I don't know how many times my tourism friends in Cradock and Somerset East have asked me if I have driven over the Swaershoek Pass yet. I just heard about the beautiful Karoo landscape and stunning views but because the route is 76km of dirt road I've been a little hesitant. But that changed recently … Continue reading Crossing the Swaershoek Pass
Some people absolutely hate stop-goes at road works. I used to be one of those but recently have changed my whole outlook on them. I make a point of it to get out the car at each one to stretch my legs and to take in the surroundings. Even chat to the driver of the car in … Continue reading Karoo road works stop-go scenery
Driving through the Karoo Heartland town of Cradock the other day I just couldn't help but to stop and snap a few pics of the "Moederkerk" in town. I've played around with a couple of effects and this is what I came up with. Oh yes, and what is a post without a little bit … Continue reading Cradock Moederkerk
Driving through the Karoo from the interior to the Eastern or Southern Cape coast (or the other way around) and looking for a spot to sleep over? The Karoo Heartland has some excellent overnighting spots in towns like Cradock, Graaff-Reinet, Nieu-Bethesda and Somerset East. If Cradock is your overnight destination of choice then you really don't need to look any … Continue reading Cradock’s Tuishuise and Victoria Hotel
About 50 km south of Cradock on the way to Port Elizabeth and the cool breeze of the coast, is one of the Karoo Heartland's most popular farmstalls. Daggaboer Farmstall is one of those "you just have to stop and try their goodies" spots and was voted the WEG & GO! travel magazines' best farm … Continue reading Daggaboer Farmstall in the Karoo Heartland
Looking through everything I have that still needs to be posted I decided to take three Karoo churches and make up one Random... Karoo churches post. Just about every small town in the Karoo Heartland of the Eastern Cape has a remarkable church of some sort. Cradock must have one of the most memorable Karoo Heartland churches there … Continue reading Karoo Heartland Churches
A 4am departure on a road trip to Johannesburg meant that I was just south of the Karoo town of Cradock when the sun started to lick at the horizon. It wasn't long for the clouds to be on fire and I couldn't help but to pull over to take a picture with my phone which I Instagrammed immediately. The Karoo always … Continue reading Karoo sunrise
Olive Schreiner (24 March 1855 – 11 December 1920) was a world renown South African writer and is best remembered for her novel The Story of an African Farm which has been highly acclaimed ever since its first publication in 1883. She was born in Wittebergen and grew up Healdtown from the age of six. Between 1868 and 1870 … Continue reading Schreiner House in Cradock
Farm stalls all have their unique points and quirky bits. Daggaboer Farm Stall outside Cradock has this sign by the gents.....
Back in the old days distance stones were used to indicate to travellers how far they had to go to the next town. These days there aren't a lot of them around and often they are found on old and back roads. But trust Geocaching to take me to one of them on the N10 on a trip to … Continue reading 27 miles to Cradock
Firefly the Travel Guy 