Tulbagh, Western Cape

There are still a number of other historical buildings in the District. One of them is the old gaol which today houses the museum in the town. The building is almost 200 years old. Inside the museum you can see the history of the town laid out with displays of some of the local celebrities who lived in the town.  

The valley is perhaps best known for its production of some of the country’s finest wines. Estate wines such as Twee Jonge Gezellen, Drostdyhof and Theuniskraal originate in the Valley known as: 'Het Land van Waveren', where wines have been cultivated since 1906. 
Proteas and herbs grow wild here and peaches, pears and 70 percent of the country’s plums are farmed in the shadow of the mountains. The valley is perhaps best known for its production of some of the country’s finest wines. Estate wines such as Twee Jonge Gezellen, Drostdyhof and Theuniskraal originate in the valley known as Het Land van Waveren where wines have been cultivated since 1906. (See Wine Routes). The scenery, which includes the towering peaks of no fewer than three mountain ranges, is jaw-droppingly beautiful, and the obvious seclusion of the horse-shoe shaped valley in which it lies simply adds further appeal to the already gorgeous countryside. But scenery in Tulbagh aside, the town’s secrets are well hidden, although it takes but a minor delve beneath the surface to unearth them, as I soon discover …

The requisite speed reduction to pass through the town reveals little other than the conventional run of shops and stores that keep small towns like this one running – a spar, a chemist, the odd café, a butchery, a shoe factory, a bottle store and other odd mini supermarkets.

Extreme day and night temperatures and the mountainous backdrop, which creates a number of different climates, together with extremely variable soils in the valley, create some notable wines. Interesting for the connoisseur is the valley’s unique ‘cold trap’ phenomenon - the horseshoe shape of the mountains creates a bowl in which cold night time air lies undisturbed forming a bubble, which is trapped under warming air during the day.

The people in Tulbagh are renowned for their warmth and easy going hospitality and the valley has fast become an attractive weekend getaway for Capetonians and Cape Winelands wedding and conference venue seekers. An earthquake in September 1969, 6.4 on the Richter scale, badly damaged some of the original buildings on Church Street. Most of these were lovingly restored and today make up the largest concentration of National Monuments - 32 in total - and the highest number on any one street in South Africa.  There’s the rather inspiring NG Church that sits austerely on the far edge of Van Der Stel Street (the main road through Tulbagh). The valley was first discovered by European settlers in 1658 and land grants were made to 14 farming families in 1700. The town itself was developed in 1743 when the museum church was built.  Many of the Church Street buildings were destroyed. After the disaster in Church Street, extensive projects of restoration began with the National Committee for the Restoration of Historic Buildings in Tulbagh and its Environment. This work in Tulbagh was possibly the largest number of Cape-Dutch, Edwardian and Victorian provincial heritage sites in one street in South Africa, and remains a major tourist attraction of the town to the present day. Post the 1969 earthquake every historic home in Church Street was painstakingly restored to its original glory. These 32 buildings now constitute the largest concentration of National Monuments in a single street in South Africa.

Tulbagh is perfectly placed for day trips to Cape Town, Franschhoek, Paarl, Malmesbury, Stellenbosch, Worcester and Rawsonville as well as the Cape West Coast and, if you plan your trip accordingly, offers some of the best displays of veld flowers between April and October, making local walks and hikes an utter pleasure.

You might have heard of Tolla van der Merwe who was a comedian and story teller. Unfortunately he was tragically killed in a motor accident. Some of his history is portrayed in the museum, of Clanwilliam.

Today, however the Tulbagh district, is best known for its Rooibos tea industry. Rooibos is a fynbos species which is endemic to the Cederberg area. It has needle like leaves and produces a tasty, aromatic tea that has been found to enhance ones health. It was first marketed in 1904 by a Russian immigrant named Benjamin Ginsberg. The Rooibos tea (Red Bush) contains no preservatives or colourants and being caffeine free has a soothing effect on the nervous system. It is recommended for people suffering with their nerves and all the other ailments that follow from nerve problems.