Clarens : Jewel of the Free State 💛

We’ve taken a little Autumn break to the charming village of Clarens, believing that the famous poplars might be in their primary yellows and are inspired by our friend Dudley who has recently returned from a photographic trip there, saying, “We were perhaps a week early,” even though his pictures are chocolate-box perfect.

We leave Joburg around 9h30, feeling a tad guilty when the dogs hover around the back of the car. We could be taking them too but this trip is selfishly photographic.

The road through the Free State inspires us with magnificent fluffy and potentially stormy clouds and we pause periodically to take advantage of the sun peeking through, showcasing a river or a field for sometimes less than a few seconds.

It feels promising when we start to see groupings of yellow poplars on the side of the road as we approach the outskirts of Clarens. It looks like we are not too late to catch the colour!💛

It’s a public holiday and Clarens is literally rocking. Musicians entertain from under trees; restaurants and pubs are bursting at the seams and an art festival is underway in the central village green area. Parking is strictly managed by a stream of car guards. We recognise many shops and restaurants and feel a touch sad and nostalgic as we recall being here with Gary and Athene.

Clarens was founded on two farms and named to honour President Paul Kruger, who spent his final days in exile in Clarens, Switzerland, following the Free State-Basotho War. And certainly in the month of May there is a distinctive alpine feeling about the place. The area has a rich history dating back over 2,000 years, with Khoisan rock art found in the vicinity. In 2009, 200-million-year-old dinosaur fossils were discovered near the town. Known for its sandstone buildings, art galleries, and tourism, the town has transitioned from a agricultural community into a major artistic and tourist destination.

We pick up the keys to our accommodation at Die Kooperasie, which is also pumping with music and laughter and then head just out of town to the Clarens Golf and Leisure estate. One of the reasons we are spending a night here is because we’ve been told that one of the best locations for capturing reflections of golden poplars on a lake, are right here.

There is some confusion on arrival as the house has not yet been made up, but a quick call and Precious is summoned to blitz things for us. We pop out to the shops to pick up snacks and some ice and then keep out of her way enjoying a little gin and tonic while reading and blogging on the patio.

There is a fresh nip in the air signalling that Autumn is at an end and that Winter is merely waiting in the wings to take centre stage. We hope that we’re not too late for the last of the golden leaves that we see tantalising us between the houses and beyond the golf course. While Precious is busy, we take a drive around to ‘case the joint’ for sunset or sunrise shoots. It’s not so straightforward to reach the dams and we drive around a bit and try to find a path but eventually establish that the quickest route will be from the gatehouse.

Precious has departed and we receive effusive apology messages from our AirBnB hostess as well as an offer for a free night in the future. Luckily it hasn’t inconvenienced us much at all.

At 4pm we set off to the dam, walking along the golf cart path and skirting the water. A cloudless sky providing crisp reflections on the water and yes, gorgeous canary-coloured trees! We are aware that being in a valley, the sun would disappear soon and we dashed about on the golf course capturing the pretty rows of trees and speculating as to the position of the sun for the dawn shoot.

We opted for a meal at home which Geoff whips up with all the ingredients we reserve for ‘emergencies’. As a result we devour his pasta with salmon and vodka which is truly delicious! Just as well we chose to eat at home because suddenly we are overwhelmed with exhaustion (Geoff nodding off over his laptop) and I can barely run a bath before we collapse and fall asleep.

Our alarm goes off just before 6am with sunrise anticipated at 6:30. It is beautiful down at the water with steam rising from the surface and an industrious coot making gentle ripples in the otherwise perfectly still water. We realise that being surrounded by mountains means we have to wait for the sun to sneak over the ridges, so we wait. Our toes turn to ice and my watch informs me that it is 3°. We eventually decide to pop into the village and return a little later.

We are en route to find coffee when we come across an interesting road that leads to the Clarens river. Enticed by some beckoning golden poplars and fiery red pin oaks we wander around taking pictures. Geoff gets absorbed by the yellow trees and some donkeys, while I find a picturesque river. The grass is wet with melting frost and my jeans are soaked – I complain and Geoff says, “but are you having fun?”

When we return to the golf estate, the sun is doing its thing and the poplars are giving us amber and gold and beautiful reflections on the water. We make the most of the beautiful light.

Back to our house for coffee and I catch up on a snooze while Geoff downloads his photographs. We have to vacate the apartment by 10am, so we pack and head into the village in search of breakfast.

We wander around the busy main section in search of something that ‘speaks to us’ and eventually find a perfect spot on The Platform. They specialise in waffles and we find a peaceful spot overlooking trees and mountains and enjoy our sardines on toast (served in the can 😂) and waffles with bacon, caramelised banana and maple syrup. The owners are warm and welcoming and we are able to relax, catching up on blogs and calls.

After an exceptionally chilled morning we head off for a drive and to scout potential photography spots. We locate the Royal Coachman property not too far away from tonight’s accommodation. This is another place recommended by Dudley featuring both water and poplars.

We head towards Golden Gate. We’ve forgotten how astoundingly magnificent it is irrespective of the light. We stop frequently to take pictures and admire the views.

We stop to look at Titanic Rock, a prominent sandstone cliff that resembles the Titanic ship. It was named around 1912, the same year the ship sank.

We make plans to return in the morning.

By 3pm we arrive at the Loft @ Craigrossie. An exquisite setting with gorgeous undulating hills, a dam, friendly donkeys and Blesbokke! We spend time taking photographs and greeting our welcoming committee.

Trish is warm and friendly and our new home is delightfully cosy with spectacular views. We lunch on left over pasta, cheese and Parma ham and a wee GnT.

