Dear Readers, the geology is the hidden hero of this part of the world – the landscapes are so breathtaking that it’s sometimes hard to convey them. But Letterklip, not far from the town of Garies in Namaqualand, combines ancient granite rocks with history.

‘Letterklip’ means ‘lettered rock’, and the stones are covered in writing from the Scottish Regiment that occupied the site from 1901-2 during the Boer/South African war.

In some places, the stones were fortified with dry stone walls.

But this is a site of great natural beauty as well, with some exquisite quiver trees.

And then there was this plant, which is rodent-pollinated, and has a very handsome tik-tok beetle in attendance.

This really was a remarkable site. I could see how these natural shapes have influenced sculptors throughout the ages.

And for good measure, the site was surrounded by troops of meerkats, and two rock kestrels were nesting amongst the stones.

It’s been a really busy day, but I wanted to share this experience with you. Now, it’s off to bed – there’s another busy day ahead tomorrow!