Karoo

Uncategorized

Middleton

Barrelling along the N10 between Port Elizabeth and Cradock, most people don't even notice the little historic one horse Karoo town of Middleton. Situated about 20 km before reaching Cookhouse, Middleton is a charming little village steeped in history dating back to 1879. The village is situated next to the Great Fish River and includes the Middleton Manor hotel, a restaurant, pub, general dealer, bottle store, post office and camping site.What makes the village unique is that its privately owned.…

5 Comments
15/05/2010
Uncategorized

Somerset East NG Kerk

One of the main landmarks in Somerset East in the Karoo is the Dutch Reformed Church (NG Kerk) in the main street (Nojoli Street). The proposal of the local Heemraden to erect a Dutch Reformed Church in 1825, was accompanied by the submission of a design in which Cape Dutch and Gothic architecture were cheerfully blended. The Eastern facade had a Dutch Renaissance tower rising from an impressive thatched nave. The foundation stone was laid in 1830, but the building…

5 Comments
03/05/2010
Uncategorized

Walter Battiss Art Gallery

Situated just down the road from the Somerset East Museum in the Karoo town of Somerset East, one will find the Walter Battiss Art Gallery. Anybody involved in the South African art industry would know who Walter Battiss was. Walter Whall Battiss was born in Somerset East on 6 January 1906 (died 20 Aug 1982) and is generally considered as South Africa's foremost abstract painter. From 1938 Battiss paid several visits to Europe where he met various successful poets and…

3 Comments
02/05/2010
Uncategorized

Angler and Antelope Guest House

A weekend or two ago we spent the weekend in Somerset East at the guest house of a friend. The Angler and Antelope is situated in the heart of this quaint Karoo town and is truly worthy of its 4 star status. The property consist of a seven room guesthouse as well as a self catering unit called Fisherman's Cottage. A unique feature on the property is the St Francis Culinary Centre which acts as the guest house's lounge, dining…

8 Comments
28/04/2010
Uncategorized

Meiringspoort

There are two ways to get from the Karoo into the Klein Karoo over / through the Swartberg and both are very scenic. The Swartberg Pass is for those with lots of time and Meiringspoort for those in a hurry. The Meiringspoort road features soaring cliff walls with spectacular rock formations along the 25 km tarred road which winds along the floor of the gorge and crosses the Groot River 25 times. Each crossing, or drift, has its own name…

8 Comments
13/01/2010
Uncategorized

Poort-Pourri Kontreiwinkel

Driving towards De Rust and Oudtshoorn from Prince Albert takes one through Meiringspoort. Just before you enter the poort the road passes the little hamlet of Klaarstroom which has remained virtually unchanged since the days of Queen Victoria. As we were passing the turnoff into Klaarstroom my eye caught a peculiar sight and I nearly left the road as I spun my head around. A number of man sized dolls were sitting on benches, on bikes and just standing around…

5 Comments
12/01/2010
Uncategorized

Prince Albert

After driving through the Swartberg Pass (from here to here), we entered the village of Prince Albert. The first farmers in this area started farming in this fertile valley from 1762. The area soon attracted other farmers and church services were held on the market square and by 1844 an Dutch Reformed Church had been built and a thriving community established. In 1845 some parishioners suggested that the village be named Albertsburg after "Naar zijne Hoogheid" - his Royal Highness,…

10 Comments
11/01/2010
Uncategorized

Mohair Museum

Not too long ago I did a series of posts regarding the International Mohair Summit in the town of Graaff Reinet. I just realised that there was still one post on it that I didn't do although I uploaded the photos. During the summit the Mohair Meander was launched. Its basically a route map that takes visitors through the Karoo region and points mohair related places. One of the main features of the route is the newly launched Mohair Experience…

3 Comments
09/12/2009
Uncategorized

Farm workers houses

Farm workers houses in the early morning light on a Karoo farm. Check out the full moon in the background. Note: I don't know if there are actually somebody living in these, cause in the two days I was on the farm I never saw anybody there.

3 Comments
04/12/2009
Uncategorized

Rain in the Karoo

The Karoo can be a dry and lonely if it hasn't rained for a while. Farmers are very dependent on water and most farms have boreholes and windpumps to get the water for their farms to be able to function. But when it does rain, the Karoo and its inhabitents rejoice. Specially if a thunderstorm approaches after a hot day and cools everything off. One of the things the people of the Karoo loves most is seeing water in puddles…

5 Comments
29/11/2009