4x4 or not? Swartberg Pass with a 2x4



The allure of the gravel road that snakes around and through the beauty of the Western Cape hills and valleys has stolen the hearts of many. It is no surprise that it has been listed as a national monument. The epitaph of Thomas Bain, the route is littered with incredible, and sometimes whimsical names such as Small Fountain, Small Stall, White Corner and Devious Corner, which are almost as famous as the route itself. And of course, there is Die Top. The apex of the route. The Swartberg Pass stretches along 27km of untarred road and is considered one of the finest mountain passes in the world. At 23,8 km in length, it will take you approximately an hour to complete this drive, but it will be an hour of unequalled beauty. The dirt road is surprisingly easy to navigate and winds 1583 metres above sea level to the summit in jagged zigzags and sheer drops with breathtaking views as far as the eye can see. From the northern start at the crossing of the Dorpsrivier, the road traverses a short stretch of open plain, but the massive bulk of the looming Swartberg blocks the way ahead, other than a single, narrow gorge through which the road winds. The highest peak visible at this stage is unnamed at 1532m on your left (east), whilst the slightly lower Voetpadsberg on the right (west) tops out at 1402m. A Passage Through Time. The pass is a two-way street, which of course means you can enter from two different points. If you’re approaching from the north, the entrance is about 4km south of the town of Prince Albert. If you’re approaching from the south, you will need to drive north from the town of Oudtshoorn. The roads are extremely well maintained and any vehicle should be able to traverse them. The fynbos is at their best in the winter months, and spring is a harmony of proteas, ericas, restios and pin-cusions.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Ghosts of Prince Albert or the Fig Jam Smugglers?

Image
Is Prince Albert any fun? Watch the video and see how colorful this sleepy town really is on a Saturday morning. We were just passing through on a big road trip. But we had to meassure the happiness level of this scenic town in the Karoo. We asked very serious questions but nobody took us serious. Questions such as the ghost arguing about sheep prices and the great apricot disaster of 1923. Church bells ringing after you ate your 3rd Koeksister and the like. But nobody took us serious. What do you say, were we unfairly treated? You will have to watch the video to answer this question. Was it a highlight of our trip? Defnitely, Our room was in a building that was 200 years old at Ta' Malas Cottage. That is some serious history right there. We can not recommend this place enough. The outside shower was a treat. We visited Prince Albert after passing over the Swartberg Pass from Oudtshoorn. You have to watch this video also. Join the channel and follow our exciting lives right h...
Read more

Amethyst stand, DIY, 5 minutes, done

Image
Welding a simple attractive stand for your large specimens have never been easier. See how I do it in this video. The end result changed an amethyst cluster to an interior decorators item fit for an upmarket home. I take you through the process step by step, I start by welding an upright square bar of 1 cm thick unto a round dome base. The base is usually used as the tops of a round upright poles that you will get at your steel merchant. I then bend a 6 mm rebar and cut it at the right length. I then weld the rebar on the upright square bar about halfway up the metal bar. I then cool down the welded stand and chip off the flux and then paint the stand in a bronze paint. All in all it takes me about 30 minutes. And I have just increased the value of the specimen by double its original value Visit us at The Rockshop at Hartbeespoort. You will not be disappointed. Our address is 74 Scott str, Hartbeespoort, South Africa. You can see our minerals at www.bronnrocks.co.za We have bee...
Read more