October 22, 2025
Kamieskroon
Breakfast was only served from seven o'clock but we were able to hit the road by ten to eight - just enough time at the buffet to demonstrate to the Springbok Inn how two hungry cycle tourists can ruin their costing calculations.
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The first part of the ride was a suprisingly hilly roller coaster but this was followed by a magnificent downhill, payment for which soon followed in the form of a climb with more than 400 meters of net gain. However, the challenge for today was the heat with a northerly wind that had been blowing since last night. This meant that the minimum temperature this morning was 22 and it eventually reached about 36 degrees.
Nonetheless, it was a very enjoyable ride through the granite hills that occur in this part of Namaqualand. The traffic was far lighter than expected and very accommodating making it a stress free ride.
Kamieskroon lies in the heart of Namaqualand. The area is known for the spring wildflowers which erupt after the winter rains. Much of its tourism is squeezed into the few weeks that the flowers are on display. There is no guarantee as to the intensity or length of the flowering so it must be risky for the businesses that rely on it.
The town lies below the Kamiesberge and is named after the prominant crown-shaped hill. Kroon is the Afrikaans word for crown so the hill is the crown of the Kamies mountains.
We are the only guests at the excellent campground called Kroon Lodge. The contrast with the campground at Springbok is stark. Kamieskroon is a small town with only about 900 residents. Its other accomodation options also get excellent ratings. I'm guessing the flower season forces them to keep standards high.
Tomorrow we head for Garies, the next small town down the N7. It's about twice the size of Kamieskroon and is also one of the major destinations during the flower season.
Today's ride: 67 km (42 miles)
Total: 627 km (389 miles)
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