issue 4 digital FINAL

Explore
Cathy Withers-Clarke- Shutterstock
became the key centre for the British military forces going north to the
front. Several Cape Rebels who joined the Boer forces were executed
here. Today the town is a cultural hub, and a peaceful living monument
to the early Cape Dutch and Karoo architecture of South Africa like
none other. The town is home to more national monuments than any
other town or city in South Africa, and a long list of famous, successful
and historic South African figures came from here.
From Graaff-Reinet, follow either the N9 to Middleburg or the
R63 to Murraysburg for 4 or 5 kilometres respectively to get to the
crown jewel of the region: the Camdeboo National Park, which is the
majestic centre of the Valley of Desolation within the park, also called
the Cathedral of the Mountains and a declared national monument.
Drive up to a viewpoint from where you can view the sheer cliffs and
precariously balanced columns of Dolerite that rise 120 metres from
the valley floor, beyond which the Karoo plains stretch out endlessly.
Lose yourself in the silence and the sheer beauty of this natural wonder
of the world formed hundreds of millions of years ago through volcanic
forces unimaginable.
The park also offers a vast variety of fauna and flora, with over 220
recorded species of birdlife including the majestic black eagle, 336
plants and 43 mammals. The latter includes the endangered Cape
mountain zebra, kudu, and buffalo. In the park there are campsites, a
tented camp, picnic sites, 4X4 trails and hiking trails.
● Contacts: Nieu-Bethesda Tourism Tel +27 (0)49 841 1642 or email
accommodation@nieu-bethesda.com; Graaff-Reinet Tourism Office
Tel: +27 (0) 49 892 4248 or email info@graaffreinet.co.za; and South
African National Parks Reservations at +27 (0)12 428 9111.
Ficksburg…the world’s cherry capital, jazz,
chocolates, cigars and steam trains
Discover the world’s cherry capital on the banks of the Caledon River in
the foothills of the Imperani Mountain, in the eastern Free State next
to Lesotho. Enjoy the annual Cherry Festival, take a ride on Africa’s only
floating cigar lounge, swing along at the town’s popular jazz festival,
marvel at the old sandstone architecture, sample delicious locally
made chocolate, become a child again visiting the biggest narrowgauge
steam train engine collection in the world, or hop across the
border into Lesotho for some more adventures.
Somehow one tends to associate cherries with the cooler northern
countries and white Christmases, rather than with the hot and dry
environment of South Africa. It may therefore come as a surprise to
many that the eastern Free State town of Ficksburg lays claim to being
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