redelinghuys (at the turn-off to Leipoldtville) are two places you must visit if you travel through the area.

Click for the map to Sandveld Gallery en Koffiewinkel

*Restaurant at Sandveld Gallery en Koffie Winkel*

*Nachos and Avo at the Vensterklip Restaurant*

Sandveld Dorpshuys Campsite

Camping in Redelinghuys — *Sandveld Dorpshuys campsite*

Aurora

Our Western Cape friends, Andre and Marieta of Seekasteel in Langebaan where we spent July while having our tent repaired, joined us for a week at Dwarskersbos.

They took us to the little town of Aurora where we met Ancois at her restaurant and venue, Koekeloer en Koffiemoer.

It is these surprises that are the spice of our camping life. As we parked in front of her restaurant, Ancois came out to greet us with a friendly smile and an invitation to take a seat in her special venue.

It often is in the small towns that we encounter unexpected experiences, products, and dishes.

*Lupine with the town of Aurora in the background*

Koekeloer en Koffiemoer in Aurora — Citrus sponge cake with cheesecake layers.
Well worth the drive out to Aurora.

Map to Koekeloer en Koffiemoer

West Coast National Park

We also had time to visit the West Coast National Park with Andre, Marieta, and their friends.

We saw all the flowers we could have hoped for during this day trip.

We were really fortunate to have seen the 2024 flowers although we did not plan a flower tour because we were too early for the flower season. It turned out that the season showed up early to accommodate us.

Better we could not have hoped for!