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Ceres
Cape Town - South Africa
Looking for Snow?
Phone Ceres Tourism at 023 316 1287, Fax: 023 312 3708 or 086 5050 455
to find out if any has fallen!
The fields around Ceres covered in snow
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When the cold weather and storms hit Cape Town certain areas in the mountainous
region normally get snow.We were told that it had snowed on all the mountains but
were unable to see the snow as the tops of the
mountains were covered by clouds.Ceres however reported snow in the town, an event
which has not happened for 50 years.
When it snows in Ceres the whole of Cape Town will make its
way there. Snow on the ground causes mile long traffic jams in the middle of the karoo where there is normally no traffic at all..
Having experienced one of the jams in previous years
I visited Ceres on a weekday knowing that traffic would not be too bad.
When we arrived in Ceres the temperature in the town was
about 9.5 degrees celsius and there was no snow about.
We were told by the locals to go out of town to the
Bo Swaarmoed Pass in the Matroosberge. (Sailor Mountains)
When we arrived at the bottom of the pass there was evidence
of snow on the side of the road and little parcels
on the hillside above the road.
Nothing to write home about as I had seen that much
before on previous visits.
As we made our way up the mountain pass the temperature
dropped steadily and was soon at about 2 degrees. For us
Capeys that is cold! We are used to 10 or 12 degrees
being the coldest we experience in the middle of winter.
On the way up the pass we passed a number of cars parked and people
playing in the little patches of snow on the mountainside.
I was beginning to get disappointed until we rounded a bend
in the road and there before us was this fantastic winter wonderland.
For as far as we could see the farmlands below and above
us were covered with snow.
We are not used to snow and to see so much of it
is really an experience to remember.
What was really beautiful were the pine trees that were
covered in snow. Some so heavily laden that their
branches were collapsing from the weight.
Pine trees with their heavy coating of snow
The snow on the side of the roads and on the fields was
about a half a metre deep in places and of course there
were hundreds of snowmen being built.
Many people built them on the bonnets of their
cars and drove home with them there.
What was really great was that everybody was having fun.
So many smiles and cameras and so many friendly people.
The snow fights were something to behold with people
ducking behind moving cars to avoid a snowballs being thrown at them.
There were even a couple of guys out with their
huskies and sledges in the snow.
I thought that you might only find them in Canada.
What was really great was that the further we went up
the mountain the better the snow became and we even
experienced the snow falling.
Something that not many of us Capeys have done before.
The temperature kept dropping and hit its low at .5 degrees celsius.
Thats really cold for us, but when we ventured out of
the car it was actually quite warm. It was colder
at 9 degrees when we arrived home than at .5 degrees in the mountains.
Ceres is built in what appears to be a crater of a large volcano.
What was so beautiful was that every mountain was covered
in snow and Ceres looked as if it had on its halo.
I've been around for more than 50 years and
have never experienced snow like this.
Its such a pity that many more people were not able to
experience the beauty of this winter wonderland on our doorstep.
Phone the Ceres tourist office at Tel: 023 316 1287, Fax: 023 312 3708 or 086 5050 455
to find out whether there is snow in the Bo Swaarmoed area and if there is take the day off to go and play in it.
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Contact Details
Email
Geoff Fairman
6 Bothma Street, Monte Vista 7460 South Africa
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