Hart Cottage at Glen Avon Farm

I told you a little bit of the history of Glen Avon Farm and the historic Glen Avon Watermill outside Somerset East in my previous post. Glen Avon has a number of other old buildings on the property with the oldest being Hart Cottage. Built around 1817, Hart Cottage is the only remaining of three of the … Continue reading Hart Cottage at Glen Avon Farm →

The historic Glen Avon Watermill

A week or two three ago I got to spend an evening on the historic Glen Avon Farm at the foot of the Bosberg Mountains outside Somerset East. A stay at Glen Avon consist of true farm hospitality like you can only get in the Karoo and the B&B's surroundings is just what you need to get away from … Continue reading The historic Glen Avon Watermill →

Wild Fly Fishing in the Karoo

Fly fishing - An angling method in which an artificial "fly" is used to catch fish. The fly is cast using a fly rod, reel, and specialized weighted line. Casting a nearly weightless fly or "lure" requires casting techniques significantly different from other forms of casting.Karoo - The Karoo (from the KhoiSan word which means Place … Continue reading Wild Fly Fishing in the Karoo →

The Slagtersnek Monument near Cookhouse

Driving along the N10 between Port Elizabeth and Cradock there is a memorial next to the road near the town of Cookhouse. Driving back from Cradock the other day I decided to stop and have a closer look. The Slagtersnek Monument remembers the Slagtersnek Rebellion and the subsequent hanging of 5 of the rebels, an event that … Continue reading The Slagtersnek Monument near Cookhouse →

Golden Orb Web Spider

Most of the time I post pictures of historic buildings or beaches so I decided to post of pic of a Black Legged Golden Orb Web Spider today. The reason for the name is the gold coloured thread they spin their webs with. Taken with a bit of back lighting you can actually see the … Continue reading Golden Orb Web Spider →

Sun dials

How many people still wear watches today? I stopped wearing one when I got my first mobile phone and it had the time on it. But before wrist watches, cuckcoo clocks and grandfather clocks there were clocks that didn't go tick tock. Sun clocks dials. And that is the topic of my "Random ... " post today. … Continue reading Sun dials →

Up the museum road

Looking up the road and through the gates at the Somerset East Museum

Overgrown grave yard

On visiting the Somerset East Museum recently, I discovered this old overgrown grave yard behind it on the slopes of the Boschberg Mountain. I have a thing for old cemeteries and had a look around. Unfortunately the guy who was going to show us through the museum arrived and cut short my exploration, but next … Continue reading Overgrown grave yard →

Victorian Post box

There are a couple of old and historic post boxes around the country that is still in use. I found this old post box dating from the Victorian era just outside the Somerset East Museum in the Eastern Cape town with the same name.

Gill College

In July 1829, Dr. William Gill was appointed District Surgeon of the newly founded town and district of Somerset. Upon his death in 1863, he left the main portion of his estate to found and maintain an institution for higher education in the Eastern Cape. His will stipulated that no portion of the estate was … Continue reading Gill College →