Roadside fruit in Swellendam
Everything seems to grow abundantly in Swellendam!
The Langeberg behind Swellendam
The ‘Clock Peaks‘ in the Langeberg Mountains behind Swellendamย are a spectacular sight in the evening light as you drive out of the town, beyond the golf course and the Marloth Nature Reserve.
Flowers in Swellendam
Posts on South Africa have been delayed by gardening, a trip to Portugal (!), and Open Garden Squares, so now I am picking up where I left off, in Swellendam. And in the boiling hot weather in the UK I … Continued
Graaff Reinet in the Karoo, South Africa
Graaff Reinet, the fourth oldest town in South Africa, is in the heart of the Karoo, the vast semi-arid interior of the Cape Province behind the ring of mountains along the coast. If you want to deepen your understanding of South … Continued
Walking at Suurbraak
Suurbraak was known as Xairy (Paradise)ย in Khoi, and it wasย Hans Moos, the Khoi leader at the time, who invited the London Mission Societyย to establish aย Mission Station in the area in 1812 (how did he get in touch with the Society?). … Continued
Walking in the Bontebok National Park, Swellendam
The Bontebok National Park is just outside Swellendam and as we had enjoyed our visit and walk last year we returned for a repeat experience. We turned into the carpark and found a group of bontebok who didn’t seem at all … Continued
Tradouw Pass
We set off into Tradouw Pass towards the end of the day with a deadline for arriving in Swellendam so these photographs were takenย from inside the car. The pass is 16 kms of tarred road, the R324, following the course … Continued
Calitzdorp
Calitzdorp,ย like several of the towns we visited, started on a farm. Jacobus Pretorius settled in the area, which he called ‘Buffelsvlei’,ย in 1757, and other settlers gradually followed.
Driving from Oudtshoorn to Swellendam
We left Oudtshoorn late morning to drive the 238 kms to Swellendamย on the tarred R62, then turned off on a quieter, concrete road, heading for Calitzdorp. The concrete road was the original road between Oudtshoorn and Calitzdorp and the first … Continued
Around the Cango Caves in the Swartberg Mountains
We drove out of Oudtshoorn towards the Cango Caves but didn’t go in – I am claustrophobic – and just wanted to see the scenery closer to the mountains.