Kamieskroon environs: the Road to Leliefontein; Skilpad, and the Namaqualand Park - Day 6

The Sneeuberg of Kamieskroon in its cold morning mist, heralding Cold Weather.

On our way to Leliefontein. The Road To Leliefontein shall forever stand as a moral caution: NEVER give up on that which is desired...the way may be rough, etc....

We slogged it out: up and down and round and sideways and almost over and up and through...and gave up. Leliefonteinwas always around the next bend. Two men in a donkeycart told us so.

Afterwards, we met people who asked, Did you go to Lelifontein? It's wonderful!

Hm.

The crown of Kamieskroon.

Kamieskroon from the north.

Thanks to Colla Swart, we looked at some rock islands in the fields, at a time when many flowers were still too cold to be awake. I love moss. This stone has not rolled for a while. Sorry.

Lichen, a testament to the pristine air we were breathing, smelling of different flowers and plants as the day grew warmer.

Above: Antus holus

I saw these in a farflung spread in packed dry clay beside the dirt road on the way to Skilpad - I would say Moraea fugax but the interior markings are more diffuse. I suppose a variation?

Ornithogalum, yes, but is it polyphyllum?

The smallest flower in the world?

Pelargonium incrassatum - we first spotted these as splashes of hot pink from the freeway, at speed. They are stunning. I loved this one growing in its own rock garden.

Ah, South Africa summed up rather neatly. Acacia.

Like the ones growing in my mom's garden, but bigger, to her disgust. Anchusa capensis, about 4 feet tall.

Wow.

The outside of the wow. Gazanias. G. krebsiana. On the road to Skilpad.

Skilpad farm taking no prisoners...or...?

My mom and some biltong scones at the coffee shop at Skilpad.

We rounded a corner in the Namaqualand Park and I spotted, in a field of daisies, this cream pelargonium, one of many - my favourite of all. Pelargonium triste ("sad" - probably because it is insignificant, especially compared with one like P. incrassatum, behind - whose flowers I want to, yes, lick). It is night-scented, another feature that drew me to it originally, apart from the name, and I studied it as a child when we first moved to the Cape. I was a plant geek and wanted to know everything about pelargoniums...alas I've forgotten most of it.

Namaqualand Park again, before the Dutch tourists arrived. No wonder they dominated the spice trade...Invade the field! Invade the field!

Ursinia calenduliflora, aka Orange Daisies - same field as the pelargoniums...

Herrea blanda - big fat vygies, on the farm Skilpad. Porcupines had been digging in the field - apparently they love the tubers...

Hmmm. Windmills. Again on the farm Skilpad, right before the Namaqualand Park.