Touw Rivier

The Touw River, which originates in Touwsrivier near Laingsburg many kilometres away, constantly astounds us with its beauty and variations. After very good or heavy rains, it swells and grows and moodily snakes it way downstream where it joins the Groot Rivier and later, the Gouritz River. These rare moments are for meditating on the power of nature and the staggering power of water.

After a couple of days it calms to a gushing bubbling stream - chocolate box pretty.

Then it settles in the pools and perhaps stops flowing entirely. We have spent many balmy summer evenings sitting on the large white sandy beach by the permanent swimming hole; watching the sun set.

Wildlife

Wildlife on the farm includes baboons - whose occasionally noisy socialising echoing off the cliffs is very entertaining - koedoe, small antelope, jackals and wild cats - all very shy and seldomly spotted although their footprints are often found at the water's edge - small and giant tortoises lurk under bushes - pale chanting gosshawks are often seen drifting on the air currents looking for prey, or perching on poles - Owls live in the woodland by the dam; probably feeding on the ample veldmuise, shrews and other small rodents on the farm - wild ducks, geese and several other water bird species breed at the dam and the river and every now and then a spoonbill can be spotted after good rain - and best of all, we regularly hear the hauntingly beautiful call of the fish eagle.

There are of course, also spiders, scorpions, snakes, geckos and many different kinds of lizards.