South Africa - Rooiberg Pass - Route 62 Calitzdorp

Rooiberg Pass South Africa

 

Route 62 Calitzdorp

We love exploring the little known mountain passes of South Africa.

The Rooiberg Pass links Calitzdorp with Van Wyksdorp.

We travelled in a Mazda CX 5 - it was a bone shaking ride but so worth it for the tremendous mountain views. Just be aware that this is a very narrow road and there are not many places to turn around!

"The Rooiberg Pass was built in 1928 most probably under the supervision of the Divisional Council of Oudtshoorn. It joins the tiny village of Van Wyksdorp with Calitzdorp over the Rooiberg Mountain. This is not a pass to be trifled with and although it can be driven in a normal car, a high clearance vehicle would be better. It is also a long pass at 14 km and contains some fairly rough sections. There are a total of 69 bends, corners and curves which include 6 hairpins and many other bends with a turning radius in excess of 90 degrees. It's a road for the less hurried traveller and offers wonderful views on both the northern and southern sides with valleys and ridges bedecked in fynbos and in winter you'll be treated to the sight of the bright orange flowers of hundreds of thousands of flowering aloes.
The pass has an altitude variance of 509m over a distance of 14 km producing an average gradient of 1:27 with the steepest parts measuring in at 1:7. All these considered, it is one you simply have to drive at least once in your life."

Rooiberg Pass Calitzdorp Route 62 South Africa

Rooiberg Pass Calitzdorp South Africa

Rooiberg Pass Calitzdorp South Africa

Rooiberg Pass Calitzdorp South Africa

Rooiberg Pass Calitzdorp South Africa

Rooiberg Pass Calitzdorp South Africa

Groenfontien Conservation area Calitzdorp South Africa

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For Accommodation Cape Town, South Africa

www.bradclin.com

South Africa - Montagu Pass, George

Montagu Pass - South Africa

Do you feel like stepping back in time?  Back to 1848?

Then take a drive down the historic Montagu Pass to experience the oldest, unaltered pass still in use in South Africa! It's only 17.3 kms one way - do drive in both directions to fully get the feel of this magnificent pass.

This pass climbs to an altitude of 735m and was completed in 1848. This pass was built to connect George to Oudtshoorn and remains an incredible feat of engineering to this day.

It took 3 years to built this pass - can you imagine the blood,sweat and tears? Convicts were used in the building of the pass which replaced the difficult Cradock Pass. Today the Cradock Pass remains only as a hiking trail.

The engineer in charge of the building of the Montagu Pass was Henry Fancourt White from Australia.
The pass is named after John Montagu who was the Colonial Secretary of the Cape in the 1840's.

Imagine the joy of farmers who required 3 days journey to get between Oudtshoorn and George - with the new pass this was reduced to hours!!

Get the feel of the 1800's as you slowly drive this narow, gravel road. It's narrow and twisty and the ox wagons would have tested the driver's skill in negotiating the bends. One can just about hear the shouting and cracking of the whip.







The gravel road ends at the tiny hamlet of Herold where we discovered "Over the Mountain Guest Farm" They offer tea's and light meals and we opted for THE most delicious chocolate cake and pancakes!

The train line between George and Oudtshoorn 

The highlight of our journey was spotting a train on the line that runs between George and Oudtshoorn. There are not many trains on this route anymore so this was a real treat!

Such a short pass, so much history and now a well deserved National Monument.

© Judelle Drake

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                For Accommodation Cape Town, South Africa

                                      www.bradclin.com