Western Cape Article - South African Vacations

This town was laid out in 1838 and is named for the victor of the Battle of Waterloo, the Dukeof Wellington. The valley in which the town lies was once called Limietvallei (“Border Valley”)as it used to be the border of the Dutch East India Company’s holdings in the Cape.Wellington lies at the foot of the Groenberg (“Green Mountain”) on the banks of the KrommeRiver. Wellington is a small, quiet town with many sites of historical interests and buildings ofCape Dutch architecture. It is known for its leatherwork industry and as the headquarters ofthe dried fruit industry.ADVENTURE AND SPORTBain’s Kloof Hiking Trails: Bain’s Kloof has several hiking trails through a landscape of themost beautiful species of wild flowers.Horse Trails: Guided horse trails can be organised through the Hawequa Mountains.Mountain-bike Trails: The Hawequa Mountains offer many exhilarating mountain-bike trailswith breathtaking views over the Berg River Valley.Rugby: Wellington is the administrative headquarters of the Boland Rugby Union and is thehome of the Boland Stadium.CUISINEDried Fruit: The headquarters of the South African Dried Fruit Industry is situated in MainRoad. This company is the largest packer and marketer of dried fruit in the country.Wellington Wine Route: The route covers a relatively small area and the farms lie within easyreach of each other. The route includes Bovlei Co-op, Cape Wine Cellars, Jacaranda, RetiefFamily Cellar, Wamakersvallei Co-op and Wellington Winery. The route is well-known for itsexquisite red wines as well for its Chardonnay.ENTERTAINMENT AND SHOPPINGLeather Factories and shops: The leather factories produce and sell an exclusive range ofshoes. Other leather products can also be purchased, such as brief cases.FAUNA AND FLORALimietberg Nature Reserve: The reserve covers a large part of the Boland Mountains andconsists of nine different hiking routes through lovely fynbos vegetation.Bain’s Kloof Pass: The pass was opened in 1853 and is one of the most spectacular routes inthe area. The pass links Wellington to Ceres and Worcester. Apart from the convenience ofthe pass, it is worth the trip just to see the beautiful views of the valley.HISTORY AND ARCHITECTUREBlockhouse: Dating back to the Anglo-Boer War, the blockhouse outside Wellington was builtby the British to protect the railway line.Buildings: The town is an architectural jewel, with many buildings of Cape Dutch, Victorianand American styles. The buildings are still in use today and can be viewed on a walkingroute through the town.Clairvaux, Murray Jubilee Hall and Samuel House: The house used to be the residence ofDr Murray, the famous Scottish-born minister of the Dutch Reformed Church, and subsequentlya missionary-training institute.190