Four Passes that link together the pastoral patchwork of the Boland October 17, 2008
Posted by dodo in : Africa, Cape Town, Memorial, Museum, Rail Pass, Restaurant, South Africa, Tickets, Tour , trackbackThe Boland mountains, long an obstruction to the pioneers, are crossed today by several easy, scenic passes. The passes overlook fertile valleys blanketed with vineyards, fields and orchards, where gracious homesteads nestle beneath craggy peaks. Our route through this region is on good tarred roads, and passes a number of attractive picnic sites.
Begin this drive at Rhodes Memorial. From here you have a view across the Cape Flats towards the distant mountains through which our route meanders.
Drive down to the M3 and head towards Muizenberg. At the end of the M3 after 13,7km, exit left, and at the end of the off-ramp 600m later turn left. At the T-junction, turn right onto the old main road.
After 3,4km turn left at the robot-controlled intersection into Atlantic Road, Muizenberg. Follow this road past the pavilion and amusement area on your right, and turn right across the bridge over the Sandvlei river mouth.
Drive around the traffic circle and continue straight for Strandfontein and Mitchell’s Plain (R310). Known as Baden-Powell Drive, this road runs along the sandy coast of False Bay, offering splendid views, then veers inland. After roughly 25 km on this road, turn right onto the N2 towards Somerset West.
Continue on the N2 up Sir Lowry’s Pass. As you approach the top of the pass move into the central lane, and at the crest of the pass turn right into the parking area. From here you look over the Lourens River valley to your right, and across False Bay to the Peninsula mountains.
Sir Lowry’s Pass to ‘Purgatory’
Return to the N2, and after 8,1 km turn left for Grabouw and Elgin (R321). At the stop street in Grabouw, continue straight. Cross the bridge over the Palmiet River, then turn left at the sign for Villiersdorp and Franschhoek (R321).
The start of Viljoen’s Pass is reached about 5 km later. When the road begins to descend, there are wide views of tree-bordered fields in the valleys below.
About 6 km from the start of the pass there is a hairpin bend to the right. Stop here in the parking area on your left to enjoy the view over the fertile upper reaches of the Riviersonderend (river without end).
From here the road descends into the valley, and you pass through the settlement of Vyeboom. Soon there are good views over the Theewaterskloof Dam, with the Franschhoek Mountains on its far side.
Cross the bridge over the dam and immediately turn left for Franschhoek (R45). 2,8 km later, on a right-hand bend, park on the left side of the road for a view of the dam and the road bridge. After a further 7,6 km you reach the tree-shaded ‘Purgatory’ picnic site (braai places, toilets, drinking water).
Shortly after the picnic site, the road begins to ascend the Franschhoek Pass and crosses a bridge over the Du Toit’s River. A few hundred metres past the bridge you can see traces of the old pass, marked by a row of stones on the hillside to your right.
Over the Franschhoek Pass
Immediately after crossing the Jan Joubertsgat Bridge, stop at a parking area on your right. Steps lead down to the river on the mountain side of the road on both sides of the bridge. This allows you to examine the bridge — the oldest road bridge still in use in South Africa.
Continue up the pass, stopping just after the first hairpin bend at a parking area on your left, for a view back down the pass to the valley below with its rocky walls and deep kloof. Continue through another hairpin bend to the summit of the pass.
As the road begins to descend, turn left into a parking area. From here there are magnificent views of the Franschhoek Valley below, with its farmlands, vineyards, forests, shimmering dams and ribbons of road.
The road winds down the mountainside into Franschhoek, reaching the Huguenot Monument almost immediately on your left. Park here to visit the monument and the adjoining Huguenot Museum. (Franschhoek has several restaurants offering lunches and teas.)
Franschhoek to Boschendal
About 100m beyond the main museum building, turn right into Huguenot Road for Paarl, Stellenbosch and Cape Town. Drive along this road, passing the historic Dutch Reformed Church on your right.
At the fork 200m beyond the church, take the left road. The road passes through the village of Groendal (green dale), crosses the railway, then leads through the vineyards of many of the original farms established by the first French Huguenot settlers.
After passing a picnic area on your left, the road crosses the railway again, then crosses the Berg River on a single-lane bridge.
About 5 km later, turn left for Pniel and Stellenbosch (R310). Immediately after the turn you cross a double set of railway tracks. 1,5 km later, turn off left to visit the historic Boschendal homestead.
Boschendal to Cape Town
After leaving the Boschendal estate, the road leads through the tree-shaded mission village of Pniel, with its picturesque church on your right, then winds gently uphill through the adjoining village of Johannesdal.
Keep right at the fork where Kylemore Road leads left. Continue on the R310 as it winds over the Helshoogte Pass, and down through Ida’s Valley on the outskirts of Stellenbosch.
Keep straight, and at the stop street at Ryneveld Street, turn left. At the robot- controlled intersection turn right into Merriman Street. At the next robot-controlled intersection turn right into Bird Street.
Continue straight on this road (R304) for 14,7 km, then turn left onto the N1 towards Cape Town
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