| Submitted by: Philip Hazel, United Kingdom |
| Submission Date: 04 February 2005 |
|
 |
|
These days the heavy traffic mostly uses the tunnel, so the pass itself is relatively quiet. From the top of the pass you can take a mountain walk if you want to.
In 1996 they were working on the road on the far side of the pass, and the pass itself was closed from 12:00 to 14:00 on Mondays-Thursdays. I don't know how long this is expected to continue. The road signs send you on an alternative route via Bain's Kloof Pass (see below) but another alternative route that is uncrowded and pretty is via the Franschhoek pass and Villiersdorp.
On the northern side of du Toit's Kloof Pass (which was built by Italian prisoners of war in WW II - many stayed to settle in SA) is the Hex River Valley. Farming, mostly fruit, but also some horse studs.
|
At Worcester there is a museum of the history of SA agriculture which is partly inside and partly outside - old farm buildings, and some live re-creations of early farming practices. It is called 'Klein Plasie' (Little Farm) and I found it interesting (visited 1992). There is also a restaurant attached which serves traditional SA food and was good value.
Off the N1 from Worcester you can go to Montagu, which has hot springs and a small resort to exploit them. The 'Montagu Rose' guest house, in Kohler St [1994] is a good place to stay. Very nice rooms and a friendly German proprietress who provides an excellent breakfast. The 'gravel' in the drive is actually made of peach stones, something which seems quite common in Montagu.
You can walk for a few kilometres through a 'kloof' (ravine) that leads from one end of the town round the town and comes out at the hot springs resort. There are some interesting rock formations, some of which are vertical enough to attract rock climbers. The small restaurant on the 5th floor of the Avalon Springs Hotel, at the spa, is quite good.
The first building you come to in Montagu coming from Cape Town is a farm stall called Die Kloof. (I must declare an interest here; I know the owner.) Farm stalls are to be found alongside the roads all over the Western Cape. They sell fresh fruit and vegetables, bread and cakes, jams and preserves, and often craft items as well. If you are travelling and self-catering, they are a good source of supplies.
Near Montagu (at the top of Burger's Pass) is a farmer who takes parties of visitors up the mountain on a trailer with seats attached to his tractor (visited 1992). The view from the top is superb, and you can stay on for a traditional 'potjiekos' lunch (food cooked in single cooking pots over open fires) at a picnic spot in a forest on the farm. Or you can take your own food. Cost around R13 per head [1992]. Allow most of a day; but you'll enjoy this if you do it. Ask for details at the Montagu visitors information - and I expect they know about this in Cape Town too.
Between Worcester & Robertson (on the way to Montagu) there is a cactus farm which exports all over the world and makes an interesting brief stop.
|
If you carry on from Montagu over Burger's Pass you eventually get back to the N1 national road, and an hour or so up it (having passed the town of Touws River) you reach Matjiesfontein. It consists of a railway station and a large, old hotel. In the days before dining cars, the trains used to stop there for the passengers to have a meal. Legend has it that the Scottish laird who built it used to serve the food so hot that it couldn't be eaten before the train departed, and that is how he made his fortune. The dining car sent it into a decline, but it was rescued some years ago and made a popular place to visit for the dry air, or as a place to break a journey. History has now turned full circle, as nowadays the Blue Train, SA's most luxurious train, stops there for a while (though not for dinner) for passengers to look around or perhaps take a swim. I had dinner there in 1994.
Matjiesfontein is one of the few places that still insists that men wear jackets and ties for dinner. I had a tie, but no jacket, but the receptionist has a supply of jackets to loan. 'As it is a hot night', she said, 'you don't need to wear the jacket. Just carry it over your arm. Oh, and as there are quite a few men needing to borrow jackets, please could you give it to a waiter when you are seated, so that it can be brought out for someone else to use.' I jest not - this really happened!
