A series of caches between Calvinia and Ceres on R355. This is the longest uninterrupted road between 2 towns in South Africa, 250 km. The aim is to highlight the Karoo. The road covers various areas, from typical Karoo to semi desert and succulent plants. The area is circled by various mountain ranges as one travel from Calvinia to Ceres.
The name Tankwa is derived from the Koi name “place of the great river” or “place of great water”. This must have been eons ago as the area is now very dry and on the verge of a semi desert in the middle. The slower one travel the more you will see.
The road is notorious to be a tire “eater”. Be prepared!!!
You will be traveling through the “Karoo poort”. This was the old road to Calvinia and to the north. The route was built by a descendant of Thomas Bain.
The cache is placed in a part of a stone wall that is broken down. The whole farmstead used to be a place where travellers could rest. One of the outbuildings was also used as a place of detention. The most famous or notorious was Dirk Ligter. According to legend he could outrun a horse. The is many stories of this man. Some folk lore and other true. A search for Dirk Ligter will reveal a few stories.
From here on the civilisation starts. A tar road leads the way to Ceres over the Theronsberg pass. From here you will see the first glimpse of Ceres is the distance.