Page 360 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

358  THE ARID INTERIOR

Exploring South of the Orange

The Karoo is a region of endless vistas and clear blue skies, where the road runs
straight as an arrow to the distant horizon. Large sheep farms produce much of
South Africa’s mutton and wool. Steel windmills, standing in the blazing sun, supply
the area’s lifeblood: water. Only 70 small towns and villages, of which Beaufort West
is the largest, cling tenaciously to the drought-prone land. Many of them, for
example Graaff-Reinet, are architectural treasure chests. At Beaufort West, Graaff-
Reinet and Cradock, nature parks conserve the characteristic landscape, fauna and
flora of the region.

Upington
Orange
Wegdraai
Bladgrond Kleinbegin
Nabies
Goodhouse Pella Hartebeest Koegrabie
Sout
Pofadder Putsonderwater
Kenhardt Marydale
Bossiekom
Bloemhoek Kimberley
Fransenhof
Prieska
Springbok Uitkyk Orange
Diemansputs Strydenburg
Kareeboskolk Grootvloer Verneuk Pan Copperton Kraankuil
Gamoep
Granaatboskolk Zwartkop
Sodium Potfontein
Onderstedorings
Van Wyksvlei
Platbakkies Houtkraal Bloemfontein
Brandvlei Philipstown
Alwynsfontein Vosburg Britstown
NOR THERN CAPE Grasberg Groen De Aar GARIEP DAM
Dieput Burgervilleweg Colesberg Oviston
Sakrivier
Loeriesfontein Carnarvon Deelfontein
Tontelbos Hanover
Pampoenpoort
Noupoort
Sak
Kootjieskolk Sterling Merriman Steynsburg
Sights at a Glance Carlton
Williston Victoria Ongers
1 Karoo National Park 1673m Loxton West Richmond Middelburg
2 Graaff-Reinet pp362–3 Calvinia Fish G r e a t K a r o o Heydon Tafelberg
3 Camdeboo National Park Clanwilliam Saaifontein Teviot
Sneeuberg
4 Nieu Bethesda Bloukrans Pass Three NIEU Lootsberg
Sisters
5 Mountain Zebra National Park Middelpos Riet Fraserburg Rosedene Murraysburg BETHESDA Pass Visrivier
6 Cradock Die Bos KAROO Restvale
7 Gariep Dam R o g g e v e l d b e r g e Hondefontein NATIONAL PARK CRADOCK
GRAAFF-REINET
8 Hogsback Kariega Aberdeen Bankberg MOUNTAIN
Tweefontein Nuweveldberge Beaufort West Sout ZEBRA
Sutherland CAMDEBOO
NATIONAL PARK
Bo-Wadrif Letjiesbos NATIONAL PARK Swaershoek
1721m WESTERN Wiegnaarspoort EASTERN HOGSBACK
CAPE Kaapse Poortjie CAPE Somerset East Cookhouse Fort
Komsberg
Tankwa
East
Koringplaas Pass Oatlands Beaufort London
Cape Town Jansenville
Rietbron Middleton
Oudtshoorn Klipplaat Waterford Little Fish King William’s
Miller Carlisle Town
Bridge
Klipfontein Riebeek Fort Brown
George Oos
0 kilometres 50
Port Elizabeth
0 miles 25 Grahamstown
A painted horse cart on a verandah in Cradock
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p391 and p411
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