Driving in Robertson, McGregor, Montagu, Swellendam and surrounds

Robertson is a town in the Western Cape Province of South Africa, known as the valley of wine and roses, at the heart of the wine route - Routes 60 and 62. Founded in 1853 and named after Dr William Robertson, a Scottish Dutch Reformed Church minister. 

Situated in the fertile Robertson Valley, farming and wagon building were the town's original industries. However, after the Second Anglo-Boer War of 1899, the wagon building industry collapsed when the railways took over the transport of all goods.

Robertson subsequently became famous for its ostrich farming, but this industry collapsed as well shortly after World War I, and the farmers of the area turned to wine and fruit farming. Later, several successful racehorse stud farms were founded. Agriculture remains the mainstay of the town's economy.

McGregor is a small village in the mountains of the Western Cape, South Africa. It is roughly 20km south of Robertson. The village was established in 1861 and was originally called Lady Grey. It was renamed in 1905 in honour of Rev. Andrew McGregor, who had been the Dutch Reformed Church minister of the Robertson District for forty years. It has become somewhat of a magnet for alternative lifestyles. The local Waldorf school has roughly 167 children. It is part of the broader wine route network of the Western Cape and is situated at one end of the popular Boesmanskloof Trail to the town of Greyton to the south.

Montagu is named after former secretary of the Cape Colony, John Montagu, but was once known as Agter Cogman's Kloof, Cogman's Kloof linking the town and railway station. It is situated at the confluence of the Keisie and Kingna rivers. Montagu was founded on the farm "Uitvlugt" in 1851, and is known for its hot mineral springs and scenic mountains. It is also an agricultural centre, where orchards and vineyards are in production and local herbs are grown. The farming area, 'Koo', lies north of the town and is famous for the quality of its apples, pears, apricots and peaches.

Swellendam is the fourth oldest town in South Africa (after Cape Town, Stellenbosch, Simon's Town, and Paarl), a town with 17,537 inhabitants situated in the Western Cape province. The town has over 50 provincial heritage sites, most of them buildings of Cape Dutch architecture.

Bonnievale was founded in 1922, and was named after the railway siding called Vale at its opening in 1902 and Bonnie Vale in 1917. Municipal status was gained in April 1953. Bonnievale is surrounded by the Langeberge and Riversonderend Mountains. Situated on the Cape Wine Route, the area caters to tourists with locally made cheese and wine, along with private nature reserves and extensive hiking trails.

Driving in South Africa

Google Maps :
https://maps.app.goo.gl/euLAPKfbp9UM8...
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0:00 De Hoop cottages and back for supper
2:20 Outing to McGregor
6:13 Robertson to Klaasvoogds
7:33 Klaasvoogds via Asthon to Kleinhoekkloof
8:48 Kleinhoekkloof via Ashto to Kogmanskloof
9:36 Kogmanskloof to Montagu
9:56 Montagu to Die Stal on Koo road
10:51 Die Stal back to Robertson
13:02 pre-supper drive to Dassieshoek
15:09 Dassieshoek to Ragazzi
18:25 Breakfast at Four Cousins on to Bonnievale
20:00 Bonnievale to Swellendam

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