The Venue

The Circle of Dreams at Jongenskloof is a magic circle of a dozen stately Oak trees, surrounded by shady woods, with the Riversonderend meandering nearby.

Campsite Conditions

The campsite is very shady with soft soil under a Wattle forest with a beautiful circle of Oak trees in the middle. There is not much grass because of the tree cover, but there are nice grassy patches where there are no trees. The ground is free of thorns making it a pleasure to walk barefoot. There are water taps with mountain water (not municipal) for you to fill your drinking /washing containers. Use the trees for hammocks and cloths to make your camp your home for a week. There are two sets of ablutions with flush toilets and hot showers.

Is it Safe?

Think carefully about safety aspects when designing your camp. Be prepared for wind or rain, heat or chills. No open fires at your camp, only in the designated fire pits, of which there are many. The campsite is 10 kilometres from the nearest town so intruders are unlikely but we obviously can’t guarantee this, so to avoid temptation, be mindful about locking up your valuables.

The forest is benign and the river is mellow, but hazards may lurk at any turn. Guy ropes and tent pegs can maim you for life, make sure they are visible to all. Swimming too far down the river might be risky so be mindful at all times, especially regarding children. We will have river watchers, but they can’t be held responsible. This is the great outdoors, and what might seem safe one minute could turn into a nightmare at the drop of a Jerry can. It is expected that everyone accepts full personal responsibility for themselves, their children and their belongings.

Fire Safety

Wind, fires and synthetic fabrics do not go together. Flapping tents and loose synthetic fabrics are enormous fire hazards. Please plan for wind and secure your tables and gas bottles safely and check for leaks. Fire extinguishers are always a handy camping accessory. No open fires are allowed at your camp, only in the designated fire places of which there are many. An off-ground braai is fine but extinguish it before you leave it, or empty the coals into a fire pit.

Power

No power points for your caravan so come prepared. If you are going to need some form of power, challenge yourself to find off-grid solutions. Invest in a solar panel if you can, it will always come in handy. No generators please – too noisy. We will have a biodiesel back-up generator if the solar rig battery runs out.

Lighting

Lighting is essential – not only for safety but also for you to see your camp from far away as a beacon to help you navigate. Use strings of solar-powered fairy lights. Have a small torch or headlamp for getting around at night. The village lane will have some lighting. Any extra solar lighting you can bring for the communal area will be much appreciated.

Sound Zones

On arrival you will be shown where the music areas are. If you don’t want to be disturbed by music or generators, make sure you camp on the far side of the venue. Please be mindful of your neighbours, ask permission if you want to play your own music. The amplified sound will be turned off before 11pm. Acoustic fireside music can continue. New Year’s eve will go on until 3ish.

Leave no trace

We pride ourselves on leaving the venue better than we found it each year, so we are super-conscious as a clan about our impact and dealing with our waste.

There will be a central recycling station facilitated by Waste-ED where all the materials end up. We encourage keeping packaging to a minimum when planning and packing for your trip. Camps should have 3 buckets for waste separation. Compost, Recycling, non-recycling. Once your buckets are full, head on over to the depot to turn everything into a resource 🙂

We ask that prior to leaving the venue you do a thorough check for anything that you, or others may have left lying around.