Western Cape
some of the places visited in the Western Cape.........
OUDTSHOORN
Oudtshoorn is situated on the edge of the Garden Route, between the Outeniqua and Swartberg Mountain Passes. Oudtshoorn is also an exciting halfway stopover when travelling between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. Oudtshoorn is spread along both banks of the Grobbelaars River, a tributary of the Elephant's River, and its fertile valleys are encompassed by the Swartberg Mountains to the north and the Outeniqua Mountains to the south.
UNIONDALE
Uniondale is a small town in the Little Karoo in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The town was formed in 1856 by the joining of two towns, Hopedale and Lyons. Its primary claim to fame is the ghost story of the hitch-hiker:-
In stormy weather on the Easter weekend of 1968 a young engaged couple had a car accident on the Barandas-Willowmore road approximately 20 kilometres from Uniondale. The young woman, Marie Charlotte Roux, was sleeping in the back seat of their Volkswagen Beetle when her fiancé lost control of the car. The car overturned and she was killed.
The first reported sighting of a ghost matching her description occurred during the Easter weekend of 1976, and since then many other sightings have been reported. All involve a female hitchhiker who is given a lift, then disappears a few kilometres down the road. Some have reported car doors opening and closing, laughter and a chill in the air.
WILDERNESS NATIONAL PARK
In the heart of South Africa's famous Garden Route, a charming world of lakes, rivers, estuaries and beaches gently unfold against a backdrop of lush forest and lofty mountains - all characteristics of the Wilderness National Park.
We enjoyed camping alongside the river that runs through this fantastic National Park. There are many walking trails that wind through densely wooded forests and alongside tranquil rivers, affording one the opportunity to encounter the abundant bird life that includes the brilliant coloured Knysna lourie, or one of the five kingfisher species. During spring, the lakes are surrounded by a carpet of flowers, further enhancing the striking beauty of this wetland national park.
CAPE AGULHAS
Cape Agulhas (Cabo das Agulhas "Cape of Needles") is a rocky headland in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is the geographic southern tip of Africa and the official dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian oceans. (The actual division between the oceans is the point where the Agulhas current meets the Benguela current, which fluctuates seasonally, between Cape Agulhas and Cape Point.) It was most commonly known in English as Cape L'Agullas until the 20th century and is located about 225 from Cape Town.
The sea off Cape Agulhas is notorious for winter storms and gigantic rogue waves, which can range up to 30 metres (100 ft) high. These huge waves can sink even large ships. These stormy conditions are caused by a number of factors, namely, the strong winds of the roaring forties, which blow from west to east, and the cold Antarctic Circumpolar Current flowing in the same direction that meet the warmer Agulhas Current in the region of the cape. These conflicting water currents of different densities, and the west winds blowing against the Agulhas Current, can create extremely hazardous wave conditions; these are further exacerbated by the shallow waters of the Agulhas Bank, a broad, shallow part of the continental shelf which juts 250 kilometres south from the cape, after which it falls steeply away to the abyssal plain. As a result, the coast here is littered with wrecks. Following the loss of several vessels, a lighthouse was built in 1848, this being only the second one to be built in the country. The lighthouse now houses a museum and a small rustic restaurant.
MONTAGU
Montagu is a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa, at the confluence of the Keisie and Kingna rivers, about 180 km from Cape Town. It is named after former secretary of the Cape Colony, John Montagu, but was once known as Agter Cogman’s Kloof. Known for its hot mineral springs and scenic beauty, Montagu is also an agricultural centre, where orchards and vineyards are in production and local herbs are grown. Nearby rock formations make it one of the country's major rock climbing venues. The 1266m high Bloupunt peak overlooks the village and offers several hiking trails.
OUDTSHOORN
Oudtshoorn is situated on the edge of the Garden Route, between the Outeniqua and Swartberg Mountain Passes. Oudtshoorn is also an exciting halfway stopover when travelling between Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. Oudtshoorn is spread along both banks of the Grobbelaars River, a tributary of the Elephant's River, and its fertile valleys are encompassed by the Swartberg Mountains to the north and the Outeniqua Mountains to the south.
UNIONDALE
Uniondale is a small town in the Little Karoo in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The town was formed in 1856 by the joining of two towns, Hopedale and Lyons. Its primary claim to fame is the ghost story of the hitch-hiker:-
In stormy weather on the Easter weekend of 1968 a young engaged couple had a car accident on the Barandas-Willowmore road approximately 20 kilometres from Uniondale. The young woman, Marie Charlotte Roux, was sleeping in the back seat of their Volkswagen Beetle when her fiancé lost control of the car. The car overturned and she was killed.
The first reported sighting of a ghost matching her description occurred during the Easter weekend of 1976, and since then many other sightings have been reported. All involve a female hitchhiker who is given a lift, then disappears a few kilometres down the road. Some have reported car doors opening and closing, laughter and a chill in the air.
WILDERNESS NATIONAL PARK
In the heart of South Africa's famous Garden Route, a charming world of lakes, rivers, estuaries and beaches gently unfold against a backdrop of lush forest and lofty mountains - all characteristics of the Wilderness National Park.
We enjoyed camping alongside the river that runs through this fantastic National Park. There are many walking trails that wind through densely wooded forests and alongside tranquil rivers, affording one the opportunity to encounter the abundant bird life that includes the brilliant coloured Knysna lourie, or one of the five kingfisher species. During spring, the lakes are surrounded by a carpet of flowers, further enhancing the striking beauty of this wetland national park.
CAPE AGULHAS
Cape Agulhas (Cabo das Agulhas "Cape of Needles") is a rocky headland in the Western Cape, South Africa. It is the geographic southern tip of Africa and the official dividing point between the Atlantic and Indian oceans. (The actual division between the oceans is the point where the Agulhas current meets the Benguela current, which fluctuates seasonally, between Cape Agulhas and Cape Point.) It was most commonly known in English as Cape L'Agullas until the 20th century and is located about 225 from Cape Town.
The sea off Cape Agulhas is notorious for winter storms and gigantic rogue waves, which can range up to 30 metres (100 ft) high. These huge waves can sink even large ships. These stormy conditions are caused by a number of factors, namely, the strong winds of the roaring forties, which blow from west to east, and the cold Antarctic Circumpolar Current flowing in the same direction that meet the warmer Agulhas Current in the region of the cape. These conflicting water currents of different densities, and the west winds blowing against the Agulhas Current, can create extremely hazardous wave conditions; these are further exacerbated by the shallow waters of the Agulhas Bank, a broad, shallow part of the continental shelf which juts 250 kilometres south from the cape, after which it falls steeply away to the abyssal plain. As a result, the coast here is littered with wrecks. Following the loss of several vessels, a lighthouse was built in 1848, this being only the second one to be built in the country. The lighthouse now houses a museum and a small rustic restaurant.
MONTAGU
Montagu is a town in the Western Cape province of South Africa, at the confluence of the Keisie and Kingna rivers, about 180 km from Cape Town. It is named after former secretary of the Cape Colony, John Montagu, but was once known as Agter Cogman’s Kloof. Known for its hot mineral springs and scenic beauty, Montagu is also an agricultural centre, where orchards and vineyards are in production and local herbs are grown. Nearby rock formations make it one of the country's major rock climbing venues. The 1266m high Bloupunt peak overlooks the village and offers several hiking trails.