Swartberg
Encyclopedia
Afrikaans
Afrikaans is a West Germanic language, spoken natively in South Africa and Namibia. It is a daughter language of Dutch, originating in its 17th century dialects, collectively referred to as Cape Dutch .Afrikaans is a daughter language of Dutch; see , , , , , .Afrikaans was historically called Cape...
) make up a mountain range
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
that runs roughly east-west along the northern edge of the semi-arid Little Karoo in the Western Cape
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...
. To the north of the range lies the other large semi-arid area in South Africa, the Great Karoo.
There are several passes through the Swartberg Range, and these are famous due primarily to the spectacular geology they disect as well as the engineering skill required in completing several of them . Most famous of all is the Swartberg Pass
Swartberg Pass
The spectacular Swartberg Pass runs through the Swartberg mountains which are a mountain range that runs roughly east-west along the northern edge of the semi-arid area called the Little Karoo in the Western Cape province of South Africa.The Swartberg is amongst the best exposed fold mountain...
which runs between Oudtshoorn in the south and Prince Albert in the north. The pass is not tarred and can be treacherous after rain, but offers spectacular views over the Little Karoo and the Great Karoo to the north, as well as astounding Geology. The Swartberg is regarded as one of the finest exposed fold mountain chains in the world, and the Northern end of the pass shows this especially . The plant life along the pass is particularly interesting as many hundreds of species are found on the Swartberg. Also notable is the drystone work supporting some of its picturesque hairpin bends
Hairpin turn
A hairpin turn , named for its resemblance to a hairpin/bobby pin, is a bend in a road with a very acute inner angle, making it necessary for an oncoming vehicle to turn almost 180° to continue on the road. Such turns in ramps and trails may be called switchbacks in American English, by analogy...
.
To the east of the Swartberg Pass
Swartberg Pass
The spectacular Swartberg Pass runs through the Swartberg mountains which are a mountain range that runs roughly east-west along the northern edge of the semi-arid area called the Little Karoo in the Western Cape province of South Africa.The Swartberg is amongst the best exposed fold mountain...
, the Meiringspoort provides tarred road transit through the Swartberg along a river. The poort runs north out of the town of De Rust
De Rust
De Rust is a small village at the gateway to the Klein Karoo.De Rust is located at the foot of the Swartberg Mountain range between Oudtshoorn and Beaufort West...
. The Meiringspoort offers a spectacular drive through incredible rock formations, and is the setting for an annual half marathon
Half marathon
A half marathon is a road running event of . It is half the distance of a marathon and usually run on roads. Participation in half marathons has grown steadily recently. One of the main reasons for this is that it is a challenging distance, but does not require the same level of training that a...
that ends in the town of De Rust.
Prince Albert hosts the annual Swartberg Pass Half Marathon. The race route goes out of the town and into the Swartberg Pass
Swartberg Pass
The spectacular Swartberg Pass runs through the Swartberg mountains which are a mountain range that runs roughly east-west along the northern edge of the semi-arid area called the Little Karoo in the Western Cape province of South Africa.The Swartberg is amongst the best exposed fold mountain...
, with sheer rock and mountains on both sides. The warped and twisted rock formations are both beautiful and spectacular.
This race is held usually on the first Saturday of May, to coincide with the Olive Festival.
Much of the Swartberg is part of a UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
.
The Two Ranges
Most of the Swartberg Mountains are above 2000 m high, making it the tallest range of mountains in the Western CapeWestern 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. It is also one of the longest, spanning some 230 km from south of Laingsburg
Laingsburg, Western Cape
- History :Laingsburg was first established in the 1870s by Stephanus Greeff. He bought the farm Vischkuil-aan-de-Buffelsrivier . The town only started developing when the railway line to it was completed...
in the west to between Willowmore and Uniondale
Uniondale, Western Cape
Uniondale is a small town in the Little Karoo in the Western Cape Province, South Africa. The town was formed in 1856 by the joining of two towns, Hopedale and Lyons. Its primary claim to fame is the ghost story of the Uniondale hitcher...
in the east.
The Swartberg consists of two officially named ranges, the Smaller and the Greater Swartberg Mountains. Ironically, the Smaller Swartberg Mountains, the westernmost of the two, is the higher one, including the province's highest peak, Seweweekspoortpiek
Seweweekspoortpiek
Seweweekspoortpiek is the highest mountain in the Cape Fold Belt of South Africa. Along with its western neighbour, Du Toits Peak, it qualifies as an Ultra and these are the only two in the western part of the country.-External links:*...
(Seven Weeks Gorge Peak) at 2325 m. The famous Towerkop (Bewitch Peak) towers over the Klein Karoo town of Ladismith
Ladismith
Ladismith is town and agricultural centre in the western Kleinkaroo region of South Africa's Western Cape province. In 1852 the farm Elandsvlei was set aside for the town, and it became a municipality in 1862. It was named after Lady Juana Smith....
at a height of 2189 m. The peak is so named for its cleft peak, that, according to legend, was split by a spell and subsequent bolt of lightning.
The Greater Swartberg is to the east, with the dividing line between the two ranges being the Gouritz river, which cuts a gorge directly through the range. This section, almost of a similar height, is however slightly lower in elevation, with the Tierberg (Leopard Mountain) at 2132 m being the highest. These mountains are home to the Cango Caves
Cango Caves
The Cango Caves are located in Precambrian limestones at the foothills of the Swartberg range near the town of Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The principal cave is one of the country's finest, best known and most popular tourist caves and attracts many visitors from overseas...
, the most famous subterranean system in South Africa, located just north of Oudtshoorn.
