In 1873, the Town and surrounding Area was densely populated with prospectors all hoping to make their fortunes in the second of the Transvaal Gold Fields. It was estimated that in the beginning of 1874 there were some 1500 prospectors working around 4000 claims! During the Second Boer War (11 October 1899 - 31 May 1902) the Town of Pilgrim’s Rest was the location of a; Mint that was erected under emergency circumstances and the gold mined was used to make what is now the famous and rare; 'Veld Pond Coin'.

Today the Town today, is a tourist Location that takes visitors back in time to the days of the: 'Gold Rush', in the 1870’s. Everyone dresses accordingly to the Historical Era, when it first became a Tourist Attraction, in 1970. It was changed then very little from its Historical History and is now a protected Historical Site. In 1986 the Town was declared a National Monument.

Renosterfontein is located in the region of Limpopo. Limpopo's capital Polokwane (Polokwane) is approximately 174 km / 108 mi away from Renosterfontein (as the crow flies). The distance from Rhenosterfontein to South Africa's capital, Pretoria (Pretoria) is approximately 135 km / 84 mi (as the crow flies). It falls under the Blue Crane Municipality's jurisdiction and in the Modimolle District. This could be one of the best fishing or outdoors adventure locations in the regions of Africa/Middle East. Visit the Marakele National Park, go on a Big 5 game drive at Kololo Nature Reserve, spend some time on the Cheetah Feeding Tour at the de 'Wildt Shingwedzi', Cheetah Farm. ('Renoster', in Afrikaans means Rhinoceros.)

It is the second-largest Municipality of seven in the District, accounting for 19% of the Geographical Area, and is an an Administrative Area. The Municipality is named after the South African national bird, the blue crane. It spans an Area of approximately 9,836 square kilometres with a Population of nearly 40 000 people in the Towns of Cookhouse, Pearston and Somerset East.
The Area is characterized by a small population, meaning there is: low populations density, concentration of employment in agriculture, disinvestment in rural areas, the dominance of one urban centre in the region and the resultant disparity between rural and urban areas. In addition to this, the Blue Crane Route Local Municipality has a high prevalence of poverty and declining employment levels.
The construction Industry has also experienced growth due to the initiation of new housing schemes. The Manufacturing and Government sectors have been consistent contributors to Employment in the Area. The highest levels of Employment in the formal sector are in; the agricultural sector and the community services sector. The agricultural sector employs the highest percentage of people therefore it plays a fairly big economic role.
Somerset East is the administrative centre of the Blue Crane Route Municipal Area and it is situated at the foot of the Boschberg Mountains.
Tourism and farming are also major drivers of the local economy. It also encompasses part of the Addo Elephant National Park and other significant areas of; Nature Conservation.

"If you drive through Mpumalanga with an eye on the landscape flashing by, you may see, near the sides of the road and further away on the hills above and in the valleys below, fragments of building in stone as well as sections of stone-walling breaking the grass cover. Endless stone circles, set in bewildering mazes and linked by long stone passages, cover the landscape stretching from Ohrigstad to Carolina, connecting over 10 000 square kilometres of the escarpment into a complex web of stone-walled homesteads, terraced fields and linking roads." exert from: https://witspress.co.za/catalogue/forgotten-world/

Oral traditions recorded in the early twentieth Century named the Area: 'Bokoni' – the Country of the Koni people!
Most of the Mountains and Hills of Mpumalanga have stone circles on them and extensive road networks, joining them to one another. This has long been thought of as just homes, of the local peoples and their cattle Kraals. They were therefore dismissed as being of any real value or importance Archaeologically. However, it has since been proven by means of extensive investigation and discovery of artefacts, rock art and satellite and aerial imagery, that these people, the Bokoni or Koni people were much more advanced! They were farmers, forgers of weapons and tools, miners and traders. The smelting of iron and copper and forging of weapons and tools from iron ore and mixing this with charcoal and fluxes to get steel takes a very specialized skillset, even some form of chemistry to get the mixture right for the steel to be strong enough to be of use. This later developed into a specialty performed by only specific people and the skill was then passed down within those families. The chief of the Village prized the metal-workers as the skill allowed for trade from and to other Villages and even long distance to other peoples. This even included the trade in gold, where it was found. The Archaeological site of Mapungubwe has demonstrated the use of gold, used in burials.
The Bokoni also developed specialized Farming methods using terracing for their crops and walls along roadways to prevent their livestock grazing on their crops on their way to and from pasture. Crops planted were sorghum, bulrush millet, finger millet, gourds, squash, melons, beans and groundnuts. They kept cattle, goats, sheep and chickens. Their diet also consisted of some wild animals, primarily buck. Due to being attacked by various tribes, the Bokoni built walls around their Settlements and Villages. They used too position themselves on top of Mountains and Hills so that they could be more defensible. Rocks could be rolled down on attackers trying to penetrate their territory from below.
Adam's Calendar is protected as part of the Blue Swallow National Heritage Site, and you will need a guide in order to explore the stones.

