The Overberg & Surrounds
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
The Overberg & surrounds Where to stay, what to do, where to eat & shop YOUR FREE GUIDE FOR 2010 / 2011 LICENSED BY THE WESTERN CAPE GAMBLING AND RACING BOARD. NO PERSON UNDER 18 YEARS ALLOWED IN THE CASINO. www.villagelifeguides.co.za WINNERS KNOW WHEN TO STOP. NATIONAL RESPONSIBLE GAMBLING PROGRAMME PHONE 0800 006 008 TOLL-FREE. Welcome to the Symbols used in this Guide Arts & crafts/Gallery Cape Overberg Beach & surrounds Contents Bed & breakfast Birding The Cape Overberg, at the southernmost Over the mountain Camping site tip of Africa and separated from the rest Elgin Valley of the continent by mountain ranges, has Villiersdorp Chalet/Self-catering a magic all its own. It attracts artists and Bot River 1 Canoeing/Rafting crafters, and people seeking peace for their Genadendal soul. Rolling wheatfields with Blue Cranes Greyton Children welcome Caledon amongst grazing sheep, against a backdrop Coffee-shop/Refreshments of mountains. The two great oceans that Riviersonderend meet. Long white beaches, with waves Conference venue Coastal 1: Rooi Els to Hermanus lapping shells and pebbles and bits of Rooi Els Conservancy seaweed. Treacherous rocks on which many Pringle Bay Elgin Valley ships have foundered. Whales which come 4 Credit cards welcome Betty’s Bay Villiersdorp here every year to mate and calve. Kleinmond Farmstall The culture of the Bushmen and Quena Onrus Bot River (Hottentots), who inhabited the area for Hemel-en-Aarde Fishing Genadendal ages before the Dutch settlers arrived in the Hermanus Flowers/Fynbos 17th century, was replaced by European Over the mountain Greyton farmers and missionaries. The oldest Coastal 2: Stanford to Strandveld 4x4 trail Caledon mission station in the country is situated Stanford Golf Sunset over the hills of the Overberg, with Babilonstoring in the background Riviersonderend here. And the third oldest European town De Kelders 10 at the Cape. The people now represent our Gansbaai Guest house Rainbow Nation. Kleinbaai Franskraal Hiking/Trails And there are more plant species in the he first Europeans to cross the the Cape Colony, completed the re-aligned The old wagon route ran some distance Pearly Beach region than in the entire United Kingdom Horse-riding Hottentots Holland Mountains fol- Sir Lowry’s Pass, which made crossing the to the north of the present N2, crossing the Baardskeerdersbos (a total of 2 500, of which 300 are lowed the old Gantouw (“Eland’s mountain less arduous. The pass was tarred Palmiet River where the town of Grabouw Elim Hotel T endemic). Some areas have a higher density Path”), which went straight over the moun- in the 1930s, and the modern four-lane road was later founded in 1856. Hot springs of plant species than the Amazon. There are Map of the Overberg 14 tain between the present Sir Lowry’s Pass (N2) was completed in 1984. Here the traveller may leave the N2 350 bird species. And yes, it is the best spot Licensed Village and Grabouw. On reaching the top The area beyond Sir Lowry’s Pass – and drive through a rural landscape of for whale watching and white-shark cage- To the Southern tip of this tortuous, almost vertical pass, the known as the Elgin Valley – today presents orchards, through Viljoen’s Pass and past the diving, and rated as one of the best places Napier Mountain-biking travellers would thankfully say they were a seemingly endless vista of deciduous fruit Theewaterskloof Dam (popular for water in the world for scuba diving. Bredasdorp 16 National monument “over het gebergte” (over the mountain), and orchards, vineyards and forestry plantations. sports), to Villiersdorp, established by Field It is also a lovely place to live, or to Arniston/Waenhuiskrans this name came to be applied to the huge Three hundred years ago, however, it was Cornet de Villiers in 1843. The town may spend some time. Visitors will leave Struisbaai Non-smoking region that stretches as far as Swellendam completely treeless, covered only by fynbos also be reached over the Franschhoek Pass. reluctantly after making friends in L’Agulhas Pets welcome and Cape Agulhas. It was only in 1830 that shrubs, and early European travellers had to Or stay on the N2 with its fine farm stalls, unexpected places. Many visitors return Col Charles Michell, Surveyor-General of find shade under their wagons. continue on the old wagon route over Houw as often as they can, like the two Danish To the Garden Route Restaurant/Catering Stormsvlei couples whom we once met on a river boat, Retail sales here on their third visit. Lovely places to Swellendam Buffeljagsrivier 22 stay, excellent places to eat, to enjoy local Swimming Suurbraak wines, to relax. Heidelberg Tourist Information A piece of Paradise has been preserved Water sport here. But visitors are most