Dinner cost R42 per head [1994], was served by candlelight, and consisted of seven courses: pate, hot or cold soup, hot or cold fish, savoury of sweetcorn and cheese, pork or lamb, choice from sweet table, choice from cheese table. It was good, but not spectacular. I heard that since the original re-developer had left, things were not quite what they used to be.
|
An alternative to du Toit's Kloof Pass as way over the mountains from Cape Town is Bain's Kloof, via Wellington. This was the first pass over these mountains, built by Thomas Bain, and is a lovely bit of engineering. Not very busy, and the scenery is nice.
At the bottom of Bain's Kloof on the Wellington side there is a roadside stall called 'Bakkies se Padstal' that is unusual in that it doesn't sell much fresh produce, but instead concentrates on home made preserves and home baking, as well as selling general provisions. There is also a tea garden, and light meals are served. The stall is the start of the private Patatskloof walking trail (7-8 hours) for which a small fee is charged. I haven't done this, but in that mountain area it promises to be well worthwhile.
There are also some walks that can be done from the top of the pass (get a guidebook for details). From the far side of Bain's Kloof you carry on via Mitchell's Pass to the town of Ceres, which is the centre of much fruit growing. There's a nature trail (not visited) and a museum of agricultural vehicles (also not visited). There's a very good restaurant called Wieldraai II in the main street, where I had the best spareribs I've ever eaten [1993] and another good lunch in 1994.
|
Out of the Cape Town, the roads are pretty empty. In the city there are rush hour jams, but it is ok mostly the rest of the time. The National Roads (numbered N1, N2, etc.) are paved and high quality. Apart from near towns, they are mostly single-carriageway, but with wide hard shoulders. Drivers of slower vehicles will often pull over onto the shoulder to let you pass.
Some non-national roads are dirt, and their quality varies depending on when they were last maintained. The road atlases normally indicate which roads are dirt. There are some spectacular mountain passes in the Western Cape (see above for some). Some of the best are on dirt roads.
Plenty of maps & guidebooks are available when you get there. Most bookshops have a supply, and there are lots of book shops around the city and in the shopping centre in Claremont, which is a major suburban shopping area. There's another in Wynberg, just a bit further along. The best bookshop I have found is Exclusive Books, in the Constantia shopping centre. They also have a branch in the city, but I haven't visited it. For outdoor maps and equipment, try Camp & Climb, in Claremont
|
I always eat lots of fish when I'm in Cape Town. The names of the fish will be strange to non-locals, apart from sole (which is a bit smaller than the European version). Kingklip, kabeljou, yellowtail, steenbras - they are all good. Sometimes they are listed explicitly on menus, but often 'linefish of the day' is listed, and the waiter will tell you which fish it is.
Cape lobster is also a small creature, but very tasty. However, in recent years the harvest has crashed so they are now very expensive. If you like curry, both the Indian and the Malay varieties are available. Meat is also generally good. The water is definitely drinkable, and you don't need to worry about eating salads and fruit.
I have found food generally to be good and cheap, by British standards. Probably also by European and North American. Fruit is very plentiful and cheap in season. Wine is also particularly cheap, as it is made right there. People are generally friendly. The Western Cape has always been more laid back than the rest of SA in many ways.
|
The official languages of SA used to be English and Afrikaans, but now there are 11 official languages! However, everybody who deals with the public in shops, restaurants, banks, etc. can speak English.
Out in the country you might come across people whose English is poor (though everyone studies it in school). Notices & road signs are generally in two or more languages. If you understand German, or better still Dutch, or best of all Flemish, you will be able to make out some Afrikaans. There are two daily English newspapers published in Cape Town (morning & evening). Of course, many African languages are also spoken in SA. The TV channels broadcast in many languages; TV1 is mostly English/Afrikaans.
South African English has some usages of its own, though it is pretty close to British English, and the pronunciation is British-like. When in doubt, use the British usage ('biscuit' not 'cookie', etc.), though 'pants' has the American meaning. One example of SA English that often surprises visitors is that traffic lights ('stop lights' in USA) are universally called 'robots' (originally 'robot policemen') and you will find warning signs on the roads saying 'robot ahead' or whatever, though people will understand the term 'traffic light'.
|
| Cape Town is going full-steam ahead with plans to host the 2004 Olympic Games. |
|
| Copyright © - "Philip Hazel" |
|
|
|