This Area, lies within the South African mist-belt. On average it receives more than 1 000 mm of rain per Year. The vegetation is mainly grassland, with scrubby, forest-edge species in thickets along the Rivers and in the Valleys. Forests are restricted to these mesic, Valleys. Other habitat types include: rocky outcrops and open rock cliffs, which form part of the Mpumalanga escarpment. Exotic trees, primarily have invaded much of the remaining grassland! Kaapsche Hoop, well known for its Wild Horses roaming freely, is a charming Village situated in Mpumalanga , 25 km from Nelspruit.

This popular tourist Village is a haven of beauty, peace and tranquility. With it's misty Mountains and high rainfall, Kaapsche Hoop has a cozy ambience and is the Nature-lover's, dream destination! Kaapsche Hoop is rich in History and local art, and offers various leisure activities, such as Horse Riding, Hiking trails, etc. With the local Restaurants, quaint shops and loads of accommodation, it makes for the perfect holiday! Kaapsche Hoop is approx. 290km from Johannesburg, and only 28km from Nelspruit. On the plateau just above the Town of Kaapsche Hoop, overlooking the Barberton Valley, is a peaceful space filled with open sky, incredible views, and a series of standing stones that closely resemble Stonehenge (give or take a few stones). In this Valley, the Adam's Calendar was discovered. This is a series of stones believed to be the oldest man-made structure on Earth. The ancient circular monolithic stones predate any other structure found to date, at 75 000 years old. They believe that Adam's Calendar is the flagship of the ruins and that it remains accurate as a calendar following the shadow of the setting sun cast by the central monolith onto a flat calendar stone next to it. Johan Heine, who discovered the stones in 2003, and Michael Tellinger have co-authored a couple of books on the subject. Adam's Calendar is protected as part of the Blue Swallow National Heritage Site, and you will need a guide in order to explore the stones!

Beau Constantia is a boutique wine farm situated at the top of Constantia Nek overlooking False Bay. Vines are planted to an elevation of 350 metres above sea-level on some of the steepest agricultural slopes in the Cape. These lovingly nurtured vines are spoilt with panoramic views of the Stellenbosch and Helderberg Mountain ranges and over False Bay as far as Hangklip.
Beau Constantia is a boutique wine farm situated at the top of the Cape Peninsula's Constantia Nek. Its vines are planted on some of the steepest agricultural slopes in the region. After devastating fires destroyed the fynbos and pine forests on the property in 2000, the slopes were cleared and terraced, exposing potential for vineyards. Pierre and Cecily Du Preez purchased the 22ha property in 2002 and after extensive soil analysis the first vineyards were planted the following year with the help of dedicated farm manager, Japie Bronn. The farm is also home to a Chefs Warehouse Restaurant.
The modern wine farm is relatively new, purchased by Pierre and Cecily Du Preez in 2002, after fires destroyed the fynbos and pine forests on the property in 2000. Together with their farm manager, Japie Bronn, they planted vineyards over 11.47 hectares of the farm.
Until May 2016 the wine bar at Beau Constantia drew the crowds with a pop-up 'SushiBOX', shop. A recent announcement by the farm will see former Test Kitchen Head Chef, Ivor Jones, team up with Liam Tomlin to open a second outpost of Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constantia.
The idea is for tapas-style eating (lunches and early dinners) on the large deck for al fresco dining. And the chef has been granted a hectare of land to plant his own fresh produce for use in the menu.

