For close on seven decades, mapmaking legend Peter Slingsby has been under the Cederberg’s spell. In a new book this master storyteller distils his years of exploration, interviews and notes from the field. Cederberg the book is part history, part field guide – a heart-felt tribute to this remarkable corner of the world.
If you’ve been to the Cederberg (or even thought about visiting), you will know Peter Slingsby’s maps. They are the authoritative ones on the area. After 50 years, the Slingsby Cederberg Touring Map is now in its 16th edition. The Slingsby Cederberg Hike and Climb Map, in its 5th edition, is endorsed by CapeNature. These maps are amazingly rich documents that make the landscape come alive. Drawing on painstaking research from the field, with every path walked or driven, they layer history, nature, culture and tips for explorers. But there’s only so much you can fit on a map. In Cederberg the book, Peter tells the story behind the names and descriptions on his masterful maps. This is an unmissable account of these mountains and all that call them home.
Putting the story into history
Firstly, Cederberg the book tells the history of these parts: from the distant past when the rocks were shaped into their fantastical forms to the arrival of people. It describes how the San utilised these mountains and how things changed when others settled in the Cederberg.
Peter also shares his personal history of exploring the Cederberg and the characters he got to know over the years. You will meet the people who live and work there, those who explored alongside Peter and his wife, Maggie, and the environmentalists who protect the land.
This is no typical history book but a collection of stories – at times amusing, at others moving, but always fascinating. There’s the story of the time lion tracks were spotted and the one about the men who hid in the mountains during the Second World War. There are recollections of travelling the area’s rough roads in a tiny Mini and of Peter creating his first Cederberg map over 50 years ago. There are stories about the origins of names like Bakleikraal and Sitkoppie, and even a couple of ghost stories.
As packed as this book is with stories, it is also crammed with photographs: magnificent images of the landscape and detail shots of things to look out for.
An appreciation guide
The name of a place can reveal much and Cederberg the book highlights species that have given their names to places. You’ll look at the map and the landscape with new eyes after reading the section on “The Outdoors”. The book also features flora and fauna you are likely to see, with useful pictures for ID purposes.
The Cederberg is a magnificent open-air gallery of rock art. Leafing through the book offers a preview of some of the significant rock art – an invitation to see it for yourself. Peter sheds light on the artists, the possible age of the paintings, their subject matter and their likely meaning.
You can’t write a book about the Cederberg without considering the Clanwilliam cedar and Peter doesn’t disappoint. You’ll learn about the tree’s nature and history, how people nearly drove it to extinction and what is being done to preserve the Clanwilliam cedar today.
It’s hard to resist the beautiful photographs in this book and why would you want to? The Cederberg has to be experienced. To help you explore the area, Peter describes a great day drive, his favourite day walks and his preferred overnight hikes. There is also useful information on climbing, mountain biking, trail running, horse riding and more.
There can be no greater joy than discovering a place with someone who loves it. Every rock, every ruin, every plant, every creature gains new significance when you know their stories. In Cederberg the book, Peter Slingsby’s love for these mountains shines through in his stories. This publication is an important contribution to South Africa’s heritage but, best of all, it’s a delight to read and use.
What’s inside
