Cederberg
The
Cederberg
Wilderness Area covers an area
of approximately 85 000ha and is situated east of Clanwilliam.
It derives its name from the numerous cedar trees that grow in the area, some of which are more than 1000 years old. - Hiking trails. - Home to various
rare plant species such as
the Clanwilliam Cedar and the Snowball Protea. - Presently the only
leopard conservation area
in the country. - Unique rock
formations include the Wolfberg
Arch, Townhall caves, Soldier's head, Maltese Cross, - The - Rock art The Cederberg is so diverse in form and structure, so valuable for its plants and animals and so unique in its landscape, that any nature lover, hiker or mountaineer will find its opportunities and challenges difficult to exhaust. An extensive
network (254 km) of unmarked, well maintained, footpaths are laid out
and excellent rock climbing opportunities exist. The length of your
hike is limited only by the weight of the provisions you can carry on
your back.
LANDSCAPE AND GEOLOGY The Cederberg is famous for its spectacular rock formations. The best known are the Wolfberg Cracks, Wolfberg Arch, Maltese Cross and Stadsaal Caves. These rocks are composed of sandstone and shale formations of the Cape Supergroup. The formations were deposited between 500 and 345 million years ago. Some formations such as the Bokkeveld Group are rich in marine fossils such as trilobites, brachiopods and crinoids. (Please remember that all fossils are National Monuments, protected by Law, and may not be disturbed or removed). The Cederberg gives its name to the Cederberg Formation, a narrow shale band that is locally referred to as "Die Trap" or in English "The Step", because of its characteristic manner in which it weathers. The harder sandstone and quartzitic formations such as the Peninsula, Nardouw and Witteberg tend to form the higher mountainous areas, while the softer shale formations such as the Bokkeveld and Cederberg form fertile valleys. The Cederberg's spectacular rock formations result from a number of factors including the flat lying nature of the geology, well defined fracture and jointing patterns, chemical composition of the rocks, climatic conditions and time. |
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Maltese Cross
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| Wolfsberg Arch
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Stadsaal Caves
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Bushmans Paintings
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WILDLIFE Baboons, dassies, grey rhebok, klipspringers, duiker and grysbok are fairly common here. Although porcupine, honeybadger, Cape clawless otter and aardvark occur here, they are seldom seen. The leopard is the Cederberg's largest predator, and is fairly common although very shy. Smaller predators include African wild cat, lynx, bat-eared fox, aardwolf and Cape fox. The small grey mongoose and striped polecat are often seen. Various interesting rodents occur, including the spectacled dormouse. More than 100 bird species occur here, with black eagle, rock kestrel and jackal buzzard the most common raptors. The armadillo lizard is one of the endemic retiles occurring in the Cederberg. About 16 snake species are found here, the most common being berg adder, puff adder and black spitting cobra. The Clanwilliam
yellowfish, Clanwilliam redfin minnow and fiery redfin minnow are but a
few of the threatened fish species endemic to the area. |
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| The Cederberg Nature Reserve lies some
200km north of Cape Town. This vast area stretches from the Middelberg
Pass at Citrusdal to the north of Pakhuis Pass at Clanwilliam,
encompassing some 85 000ha of rugged, mountainous terrain. The expanse
comprises of the Cederberg Wilderness Area 66 876ha, the Cederberg
State Forest 4 124ha and the Matjiesrivier Nature Reserve 12 800ha,
which was purchased by WWF-SA in 1994. This integrated conservation and
development plan covers the entire area referred to as the Cederberg
Wilderness. This large pristine wilderness of mountainous terrain conserves a phenomenal diversity of Fynbos, succulent Karoo plants and endemic freshwater fish. The high altitude mountain peaks provide not only stunning scenery and wonderful rock formations, but also unusual sub alpine habitats. The reserve derives its name from the charismatic but rare Cedar tree, which is being restored to its former importance through pro-active conservation programmes. The Cederberg Wilderness is located in one of the most species-rich areas in the Cape Floral Kingdom, and has one of the highest concentrations of threatened plant species. The area lies in a highly significant transition zone linking elements of mountain and arid Fynbos with the flora of the succulent Karoo biome. Cederberg Nature Reserve boasts with diverse and largely unspoilt plant habitats, which provide shelter and hunting grounds for various fauna, such as Leopard and Black eagle. The Oliphant’s River system, part of which runs through the Cederberg Wilderness, has a wealth of endemic fish species. Bird watchers can view more than 100 bird species at the reserve, such as Rock Kestrel and Jackal Buzzard. The original inhabitants of the Cederberg area were the hunter-gatherers and the Khoi. Evidence of the occupation by the Khoi may be seen in the rock art of the area. These rock paintings record the social and spiritual history of the Later Stone Age people, reflecting their interaction with Khoi pastoralists who moved into the area within the past 1 600 years. The Cederberg Nature Reserve offers unsurpassed outdoor activities and facilities including hiking, rock climbing, photography, camping and rustic overnight accommodation. The Cederberg Mountains form part of the Cape folded mountain series and consist mainly of Table Mountain sandstone. Weathered sandstone formations, most notably the Wolfberg Arch and the Maltese Cross, are typical of the Cederberg. The mountains fall within the catchment area of the Cape Fynbos region, and are managed as a source of water. Rules and Conditions at Cederberg Nature Reserve: *No fires pets or fire arms are allowed *Picking of flowers or collection of seeds are strictly prohibited *Supplies can be purchased at a shop 20kms away |
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