Early Explorers Footsteps - 280km

The ruins of the house built for Katherine Fryer by her husband, Richard, tell a poignant story. The couple came to South Africa from Ireland in 1820, and were among the 350 Irish immigrants who were settled in the Clanwilliam area. Most of these settlers later left for the Eastern Cape, but Richard Fryer sought out a piece of land that somehow resembled Ireland to comfort the homesick Katherine.

EBENHAEZER

...was established in 1831 along the banks of the Olifants River by one of the founders of Wupperthal mission, Baron Theobald von Wurmb of the Rhenish Missionary Society (RMS). It was named after the biblical Ebenhaezer (1 Samuel 7:12) which means ‘stone of help’. In those early days, the river was navigable for 50 km upstream from its mouth and fresh water and supplies were ferried to the mission by boat. Following an agreement between the RMS and the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in 1932, the mission was taken over by the latter.

Ebenhaezer lies at the end of the Olifants River Irrigation Canal, which was extended in 1978 when a dam was built to store the canal’s surplus water, which otherwise would have flowed back into the Olifants River. Water from the dam is used for the irrigation of lucerne, coriander and beans.

VLERMUISKLIP

Until 1945, Lutzville was known as Vlermuisklip, a name derived from the original Dutch name Vleermuisklip (‘bat stone’), for a rocky overhang that was inhabited by bats. On 15 December 1661, the Dutch explorer Pieter Everaerts stayed here during his expedition to find the legendary kingdom of Monomotapa. Following his visit, Vleermuisklip became a landmark for travellers heading to Namaqualand. Among those who camped here were Pieter van Meerhof and Governor Simon van der Stel.

LUTZVILLE

The farming village of Lutzville was established in 1923 and named after Johan Lutz, an irrigation engineer responsible for the surveying of irrigable land in the Olifants River Valley. The Lutzville Vineyards, on the road to Koekenaap, is among the largest co-operatives in South Africa and is renowned for its wines bottled under the Fleermuisklip label. The area also produce raisins, sultanas and currants, while beans and tomatoes are grown for the canning industry.

The Sishen-Saldanha railway bridge over the Olifants River, which can be seen en route to Vredendal, is a major landmark. The 1 035-m-long bridge was built in 1976 by sliding the 23 prefabricated spans, each weighing 610 tonnes, from the construction site forward on Teflon-coated plates using hydraulic jacks. The bridge is supported by 22 pillars, the highest of which is 52,5 m, with each pillar extending 45 m into the riverbed.

VREDENDAL

...is an important agricultural centre for the wine and vegetable farms along the lower Olifants River Valley. Originally known as Bakkeley Plaats, after an altercation between the Dutch and the Khoikhoi in 1668, the name was changed to Vreedensdaal, (‘vale of peace’) following the conclusion of a peace treaty. The Vredendal Winery is one of the largest co-operatives in the country and processes over 70 000 tons of grapes annually.

Among its well-known wines is a blend of chardonnay and sauvignon blanc called Goiya Kgeisje, a San name pronounced ‘Hoya-heysee’ (connected with a loud click), and meaning ‘first wine’. Although primarily a white wine area, the cellar produces an excellent ruby cabernet. A wide range of wines is produced by Spruitdrift Winery, 5 km from the town.

Vredendal also has one of the world’s most modern grape-juice concentrate plants. Other crops grown in the fertile alluvial soil include potatoes, tomatoes, onions, pumpkins, watermelons and sweet melons.

THE OLIFANTS IRRIGATION SCHEME

Although the irrigation potential of the Olifants River was recognised as early as 1832, the Olifants River irrigation district was only proclaimed in 1911. The scheme consists of the Bulshoek Dam, the Clanwilliam Dam and a 321-km network of canals. The main canal is 261 km long, while the total length of the 11 branch canals is 60 km. The Bulshoek Dam, 25 km north of Clanwilliam, and some of the canals were completed in 1924, but soon proved to be inadequate. Construction of the Clanwilliam Dam began in 1932, and was completed three years later.

KLAWER

...lies at the foot of the Matsikamma Mountains on the banks of the Olifants River. The settlement developed around the railway station serving the Olifants River Valley and takes its name from the Afrikaans word for wood sorrel, common here, especially after rains. The Klawer Winery produces mainly white wine and dessert wine.