Attakwaskloof Pass
Encyclopedia
Attakwaskloof Pass, Is situated in the Western Cape
province of South Africa
on the off-road between Mosselbay and Oudtshoorn. From early days a need for a link between the coast and the interior existed. With the arrival of settlers at the Cape, the need for a route between the Cape and the interior enjoyed a high priority and in 1689 the first documented crossing of the mountains over the Attakwaskloof took place. The Attakwaskloof Pass was used by elephants before the pass was built. This became the main road to the North for 180 years from 1689–1869 and was the most important route linking the area around Mossel Bay
with Kannaland in the vicinity of Oudtshoorn. With the later construction of the Robinson Pass, the Attakwaskloof Pass fell into disuse. It has become part of Cape Nature Conservation and declared a National Monument in 1995.
The Attakwaskloof pass is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) long and reaches a height of 820 metres (2,690.3 ft) above sea level. It is over 300 years old. It offers spectacular scenery, natural rock pools, remains of historic buildings like block houses, an old hotel and toll houses.
Western Cape
The Western Cape is a province in the south west of South Africa. The capital is Cape Town. Prior to 1994, the region that now forms the Western Cape was part of the much larger Cape Province...
province of South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
on the off-road between Mosselbay and Oudtshoorn. From early days a need for a link between the coast and the interior existed. With the arrival of settlers at the Cape, the need for a route between the Cape and the interior enjoyed a high priority and in 1689 the first documented crossing of the mountains over the Attakwaskloof took place. The Attakwaskloof Pass was used by elephants before the pass was built. This became the main road to the North for 180 years from 1689–1869 and was the most important route linking the area around Mossel Bay
Mossel Bay
Mossel Bay is a harbour town of about 130,000 people on the Southern Cape of South Africa. It is an important tourism and farming region of the Western Cape Province...
with Kannaland in the vicinity of Oudtshoorn. With the later construction of the Robinson Pass, the Attakwaskloof Pass fell into disuse. It has become part of Cape Nature Conservation and declared a National Monument in 1995.
The Attakwaskloof pass is 10 kilometres (6.2 mi) long and reaches a height of 820 metres (2,690.3 ft) above sea level. It is over 300 years old. It offers spectacular scenery, natural rock pools, remains of historic buildings like block houses, an old hotel and toll houses.