Page 226 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

224  THE WESTERN AND SOUTHERN C APE

Exploring the Southern Cape Beaufort
West
Kruidfontein
An alternative route to the N2 over Sir Lowry’s Pass, which
drops down into wheatfields and farmland dotted with cattle Zwarts Beaufort
and woolly merino sheep, is the R44, a scenic road that hugs Prince Albert West
Road
the coastline from Gordon’s Bay to Hermanus. Further south,
coastal hamlets such as Cape Agulhas – official meeting point Dwyka Gamka Seekoegat
of two oceans – offer a calm contrast to the majestic passes Koup
that lead through the mountains. Oudtshoorn is where the Matjiesfontein Laingsburg Vleifontein Dwyka
mansions of former “ostrich barons” can be seen, and nearby PRINCE ALBERT
lies the underground splendour of the Cango Caves.
Worcester Rooinek Pass Klaarstroom
Witberg Swartberg Groot-Swartberg
Rouxpos Seweweekspoort Pass CANGO CAVES
1382 m Klein-Swartberg Pass F O U R P A S S E S T O U R Meiringspoort
Amalienstein Kraaldorings Schoemanspoort Pass
Ladismith Pass
Touws CANGO WILDLIFE De Rust
Calitzdorp
RANCH Dysselsdorp
Oosdam De Hoop OUDTSHOORN
Plathuis Groot L ittle - Karo o
Van Rooiberg George
Boerboonfontein Warmwaterberg Wyksdorp Pass
Montagu Lemoenshoek WESTERN CAPE
Marloth Barrydale Brandrivier Robinson
Pass
Nature Reserve Langberg
Wind-blown sand dunes at De Hoop Nature Reserve Tradouws Pass Garcia Cloetes Pass Ruitersbos
Pass Lan geb erg
SWELLENDAM Herbertsdale
Cape Town Stormsvlei Bontebok
National Park Riversdale Du Plessis
Sir Lowry's Pass Heidelberg Pass
Lindeshof Slangrivier
Houhoek Riviersonderend
Pass Breede Albertinia Mossel Bay
Kogelberg Botriver Caledon Rietpoel Protem Gourits
Nature Klipdale Malgas Vleesbaai
Reserve Vermaaklikheid
BETTY'S KLEINMOND Shaw's Oukraal Ouplaas
BAY Pass Witsand Still Bay Gouritsmond
Hawston HERMANUS Fairfield DE HOOP Infanta
Stanford NATURE RESERVE Cape
Napier Cape Infanta Barracouta
Walker BREDASDORP
Bay
GANSBAAI Elim Skipskop
Viljoenshof
Pearly Beach ARNISTON
Soetendals-vlei
Struis Bay
Struis Bay
Quoin Point
CAPE AGULHAS
Getting Around
Once over Sir Lowry’s Pass, the N2 cuts across the Southern
Cape. The most scenic route to Oudtshoorn is to take the
N2 to beyond Swellendam and turn onto the R324 after
Buffelsjags, which goes via the Tradouws Pass to Barrydale.
Here it joins the R62, which heads east to Oudts hoorn, the
Cango Caves and the country’s most dramatic passes, which
are linked by the R328. All of the coastal towns are accessed
via main routes feeding off the N2. The De Hoop Nature
Reserve can be reached from both Bredasdorp and the N2.
Tour operators offer day-trips, otherwise public transport is
Rocky beach near Arniston’s cave severely limited, so a car is essential for touring this region.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp386–7 and pp403–4

224-225_EW_South_Africa.indd 224 25/05/17 11:59 am