Retreat-Doringlaagte Camping & Chalets

Take a seat at this quiet

- Richard van Ryneveld

A serious dose of cabin fever had built up and I was off on my first adventure of 2020. My escapade began when I fetched the Isuzu D-Max with a rooftop tent in Cape Town and ambled up the N2 to my home in Greyton. This gave me a chance to pack all my cameras and camping gear. After a pit stop or rather a pie stop, in Riviersonderend, I headed on to Montagu to my first campsite of the trip. I love turning left off the N2 at Stormsvlei, for the scenic drive across to Bonnievale and on to Montagu. The Stormsvlei Farmstall and Restaurant is also well worth a visit when in the area. Soon I was on my way to the Doringlaagte Camping & Chalets, a few kilometers outside the town of Montagu.

Friends of mine, Brett and Cindy Byrne, who live in Montagu said, “It’s a really great campsite, we once stayed there for two weeks.” As they are seasoned campers, I heeded the Byrne’s advice. In fact, I had an escort to Doringlaagte. Not the blue light brigade but rather Brett, on an off-road motorbike who was waiting in Montagu’s main road as an escort. Shortly after the Doringlaagte entrance gate, Brett stopped. We were looking over at a row of cottages with lovely green lawns. In front of the cottages was a large dam but the water level in the dam was quite low. Brett explained, “It’s hard to believe, but this dam stretched all the way to the reception building in the far distance. It is the terrible drought we’ve experienced here. But it will hopefully fill up again soon,” he added.