Darters Pass is one of those official Passes that leaves you wondering if you're in the right place. The Pass has only one gentle curve towards it's Northern end and climbs a fairly insignificant 62m over it's 3,6 km length. The Pass however, does have significant Historical value as it is is named after a British sharpshooter Lt. Charles James Darter who was ambushed and killed near the narrow Pass in 1902, right at the end of the second Anglo-Boer war. This Pass is located on the N7 Cape-Namibia route approximately 14 km South of Kamieskroon.
South of Springbok, Kamieskroon is set among the granite rock formations of the Kamiesberg Range. The Town's origins lie in the 1860's, 17km North of its present position. Originaly it was known as Bowesdorp. Which is now a Ghost Town on the National Road, from Cape Town to Springbok, in the magisterial district and division of Namaqualand, aprox 504 kilometres North-West of Cape Town and 591 kilometres South of Springbok. In 1850 the Dutch Reformed parish of Namaqualand was separated from the mother parish of Clanwilliam, a place for a Church was required. A site was chosen on the Farm; 'Wilgenhoutskloof' and the Church the first in Namaqualand, was completed in 1864. The Village did not develop much until 1897, when Moses Schuur opened a shop and built a Hotel next to it. Then came the Post Office, the Police Station and the Prison, and it seemed as if Bowesdorp was on the road to prosperity. However, the growing importance of Springbok, which had been established in 1863, endangered the future of Bowesdorp! The parsons preferred taking up residence at Springbok rather than at Bowesdorp. When Dr. W. P. Steenkamp was called to Namaqualand in 1919, he had a Church built at Springbok. This was a heavy blow to Bowesdorp! In 1922, he recommended that the urgently needed repairs, to the Church at Bowesdorp be discontinued because of the high cost. If the community wanted a new Church, it should build one at a more suitable place where more water and space for future development would be available than in the narrow Kloof between high Mountains. Consequently a new Church was completed in 1924, on the road to Garies. The Post Office, Police Station and Shops, were moved there too. Kamieskroon, the new Village aros!. That was Bowesdorp’s deathblow! Plots which had originally cost R6 140 were sold for £8, and the only buyer of property was Adriaan Visser who came to Bowesdorp as a young constable before World War I. The former Village became his Farm! A signpost standing beside the road still indicates the site of the ghost Town, but all that remain of it are the ruins of: the Church, the Hotel, the Police Station, and the Prison of Bowesdorp. These are all near the present Farmhouse.

'Kamies' might be derived from the Nama word, 'kam', meaning two -referring to the twin peaks of the Mountain. The 'Kroon' or Pass is a 330m peak crowned with a huge, cleft rock, is a kilometre from the Village.
Kamieskroon is one of the most scenic Towns in Namaqualand. There are 3 interesting Mountain Peaks namely: 'Kardou' (south-east of the town), 'Boesmankop' (asleep on his back, on the west side) and 'Sneeukop' (north-east of the town), which at a height of 1591 m is the second highest point in Namaqualand.
As previously mentioned, the grave of Charles James Darter, part of the British Army. His grave is located just North of Kamieskroon on the N7, and is popularly referred to as the smallest piece of Britain in the World. (There actually is a Property-Title Deed) The site is identified by a pepper tree growing just next to the grave, and can be very easy to miss when driving past on the N7. You will also need to climb over a small fence to get up close, but people have made it relatively easy by placing big rocks to step on!

Bloubergstrand is a Suburb of Cape Town, 25Km North of the City! The beach at Bloubergstrand is a popular location for a classic view of Table Mountain across the bay and is one of the World's top kite surfer destinations. Robben Island is located 6.9 kilometres West of the coast of Bloubergstrand. The name Bloubergstrand literally means "blue mountain beach" in Afrikaans, and is derived from 'Blaauwberg', a nearby Hill. Bloubergstrand is mainly a residential area, with an incredible view of Table Mountain! The name is derived from the blue shade over Table Mountain when seen from Blouberg’s popular Beach, and directly translates to “Blue Mountain Beach.”
The first people documented to live in Bloubergstrand were the Goringhaikonas. Their leader was “Harry die Strandloper,” also known as; 'Hadah'. Due to his diligence to the Dutch empire (the Verenigde Oostindische Compagnie), working as an interpreter between the indigenous people and the Europeans, he became the first postmaster in South Africa. The Dutch (under control of France) ruled the Cape until the early 1900’s, when the British forces invaded in order to occupy the Cape Colony. This colonial post was important to them as it was directly on their trade route. The Battle of Blaauwberg, which took place on 8 January 1806, is signified as the event that led to the British Empire becoming the new owners of South Africa. The British Empire occupied the Cape until 13 August 1814, when the Netherlands completely surrendered and the colony, which became the property of England.

The battle began early in the morning, with the exchanging of artillery fire from both sides. The Dutch forces battled with 2049 men, under leadership of General Janssens, and lost 353 to casualties, while the English side consisted of 5399 men who fought under leadership of Sir David Baird, of whom 212 lost their lives during the battle. On the 18th of January, the Netherlands agreed to capitulate, and the Dutch officials were all sent back home by March 1806. After the Battle of Blaauwberg, Frederick Louis Stadler became the owner of almost all the Land that forms the Area of, Bloubergstrand. The famous Monument, which operates as a restaurant in the area today, “Ons Huisie,” was the original Farmhouse of said Frederick Louis Stadler. It is said this Frederick’s sons, Frikkie, Rozier, and Johannes are some of the original founders of Bloubergstrand.