Visit the remote Moravian mission village of Wupperthal
WRITTEN BY
Kate Bergh
LAST UPDATED
September 15, 2021
The picturesque, though dilapidated mission station of Wupperthal was founded in the early 19th century. Yet it remains quiet and seemingly untouched by the 21st century. Indeed some villagers still travelling by donkey and cart. (Though you do see a fair few satellite dishes hanging from the old white-washed thatched cottages as well.)
Wupperthal Mission still remains the heart of a small subsistence-farming community. It is home to a local industry producing the famous velskoene which are traditional soft leather shoes. These are very comfortable and well worth a purchase.
Wuppethal also has another curious claim to fame. It has kept the old tradition of Rieldances alive. And so successfully that a troupe of rieldancers (see picture below) went to the USA and actually won the World Folk Dance competition a few years ago.
It’s a small village, so the journey TO the village, as much as the destination, is the adventure. Note that it takes approx 60 to 75 minutes (67km) to get to Wupperthal from Clanwilliam or Cederberg Ridge, through the folded mountains of the unique Tanqua-Karoo scenery.
Tips for Combining with Other Sights:
We recommend combining a visit to Wupperthal with the Sevilla rock art trail which is en route (allow 2½ to 3 hours for the walking trail).
Similarly during the flower season (August), you could add on a visit to Wupperthal to a visit to the Biedouw Valley, (as you pass through the Biedouw valley en route to Wupperthal.) It is only another 13km (or 12-15 minutes drive) on from the Bieudouw Valley turnoff.
Notes: Wupperthal is not part of our excursions at Cederberg Ridge. So it can only be visited on a self-drive basis. The first 42km is tar (and takes 35 minutes or so.) The remaining road (26km or 25-30 minutes) is grave. It can be very corrugated (bumpy) in places. We strongly recommend an SUV-type vehicle.
Simbavati Cederberg Ridge owner, Kate Bergh, shares the benefits to selecting our Full Board and Activities option
When Simbavati Cederberg Ridge opened its doors, we naturally wanted to accommodate people who were passing through the Cederberg, as well as those coming to spend a few days at our wilderness lodge. So we offered a Dinner, Bed & Breakfast rate.
However, this does not suit most guests best, and many of them don't realise it until they stay. If you're staying for longer than 1 night and planning on enjoying some activities while you take in the Cederberg splendour, the Full Board and Activities option is ideal.
Benefits of booking Full Board & Activities
It’s the best value for money, if you plan on doing excursions during your stay rather than to book Dinner, Bed & Breakfast and pay for activities and lunch when you arrive
You get first choice in the activities
There is less to pay when you’re on holiday, as you’ve paid more in advance. (We even have a drinks supplement so that you can pay for that ahead of time as well, if you wish)
Some Value Adds are included in the Full Board and Activity rate, such as the complimentary use of E-Bikes and ad hoc yoga classes
We take care of your stay. You don’t have to research what there is to do in the area. Simply select which planned activities you feel like doing each day. Fewer decisions makes for more down-time
The extra cost of booking Full Board and Activities is much less if you stay for 3 or 4 nights. Our long stay offers are 50% off your 3rd night's stay or stay 4 nights but only pay for 3 nights
Linger a little longer
The lodge is an inviting place to relax and unwind. The Cederberg beckons to be explored and the views are an allure to stay and breathe for a while. That’s why we encourage longer stays of 3 nights or more.
Though we have enough activities to entertain guests for 4 night stays or longer, we will gladly swap out a morning or afternoon activity for a 30 minute treatment in the spa.
We compare the Cederberg to the rest of the Western Cape during winter, sharing the top reasons to visit this wilderness in the cooler months of the year.
IT'S WARMER
Daytime temperatures are typically 5°C warmer than Cape Town with a sunny Cederberg winter’s day averaging at around 21°C-23°C. Cederberg's winter is much shorter than elsewhere in the Cape, typically spanning from mid/late May and ending in early August.
IT'S DRIER
Cederberg rains do fall in the winter but its classified as a semi-arid area, with only 180mm of rain per year. The region gets only one third of the amount of rain Cape does Town, at most.
IT'S GORGEOUSLY GREEN
Winter in the Cederberg is beautiful and green. It's described as a rejuvenating time of the year, where the landscapes seems to flourish. Colours change from browns to vibrant greens, the flowers bloom, and crisp air adds to the refreshing sense that winter brings.
Simbavati Cederberg Ridge owner, Kate Bergh says, "The jagged sandstone rock formations of the Cederberg, with their burnt orange colour, are even more striking at this time of the year surrounded by the vibrant veld. It is quite simply, a beautiful place to visit."
ACTIVE DAYS
During a Cederberg winter your days are not ruled by the hot African sun and its limitations on your schedule. The milder, temperate climate means time can be spent comfortably exploring the great outdoors.
