Karoo Roads IV

Stirring Tales from Faraway Places

In this latest addition to the popular Karoo Roads book series, we take you, the reader, to the edges of our home range and deep into the Hard Man’s Land, where the stories are always the sweetest.

Come along, and meet a Buddhist monk on a farm where meditation is matched with a healthy shot of merriment. Take a seat and listen to the Story Gatherer of Williston, as she speaks of life in the Upper Karoo.

Then we follow the legendary Orange River, past and present, and hear of rock star farmers, murderers, missionaries, floods, everyday heroes and an all-woman newspaper squad.

We go coastal, digging up diamond legends and shipwreck tales, bumping into modern day mining pirates, riding the Copper Trail and discovering an explorer’s cave with very old graffiti.

On a whim and a prayer, we trace the possible passage of elephants across the Karoo. In the process, we come upon a mystical hill where the ancients made perfect art.

We spend time with the people of the Pakhuis Pass on the eastern fringe of the Cederberg and drift down to a rejuvenated village called Wupperthal. Finally, we go nougat-tasting in Merweville and uncover the secret of this little town’s success.

“You are not only entertaining with these stories, but you are playing a wonderful archiving role of preserving these well-chosen and beautifully recorded glimpses into Karoo places and culture.”

Peter Clayton, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (ret.) for Research, Rhodes University.