welcome... A river meets the sea Witsand Wedding venue Port Beaufort This Village Life Guide is published by Whale-watching Malgas 26 Icon Communications cc P O Box 915, Stanford 7210 Infanta Wheelchair access Editor & designer: Maré Mouton De Hoop [email protected] Wine cellar/Wine tastings Marketing & distribution: Annalize Mouton Breede River Valley Working farm [email protected] / 072 375 1466 McGregor Photographs by Maré & Annalize Mouton Robertson ACCOMMODATION RATES except whales by Kees van de Coolwijk, 27 Bonnievale Mimetes stokoeii by Peter Slingsby and Up to R150 per person Ashton Waenhuiskrans by Liesl Kershoff. Printed by Hansa Print, Cape Town R150–R250 per person © 2010 Copyright. No material may be The R62 to the Little Karoo reproduced without permission Montagu R250–R500 per person Wagon tracks on the Gantouw The church yard at Genadendal, South Africa’s oldest mission village www.villagelifeguides.co.za Barrydale 28 Above R500 per person 1 over the mountain Barton Villas Gabriëlskloof The Oak & Vigne Café Barton Farm with its four Tuscan-style self-catering Gabriël le Roux made wine here some 150 years One of Greyton’s institutions, the Oak & Vigne villas is located near Bot River, right on the border ago, and sold it to the passing trade. We think offers you even more these days. New own- of the Kogelberg Biosphere Reserve. Each of the he’d be pleased to see what we’ve done with the ers, Alex and Justin, have kept the things you stunning villas is fully equipped with a spacious place. Everything we do here reflects our culture love and added more: enjoy friendly service, open-plan kitchen and dining room and each villa of quality – wines of the highest standard that delicious food, great cake, freshly baked bread, has its own Jacuzzi and outdoor pool with breath- reflect the terroir, world-class cuisine and breath- our own ice-cream, von Geusau chocolates and taking views across the valley and the Kogelberg taking views of the magical Overberg. Overberg wine. Bring your mountain bike and join Biosphere Reserve! Open seven days a week Rockhopper Adventures for an early ride. Off the R43 between Bot River & Hermanus Off the N2 between Botrivier and Caledon DS Botha Street, Greyton Tel: 028 284 9283 • Fax: 028 284 9776 Tel 028 284 9865 • www.gabrielskloof.co.za Tel: 028 254 9037 • Fax: 028 254 9958 E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] E-mail: [email protected] www.bartonvillas.co.za GPS: 24°14'16.08"S 19°15'17.47"E www.oakandvigne.co.za Spend some time in Genadendal (“Vale of Route along the Riviersonderend mountains, Genadendal Mission Village Grace”), established as a Moravian Mission past Het Ziekenhuys and Lindeshof, to rejoin in 1738, the first mission station in South the N2 at the village of Riviersonderend. Africa. The mission, at one stage the second- Alternatively, return to the N2 at Caledon largest settlement at the Cape, was home and on to Riviersonderend, which was laid Undulating ploughed fields – a typical scene in the Overberg to the first teachers’ training college and out in 1925 as a “dry” town, i.e. no liquor was its people excelled at crafts – it is said that sold there. The area offers wonderful natural every Voortrekker who ventured into the beauty in its mountains, ideal for hikes and Hoek Pass, to the village of Bot River and berg, was established because of the mineral The annual wild flower show, first held interior, had with him two items produced quiet stays. the historic Compagnie’s Drift. From here springs, one cold and six hot, that generate in 1892, now attracts thousands of visitors at Genadendal: a book of Bible texts printed At Tygerhoek outside the town one can one can take the Van der Stel’s Pass (gravel 2-million litres of water a day at 49°C. The each year. The Caledon Wild Flower Garden there, and the locally designed herneuter see one of the original Dutch signal can- Genadendal was founded as a Moravian mission road) to Villiersdorp, and from there the first bath house was built in 1797. In 1810 against the slopes of the Swartberg was estab- knife. History seems to be alive here, with nons along the Old Cape Wagon Route, station in 1738, the first in Africa, and became the home of the first teachers’ training college Genadendal/Greyton road (part gravel) along a church village was established and called lished in 1899, and feature a walking trail fields still ploughed with horses and classical used between 1695 and 1806 to call up the in South Africa. The church square and surrounds the scenic Sonderend River. Swartberg; three years later it was renamed which leads to the famous “window rock”. music often heard around the church. burgher militia in the event of an attack house 26 national monuments, and the contents For those who do not want to take back in honour of the Earl of Caledon.