Savour a lie in followed by a leisurely breakfast and then head out for a long walk. Alternatively, you can enjoy an excursion in the morning and a bike ride in the afternoon sun.
KEEPING COSY
Early mornings are cold, but Simbavati Cederberg Ridge is a lodge built to withstand both the summer heat and the winter morning cold. Underfloor heating and log-burning fireplaces make the suites very cosy. The main lodge also has a fireplace in the library, dining room and sitting room, for when it is a little chilly.
FLOWERS&FYNBOS
Cederberg celebrates an early spring, compared to the rest of the Cape. Depending on the rains, the spring flowers bloom from late July to September, along with the early flowering fynbos.
There is a magic in experiencing the spring flower spectacle while the rest of the country is still in winter-mode.
An escape to Simbavati Cederberg Ridge and the rugged splendour of Cederberg's wilderness is always a good idea, but is especially appealing in wintertime.
Childhood memories lead to the greatest inspiration
"South African cuisine is all about heart and home,” says Simbavati Group Executive Chef, Garth Davids, whose passion is creating good honest food in a farm to table style.
He shared a favourite personal recipe with us, representing his journey from humble beginnings as a young boy growing up in the Cape Town suburb of Mitchell’s Plain, to the Chef he is today.
What did Chef Garth’s childhood taste like?
Chicken liver, a staple dish in his mother’s household, was usually served with a “smoortjie” – a sauce prepared with sauteed onion and tomato or sometimes mayonnaise. Toffee apples were also a much-loved treat in his neighbourhood and were usually enjoyed with his friends on the walk home from a cricket match. Finally, he fondly recalls the basket of fruit, always available on the kitchen counter and the scent of the fruit that greeted him when he returned home.
Chef Garth chose to combine these ingredients to bring these childhood memories to life through this recipe.
RECIPE
Chicken liver and brandy Parfait, burnt apple served on toasted brioche, truffle onion puree, mixed berry coulis and toffee apple
Preparation:
Ingredients For the chicken liver parfait:
250g chicken livers (deveined and cleaned)
15ml olive oil
80g finely chopped onion
80g chopped apples
5g rosemary
5g garlic
50ml brandy
200g soft butter
Method:
Add olive oil to pan along with the onions, garlic and rosemary
Sauté until onions are translucent, then add in the chopped apples and cook for 10 mins
Add the brandy and allow alcohol to evaporate
Remove mixture from heat and set aside.
In a separate pan heat up oil until pan is nice and hot slightly smoking, then add your chicken livers and cook until medium rare not all the way through
Remove from heat and add to apple and onion mixture
Place mixture into a blender on medium speed and slowly add the soft butter. bit by bit, until all the butter is incorporated
Once the butter is incorporated, remove from blender and strain through a sieve
Line a container with cling wrap and pour strained mixture into container and allow to set in fridge for about 4 to 8 hours
Ingredients for the onion puree:
2 white onions sliced
¼ teaspoon truffle oil
5g garlic
5g thyme finely chopped
50ml fresh cream
30ml olive oil
Method:
Place all ingredients into a pot and cook very slowly until onions are soft and caramelized
Once mixture is ready, blend until smooth and add in the truffle oil
Place into a squeegee bottle.
Ingredients for the baby toffee apples
1 can baby apples (Liberty or Goldcrest brand)
200g white sugar
50g glucose
50 ml water
Method:
Add sugar, glucose and water into a sauce pan and bring to a boil, once mixture is boiling turn the heat low and cook very slowly
Do not stir sugar with a spoon, Rather gently swivel the pan around or side to side to keep mixture from burning
Heat the sugar to hard crack stage (156 degrees Celsius)
Once sugar reaches temperature, remove from heat, take skewer sticks and pierce them into the apples
Dip each apple, one by one, until each apple is fully coated
Leave apples to harden
Ingredients for mixed berry coulis:
2 cups frozen mixed berries
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
5g cornstarch
Method:
Place berries, water and sugar in a saucepan and bring to a boil until sugar is dissolved
Add cornstarch and cook for 10 mins until mixture thickens and cornstarch is completely cooked out
Place mixture in a blender and blend until smooth
Pass mixture through a sieve to remove berry seeds, then place in a squeegee bottle
Ingredients for the burnt apple:
1 whole apple peeled and sliced into wedges
Method:
Place sliced apples into a tray and blow torch until apples are charred.
If you do not have a blow torch you can hold them over an open gas flame to give them a charred colour.
To Assemble:
Slice store bought brioche bread and toast until golden brown.
Place in the center of the plate, quenelle the chicken liver pate’ and place on top of brioche.
Pipe four small dots of onion puree on and around the brioche, place the burnt apple and toffee apple on either side of the parfait. Place small dots of berry coulis around the brioche and lastly garnish with fennel shoots.
Let us do the cooking
If you’d prefer Chef Garth to cook for you, performing some of his culinary mastery, stay with us at Simbavati Cederberg Ridge where the food offering is as memorable as the setting.