At 4pm we head out again to The Royal Coachman property. We’ve snuck onto the dam wall, where a row of marmalade coloured poplars fringes the little dwelling throwing golden shadows onto the water. We’re just starting to enjoy ourselves when a farm vehicle pulls up and the irate farmer yells at us.

We are immediately contrite and apologetic but he is having none of it and to be fair we see his point. We continue to apologise and acknowledge that we had no right to trespass. He softens a bit and explains how he has been exploited by photographers before, having walked into public places and seen this very scene from his property, framed and displayed without his knowledge or consent.

We agree that this is shocking and unacceptable. He points out that with permission he would be quite agreeable to visitors. Geoff takes the gap and asks if he would be open to us returning at dawn. I hold my breath. He has not quite calmed down. He inclines his head half-committed.

We talk to him about the area, discuss the challenges of farming, share our stories from Barkly East. He introduces himself as Mr Mousley and tells us about the almost 150 year legacy of the farm which sadly seems might end with himself as his son has relocated to New Zealand. Later as the shadows are getting longer and the cold is settling in, he concedes: “I will let my staff know that you’ll be here in the morning.” Sheepishly we head for the village where we cheer ourselves up with a warming glass of glühwein and a hot apple cider.

We’re not as hungry as we’d hoped for our reservation for dinner at Clementine’s, so we decide sharing a pizza at Mosaic’s might be more practical and we cancel our booking. An excellent decision because the pizza that is delivered to our table is hot and cheesy and both juicy and crispy. A perfect combination, as is the half-and-half filling of jalapeño and beef with cranberry and bacon. With mouths stuffed with pizza, we’re already contemplating returning tomorrow. 🍕

Home for coffee and a tune into Fish Hoek camera club’s results presentation, (where Geoff has earned both a COM and the peer vote!) It’s a chilly night, it’s been a busy day and we tumble into our cosy bed.

The alarm goes off too soon and we look out of the window to see thick mist. Nevertheless we head back to Mr Mousley’s dam, armed with coffee and tripods. It is bitterly cold and we find our shoes crunching through the frost, but we are encouraged by the rising steam and the sun pushing over the mountains to turn the trees shades of mustard and soon, dazzling yellow.

Our polarisers purchased for Namibia earn their keep and we take far too many shots of the picturesque scene until our frozen fingers and toes send us back to the car. Even then we have to double back as the scene seems to improve before our eyes. ‘Do I really have that shot?’ and “Perhaps I need to take this again with the polariser.’

Poplars are sadly considered to be “aggressive alien invasive species, requiring careful management due to their invasive root systems and high water consumption.” The variety that turns beautiful shades of gold is known as the Lombardy poplar. They are a major attraction for artists and photographers, particularly during autumn when they turn a brilliant yellow, set against the backdrop of the Free State’s sandstone mountains. They thrive in the cold, wet conditions often found in the eastern Free State, serving as effective, fast-growing windbreaks and boundary hedges.

Fortified with coffee, we head towards Golden Gate. The light is different from yesterday and every bend reveals a striking perspective of mushroom shaped crags and layered rocks.

We whisk down the Blesbok Loop (the permit guy we noticed yesterday is absent from his post) and we visit the Langtoon dam and Zuluhoek, marvelling at the views and the pristine scenery. We stop frequently to take photos. We miss our dogs.

It’s almost 9am so we park at The Kgodumodumo Dinosaur Interpretation Centre, a state-of-the-art facility opened in June 2025 that showcases prehistoric fossils, interactive exhibits, and life-sized models. It highlights the region’s rich paleontological history, including findings of early dinosaur embryos. We are impressed at the world-class nature of the facility and its approach. 🦖

The building is beautifully designed, nestling below the mountains with walkways and alcoves and nicely maintained garden complete with life size dinosaur sculptures. 🦕

It’s 10:30 and we’re starving so we head back to the village and make it to Treat restaurant just before the end of breakfast service. We have a tasty meal despite our hard eggs having to be replaced with soft ones – but this makes all the difference!

A quick stop at the Clarens Bakery for Paris Brest and chunky date fridge bites and we head home to relax with coffee.

Around 3pm we pop to the village for a stroll around and notice the thick ‘snow’ clouds that are blanketing the sky. We marvel at how lucky we’ve been to have sunshine on all our subjects so far. Rain is forecast for tomorrow. We return to our beautiful farm and wander around disturbing the blesbokke and taking photos of the dams.

We lie around til our tummies tell us it’s supper time and we nip back into town to (surprise, surprise) Mosaic for pizza. We are amazed at how busy the town is. We battle to find parking. Mosaic is so busy that one table is busy walking out in frustration. We’re in good moods so we think we’ll bite the bullet. Our waitress is full of positivity so we find we don’t mind the wait for our food. When it eventually arrives, they’ve messed up and instead of half and half, two large pizzas are delivered. She acknowledges the mistake and we say “not to worry”. By the time she’s come back to say “I spoke to my boss so enjoy both and pay for one!” We’ve devoured the lot and insist on paying but she flatly refuses. 🍕

Back home for a steaming hot shower and the electric blanket on high!

It’s starts raining around 3am as forecast and we decide to sleep in. We awake to gorgeous misty clouds entwined around the mountains. It’s quite sad to pack up, say farewell to Trish and head off. We are obliged to stop frequently to capture the wet pastures, lumbering cows and enthralling clouds and hills.

We opt for The Courtyard for breakfast and devour interesting meals with perfect eggs. I can’t resist the pack of crispy mini koeksusters either, so we grab those and coffees for ‘padkos’.

There is a consistent drizzle and we congratulate ourselves on the good fortune to have had two perfect days to explore.

And then it’s back to Joburg after a special few days in the golden heart of the Free State!

Clarens : Jewel of the Free State 💛

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