Mountain bikers that have signed up for the inaugural Cederberg Prestige (03 – 05 February 2012) or the Ride the Rock MTB Race (10 – 12 February 2012) can look forward to a mountain biking experience like no other.  Mountain bikers that have not yet entered still have limited time to do so.

According to Michael Meyer, Director of Stillwater Sport & Entertainment, both the Cederberg Prestige and Ride the Rock MTB Race will give riders the opportunity to ride on the most spectacular routes in the heart of South Africa’s Cederberg Conservancy.  “Corporate groups, friends or the ‘not-so-competitive’ rider will find the Cederberg Prestige to be the perfect fit for their mountain biking needs.  Whereas the more competitive rider will feel right at home with the Ride the Rock MTB Race.  Both events will take place over a three day period (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) with riders enjoying a three night stay (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) in this majestic region.  The Cederberg is a vast wilderness waiting to be explored, additional attractions include wine tasting, rock art sites, wonderful natural pools, hiking, rock climbing and more,” says Meyer.

To enter the Cederberg Prestige and/or Ride the Rock MTB Race visit www.cederbergevents.co.za.  For further information contact Stillwater Sport & Entertainment on 086 138 3591 or email entries@stillwatersports.com

Some 700 learners in the Western Cape town of Clanwilliam have been busy over the past week interpreting and re-enacting a story told by the /Xam (Cape San) people who occupied the area they live in today countless years ago. The story holds a modern-day lesson for the children, and is chosen each year from an archive of San narratives recorded by colonial linguists Lucy Lloyd and Wilhelm Bleek in the 1870s. This archive has formed the basis for the Fairheads/UCT Clanwilliam Arts Project which is an ongoing collaboration between the University of Cape Town and Magnet Theatre and funded by the Fairheads financial services group. Richard Krepelka, CEO of Fairheads, says Fairheads has supported the project for 11 years. In 2010 the company won a Business & Arts SA (BASA) award in the category of youth development. “Fairheads’ business is about transforming the lives of children through beneficiary funds. These are funds set up to manage the death benefits of deceased retirement fund members on behalf of their minor dependants, principally allowing them to get educated. “So too in the Clanwilliam project, children’s lives are transformed through the creative power of the performing arts. Children are exposed to a world beyond poverty and substance abuse,” said Mr Krepelka. Mark Fleishman, Associate Professor and Head of UCT Drama, says the narrative chosen for this year’s project is “The Lions, the crows and the little tortoise.” [See transcript below]. “To us today, the story sounds weird – there are elements of cannibalism, reincarnation and a tortoise lodges itself in a lion’s head to warn people of the lions approaching. Yet to the /Xam there once existed an Early Time, a First Order in which animals were people, and the story would have had cultural significance.” The Clanwilliam learners have explored the theme in a week-long workshop involving dance, storytelling, shadow puppetry, and arts and crafts, such as the construction of larger-than-life illuminated figures based on traditional San themes. The workshop facilitators are from the Michaelis School of Fine Art, the UCT Drama department and Magnet Theatre. The workshops end in a performance at which the results are enacted for the community. The performance is based on /Xam storytelling elements, including fire dancing, music and mythical objects made by the learners. It is preceded by a lantern-lit procession through the streets of the community in which the children live.

At the end of winter the barren district of Clanwilliam turns into a rich tapestry of bright colours, while the Ramskop Wild Flower Reserve at the Clanwilliam Dam Resort, becomes a floral showcase.
This results in considerable activity in and around the Old Dutch Reformed Church, one of a number of historic buildings. Inside, diligent volunteers create a man-made landscape representing each of Clanwilliam’s distinct areas. Visitors pour in to enjoy the splendour and to learn about our amazing natural heritage. 
The show is held from 25 August till 31 August 2011. The design of the exhibition is planned earlier in the year by a special design committee.  Consisting of wooden crates, straw bales and sand, the construction of the basic structure usually starts three or four weeks before the opening of the show.  About four days before the opening the mountain flora and other flowers with a long life are picked and ‘planted’ in the display, while the frail and tenderer plants and blooms are placed in position during the last days.

Visit their website for more information on all the activities during the Clanwilliam Wild Flower Show www.clanwilliamwildflowershow.co.za

Join us on a 12 km walk to Heuningvlei, which today is one of the nine outposts of the Moravian Mission station Wupperthal, on Saturday the 27th August at 09h00. The Cederberg Wilderness was recently proclaimed one of eight Heritage sites within the Cape Floristic Region. En route visitors will see the rare and endangered Clanwilliam cedar, fynbos vegetation including reeds, proteas and ericas, as well as endemics (found nowhere else in the world) such as the tolbos and perdekop. If you’re lucky you might spot the footprint of the elusive Cape mountain leopard. On arrival a light lunch will be served by the residents. The walkers are transferred back to Pakhuis Pass by donkey cart (or those who prefer may choose to also walk back). Bookings are essential, R80 per person for lunch and permit and  R200 per person for lunch, permit and transfer back to Pakhuis Pass by donkey cart. Tel 027 482 2763 or email to paterson@lando.co.za.

The Biedouw Valley is currently looking stunning. The rains we had and the ones that are yet to come will provide the flowers with enough water to keep them nice and fresh for a bit longer. They will look their best as from now until the end of Augusts. Rather come sooner than later. See you all soon!!