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Western Province - Ceres |  |
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On the mountainous northern edge of the Western Cape's Winelands region, north-east of Cape Town. Named, aptly enough, in honour of the Roman goddess of agriculture, Ceres serves as the hub of one of South Africa's most abundant - and most beautiful - fruit growing regions, a wide upland basin girded by the splendid mountains of the Witzenberg, Skurweberg and Hex River ranges. Major crops include apples, peaches, pears; lesser ones grapes, plums, nectarines, cherries, and, for good measure, potatoes and onions. The town, predictably, also produces huge quantities of fruit juice (the local plant is the country's biggest). It also serves as a conveniently comfortable base for nature-lovers, rock-climbers, bird-watchers and, in winter, skiers who come to explore and enjoy the majesty of the highlands. It's also rallying point for various popular ‘fruit routes' organised both locally and from Cape Town and served by an attractive mix of estates, farm stalls, packing houses and so forth. Special features of the routes include an ‘orchard trail' and farm hospitality on your overnight stay.
Transport Riders' Museum In town; on display are wagons, carts and a fascinating array of equipment and utensils that the self-sufficient early traders took with them in their houses-on-wheels. Ceres Mountain Fynbos Reserve, established to protect the fragile and to a degree unique plant life of the area. The reserve lies to the west and south of town, and offers pleasant walks and some interesting Bushman cave art. Michell's pass connects Ceres with the small town of Wolseley to the south and offers one of the region's more spectacular drives. The pass is a deep cleft in the otherwise impenetrable mountains that both man and migrating animal used long before Andrew Bain, the renowned 19th century road engineer, built the first modern throughway (in 1846). Kagga Kamma This private Game and Nature Reserve is set among splendid upland scenery in the Cederberg range some way north of Ceres, and has resident Bushman (or Khoisan) guests who have preserved and will show visitors some of the ways - the art, the lifetstyles - of their forefathers. Game drives; rest-camp, luxurious lodge and, for those in search of the authentic, cave accommodation on offer. Klein Cederberg Nature Reserve Another private sanctuary, set in the Koue Bokkeveld some 70 kilomtres from Ceres. The area is famed for its strange rock formations, and its stunning scenery. Ostriches are among the wildlife residents; hikes to view the area's Bushman paintings can be arranged. Tulbagh A charming and historic little town just 16 kilometres across the mountains to the west. South Africa's biggest recorded earthquake destroyed most of its lovely old buildings in 1969, but they've been beautifully restored. More than 30 of those in Church Street are proclaimed national monuments; especially notable are the Drostdy or early magistrate's home and court (this now does duty as a headquarters of a leading wine company); the Old Church museum; Monbijou (a period home designed by the celebrated architect Louis Thibault and completed in 1815), and the Victorian House (fine furniture).
Tulbagh (see above); Worcester to the south; Wellington to the south-east; Malmesbury to the south-west. |
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CERES Western Cape
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