Along the Breede River - 305km

MONTAGU

Formerly known as Agter Cogmanskloof, Montagu lies between the Keisie and the Kinga rivers which join at the western end of the town. Founded in 1851, the town was named after Sir John Montagu, Colonial Secretary at the Cape from 1843 to 1853. The town’s name is synonymous with muscadel grapes, soft fruit (apricots, peaches and nectarines) and hot springs. Montagu is regarded as one of the best-preserved late Victorian agricultural villages in the Cape, and a variety of architectural styles can be seen along Long Street, the oldest part of town.

Among Montagu’s historic buildings are the old Mission Church, built in 1907 in Cape Gothic style, and the Cape Dutch Joubert House, dating to 1853. Both buildings now form part of the Montagu Museum, which tells the history of the town and its people. The hot mineral springs at the entrance to Badskloof have a temperature of 43°C at their source. The springs have attracted visitors for over two centuries and the modern complex comprises six outdoor and two indoor pools, three spa baths, a hotel, self-catering apartments and restaurants.

Siyabona Africa Travel recommends hotel accommodation in Montagu.

COGMANS KLOOF

...carved by the Cogmans River, is a spectacular gorge with magnificent contorted rock strata, some of which have been thrust almost vertically. In the 19th century, Cogmans Kloof provided the only access to Montagu from the west, and involved a challenging, often hazardous journey during which the river had to be forded eight times. Construction of a new pass began in 1869, but the road was only opened after the completion of the tunnel through Kalkoenkrans in 1877.

With a height of 5 m, the 16-m-long tunnel is one of the outstanding features of the pass built by the renowned road builder, Thomas Bain (son of Andrew Geddes Bain). Perched on top of Kalkoenkrans is a stone fort built by the British in 1899 to deny access through the kloof to Boer forces during the South African War.

BONNIEVALE

...on the northern banks of the Breede River, lies amid a patchwork of peach and apricot orchards and vineyards. In the early 1900s many of the farms in the area concentrated on ostrich farming. But following the collapse of the industry in 1914 the farmers switched to wine and dairy farming; soon six cheese factories operated in the valley.

Boesmanrivierse Co-operative cheese factory, established in 1926, has grown into the largest cheese factory in South Africa; its products are sold under the Parmalat label. The factory produces Gouda and Cheddar cheese, as well as milk powder and butter.

McGREGOR

Founded in 1861 in a scenic valley surrounded by mountains, McGregor is a picturesque, tranquil village of whitewashed thatched cottages. The town was originally named Lady Grey after the wife of the Cape Governor, Sir George Grey, but in 1903 it was renamed after Reverend A McGregor to avoid confusion with Lady Grey in the Eastern Cape. With its neat grid plan, orchards and beautifully preserved historic houses, McGregor is regarded as one of the best examples of a mid-19th century village in the Western Cape.

Among its variety of architectural styles are whitewashed cottages with low-pitched thatched roofs and plain end-gables and Georgian-style double-storey houses with flat roofs. It is the start and finish of the popular Boesmanskloof Hiking Trail. The 14-km-long route meanders through the Riviersonderend Mountains between Greyton and Die Galg, 14 km northeast of Greyton.

VROLIJKHEID NATURE RESERVE

...was proclaimed in 1957 and for some years housed a predator control research and hound training centre. In the late 1980s the research centre was closed down and the 1 872-ha reserve was developed to protect the succulent vegetation of the Karroid Broken Veld and its fauna. The reserve is especially attractive between August and October, when fields of gazanias and other species come into full bloom.

From 1987 to the early 1990s, Vrolijkheid was the centre of the Quagga Breeding Project, which aimed to revive the extinct quagga (a zebra-like mammal) through selective breeding. The animals have since been relocated to several new host sites. Visitors can explore the reserve along the 3-km Heron Trail or take the 19-km Rooikat Trail, which requires a full day to complete.