The Many Seasons of Kaapsehoop

The Many Seasons of Kaapsehoop

Sometimes we are intent on going to a place that’s off the beaten track and/or difficult to get to and the reward at the end is not really worth the effort taken (“a long walk down a windy beach to a café that is closed”, as comedian Bill Bailey once said).  Francine had heard about Adam’s Calendar, a stone circle said to pre-date Stonehenge, near to an attractive village called Kaapsehoop (also known for its wild horses).  It wasn’t really on the way to anywhere, so we had to take a diversion, which involved a significant climb.  As we ascended the steep winding roads, the weather closed in and by the time we arrived at the village in the early afternoon, it was cold, damp and the mist was so thick that you couldn’t see a wild horse unless it was actually standing on your foot.  There was a real danger that Dave (rather fed up by this time, having driven a long way with limited visibility) would cut short the trip and want to get back to the clearer valleys below without going to the stones.  However, Francine was determined and set off at a fast pace across the fields and into the mist in what she hoped was the right direction.  With only two hours of daylight left, she eventually admitted there was no way that we could reach the stones and get back before dark.  Defeated, we trudged back to the truck and decided to park on the edge of the village overnight.  We had a surprisingly good dinner in the pub, in front of a cosy fire and our moods lifted considerably. 

Even more so in the morning, when we woke to clear blue skies and bright sunshine! Fresh and energised, we had no trouble in reaching Adam’s Calendar.  There are a number of stone circles in the area, but this is one of the most interesting, with two large central stones.  No-one really knows how old the circle is or what its purpose might have been, but one could easily imagine an audience encircling a priest, chieftain or some other wise man, as he carried out a ceremony at the central stones.  The scenery was stunning on the hike, with views far across the valleys to distant villages.  We couldn’t believe what a difference waiting one day had made!  This time the diversion had been well worth the effort!

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