Montagu

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Bird watching at Montagu Leidam

Bird lovers visiting Montagu doesn't have to go much further than the Leidam to see a wide range of birds fairly up close.  The residents around the dam include Grey heron, Little Egret, Cattle Egret, African Sacred Ibis and the Common Weaver with 18 local species and 52 migrant species counted.  The town has put up a very nice and accessible viewing deck next to the dam and visitors who would like a closer look can get a key for the gate from the…

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25/01/2012
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Montagu Dried Fruit Route

Visiting the Montagu Dried Fruit factory shop we found out that they have a sightseeing tractor tour of the farm for which we immediately booked.  The tour takes about an hour and a half to two hours and passes the fruit drying area and orchards before heading up the hill behind the farm.  Once you are out of the actually farming area you start ascending the adjacent hill with its typical Karoo vegetation.  The Kidz were obviously very excited about the trip and…

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23/01/2012
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Montagu Dried Fruit

I love summer fruits (well, any fruit actually) like peaches, plums and apricots.  That was one of the many reasons I looked forward to spending the first part of our summer holiday in the Klein Karoo town of Montagu.  The area has a rich soil and amazing micro climate and along with the fact that there is an abundance of water makes it ideal to farm summer fruits.On our first day in Montagu I discovered the Montagu Dried Fruit Factory Shop. …

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20/01/2012
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Montagu Panorama

Even though I have a nifty little panorama setting on my camera I don't always do a lot of panorama photos.  The reason for this is mainly because the photo often looks a bit distorted if the horizon is a flat one.  Standing at one of the lookout spots overlooking the town of Montagu surrounded by beautiful mountains and summer fruit orchards (peach and apricot), I decided to give it a shot.  The result encouraged me to take a couple more…

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18/01/2012
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Montagu War Memorial

I've said it before and I will say it again and again and again (every time I find another one).  Just about every town has a war memorial.  Click to see those in Knysna and Mossel Bay which I've blogged about before.  Driving around Montagu I was looking for interesting places and stumbled upon the Montagu War Memorial remembering those from the town who fell during the Anglo Boer War, WWI and WWII.  I'm not a war junkie so I…

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17/01/2012
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Montagu NG Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church)

The little town of Montagu in the Western Cape truly is a gem of a town with beautiful old buildings, lots of history, fruit, mountains and nature all around.  Montagu was founded in 1851 on the farm Uitvlucht.  The town was named after John Montagu, the British Secretary of the Cape, who was responsible for the building of the Cogmans Kloof Pass that opened up the town for passing trade.  One of the most significant buildings in the town is the…

6 Comments
16/01/2012