Anysberg Nature Reserve

Lately work has been a little too office-bound. Now while developing good norms and standards is really important, as is writing great tender documents, it's getting into the field that makes my job worthwhile. And not the 12 hours of driving for 2 hours of site meeting kind of get into the field. No, the nice slow day pottering around the veld looking at plants kind. So I was really glad when a couple of weeks ago I had to head up to Anysberg Nature Reserve to have a look at some problematic eroded road areas.

Anysberg is in the heart of the Little Karoo - the hottest hotspot of succulent desert plants in the world. And late July to early August is the time to visit, when the Mesembryanthemums (vygies, 'little figs' in Afrikaans) are bursting into flower.



This area has some lovely bits of quartz - the mulch of white stones supporting some unique plants including a couple of species of Gibbaeum.

Even more than the fynbos the Little Karoo is best inspected up close...

Although there are animals for those less enthusiastic about plants.

Lots of interesting bits of history, derelict farmhouses, this old stone fencepost, still standing at the side of the road.

And since I work for the tourism infrastructure development section at CapeNature I can happily report that the cute little cottages are no longer painted in shades of government brown and industrial green, and are comfortably furnished and fitted with wood stoves.

And there's even an old resevoir converted to a pool.

Coming soon, a new ablution block with solar water heating, solar lights and fridges, and biogas stoves, so that we can re-open the 6 site campsite.

It's bedtime now, but I'll try to add a few more pics, links and map during the week. Feel free to email me if you want more info (click on the beans to get to a contact form that will send me a mail).