Eastern Cape Provincial Article - South African Vacations

ELLIOTDALE
The small village of Elliotdale lies approximately 50 km south of Umtata. It was
established in 1878 and named after Sir Henry George Elliot, the Chief
Magistrate of Thembuland and who, from 1891 to 1902 was the Chief
Magistrate of the Transkeian Territories (the area covered by the previous
Homeland of Transkei). Elliotdale is strategically situated on the route to the
popular Wild Coast resort of Coffee Bay and is connected by gravel road to
The Haven and the Cwebe and Dwesa Nature Reserves. The Mbashe River,
once the traditional boundary separating the southern Xhosa and the northern
Thembu people, lies close by and reaches the sea in a wide estuary flanked
by white beaches.
HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURE
Mbashe River Bridge: The old iron bridge over the river, now rusty red, is still
standing and offers spectacular views over the valley below and the river
writhing its way through the countryside.
NATURAL WONDERS
Collywobbles: A unique feature of the Mbashe River is its meandering series
of twists and double-backs known as the collywobbles. It received this name
in 1859 when Regional Magistrate George Colley, while surveying the area and
viewing the river, was said to have remarked, ”My, how it wobbles”,
whereupon one of his men replied: “Yes, sir, it Colley Wobbles." And the name
stuck. During springtime the area around the river develops some scarlet
patches as the coral trees come into bloom.
FLAGSTAFF
In 1875, the paramount chief of Pondoland granted trading rights in the area
to two European settlers, Z Bowles and G Owen. They subsequently opened
a trading store in the hills north of Lusikisiki. As business boomed they found it
more and more difficult to keep away customers who wanted to be served
seven days a week. In desperation they erected a flagstaff next to the store so
that, when a white flag was hoisted, people could see from afar that the store
was closed – hence the name Flagstaff. Today the town is an important
trading and road-transportation centre.
ADVENTURE AND SPORT
Hiking: There are several hiking trails in the area, for example, the 15-km
Mkambati/Flagstaff Hiking Trail.
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