I picked up some unusual travelling literature on a recent trip through Namibia, a book called ‘Faraway Sandy Trails’ written by Lily Marion Newton more than sixty years ago. It gave me the opportunity to compare routes and find amusing and interesting anecdotes about the country and the days of travel before organised tourism and tar roads.
When I opened the book to the chapter on the Fish River Canyon, I was thrilled. It’s an area that I travel to regularly and which holds a special place in my heart. Lily’s description of their adventurous journey is astounding compared to the ease of travelling there today.
When her husband, Charles, was relocated to Namibia (South West then) for work purposes, they moved - lock, stock and barrel - to Windhoek and, advised by friends, spent their free time exploring the country. ‘There is something you must see,’ a friend had told Charles, ‘a wonderful sight! The Canyon! Fish River Canyon! I’ll tell you how to get there.’
The first time they attempted the voyage they had great difficulty finding the way because it was virtually unknown. Lily wrote: ‘We reached Holoog in the early afternoon and the railway official, who seemed a bit hazy about the whereabouts of the Canyon, directed us to Oom Gert’s farm - as he called it - where we could most assuredly be set on the right track.’ Oom Gert was most hospitable, described the road in detail and warned them about the suddenness with which one comes upon the edge of the canyon. “You won’t know it’s there,” he said, “for you go up a rise and then, bang! the earth vanishes!”
Oom Gert told them about the mountain zebras that grazed on a large plateau, but he added that they might already be extinct as there were so few of them left at the time. He also mentioned how people from a neighbouring farm had climbed up to the plateau but were unable to climb down into the canyon because the lower walls were vertical and they were unsure of the nature of the soil and rock. As Lily and Charles were leaving, he called out: “Come back tomorrow and tell me what you think of it.”
They found that, as Oom Gert had described, the track crossed low-lying plains, skirted koppies and forded sandy rivers before it turned north into a narrow valley with fairly steep hills on the east side and a long ascent stretching up unbrokenly on the left. Eventually they reached a dead end where the track grew faint and they asked a shepherd if he knew the way. He pointed to the slope on the left. “Up there,” he replied in Afrikaans, “be very careful you do not drive over the edge.” Lily described how they followed the faint track and although the gradient wasn’t too steep, they had to drive in second gear because of the loose broken pieces of rock. Near the summit they glimpsed a cliff on their right and decided to walk the rest of the way on foot.
She wrote: ‘At the brink we stood entranced; the immensity of the Canyon leaves one breathless.’ They ‘were lost in awed amazement.’
They returned to Oom Gert’s farm the following day on their return and with coffee in hand reported on the magnificent scenery. “I knew you’d find it inspiring: it’s a rare, unique sight!” he remarked with satisfaction.’
Lily and Charles visited the canyon again a few years later and found a huge signboard ‘Afgrond’ (Precipice), warning visitors not to approach too closely to the edge. They noticed that a few signposts with directions had also been erected. Over the years there were more visitors and the roads improved.
Today, of course, there is a good gravel road from Holoog and the way is clearly signposted, as is the route from the south to Hobas and the main canyon viewpoints. I am happy to say that there are many Hartmann mountain zebra in the canyon surrounds. Later on in Lily’s account, she mentions that a group of men from Cape Town had managed to reach the river and explore the bottom of the canyon, although it was hazardous and challenging. Many hikers have since enjoyed the popular five-day Fish River Canyon trail from Hobas to Ai-Ais in the depths of the canyon.
As for the awe-inspiring immensity of the canyon. Well, there are some things that do remain the same and nature’s majesty is one of them. It still leaves you breathless as you stand on the rim looking out in amazement at the sheer craggy beauty where the earth opens up into a big smile.