Graaf Reinet and Nieu Bethesda

Places of Interest - South Africa

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introduction

Graaff-Reinet lies at the foot of the Snow Mountains, in a horseshoe shape formed by the Sundays River. The city is surrounded by the Cambedoo National Park and is sometimes described as the jewel of the Karoo referring to the large amount of beautiful (colonial) architecture. Today, the city is an important center for trade in agricultural products.

About 50 km north of Graaff lies the isolated village Nieu Bethesda which has about 1500 inhabitants. It is known as an artistic city with its dusty gravel streets, galleries and many hostels. It was founded in 1838 by Charles Murray, a Low German Reformed minister of Graaff-Reinet Weinigen. Nieu Bethesda is located in a valley of the Snow Mountains (sneeuw bergen) area. Today, Nieu Bethesda has become a tourist attraction, not only for tourists but also for artists who come to put their own work there or have them photographed.

highlights

Graaf Reinet:

The city Graaff Reinet has no less than 220 buildings that are listed as national monument. This varies from typical Dutch Cape Colony buildings with clock and step gables to classic Karoo houses with flat roofs and Victorian villas with beautiful bougainvilleas in the garden.

There are also a number of interesting museums such as the Hester Rupert Art and Pierneef. The most striking buildings are the Reinet house which is a beautiful example of old Dutch architecture. The Drostdy (now a hotel) was once the home of the governor of the city that dates back to 1806.

Finally, there is the public library that also houses a number of fossils and petroglyphs from the Karoo.

Nieu Bethesda:

Artist Helen Martins (1898 - 1976) put Nieu Bethesda on the map and you can view her old house which is now a museum. Her house is known as the Owl House because the owl is depicted in all shapes and sizes. The garden is known as the camel garden.

Not far from the owl house is the fossil center that also functions as a museum. The buildings in the streets around the church serve as a restaurant, hotel and gallery where you can also often enjoy a tea.

A little further in the dusty streets of this kinda “hippie-town” you can visit the bar of the small snow mountain brewery for a honey beer and / or cheese board.

Other attractions:

The Camdeboo National Park.

history

In the 18th century, the first mounted commandos of the Dutch settlers reached the area where Graaff-Reinet is situated now. They had previously moved from the Cape Colony to the east, away from Capetown. They often came into battle with the Khoe-San tribes in the mountains and the Xhosa.

The first farms were founded in the 70s of the 18th century. In these early years, anarchy and lawlessness reigned in the area. Only after a new landdrost was sent to the region to enforce the law could the peaceful development of the settlement be started.

On 13 December 1785 the first landdrost, Mauritz Woeke, came to the new village. He decided to name the new settlement after the then governor of the Cape Colony, Cornelis Jakob van de Graeff, and his wife Reinet. The boundaries of this new district, the fourth after Cape Town, Stellenbosch and Swellendam, were announced in 1786 by means of a placard. In 1795 the inhabitants, after years of oppression by the V.O.C., proclaimed the republic Graaff-Reinet.

Before the leaders of the Cape Colony could regain the new republics, the Cape Colony itself was conquered by Great Britain. The British were then constantly in combat with the Boers on the one hand and the combined armies of the Khoa San and Xhosa tribes on the other. The city was during the "Great Trek" of the Boers from the Cape to, among others, the later Orange Free State and Transvaal a very important transport hub.

tips & advice (2015)

Large buses and (mini) taxis depart from Graaff Reinet. In the very early morning at 04:00 a bus leaves for Port Elizabeth (coming from Johannesburg) while in the (normal) morninghours a mini-taxi leaves to the same city. Both cost about 200R. You can also try your luck to get a lift from the "hiking spot" (a lift position) - many people can pick you up for 50R.

There is no public transportation from and to Nieu Bethesda.

There are a number of places in Nieu Bethesda where you can eat - one of those places is the popular restaurant Karoo Lamb which also functions as a souvenir shop. It is slightly more expensive than normal (local) restaurants and it lacks some atmosphere. It is much more fun to eat in the township nearby - at Auntie Evelyn.

Because of the local aspect, you have to indicate early (a day at advance) that you continue to eat so that the family can do their shopping. We got a star status stay with covered table, polished cutlery and a three course menu with "Karoo" lamb, potatoes, grease cake, chicken, spinach, desert and coffee after (cost 150R pp). In addition, some money goes to the community.

Nieu-Bethesda-Hippie-Art-South-Africa-Karoo

Name: Owl House backpackers (Nieu Bethesda)

Address: Martin Str.

Price: 85R (camping)

Phone nr. : 049 841 1642

Email: backpackers@owlhouse.info

Content:

The most popular backpacking spot of the dusty town must (still) be this hostel. The owner usually sits at the nearby "Karoo Lamb" restaurant and there is a lack of atmosphere because nobody is present. It is also more an empty house that you can use than a (cozy) hostel.

On the other hand, everything is there - a garden for camping and you can safely park your car. A clean shower and toilet, a dormitory (with two bunk beds) and I think two doubles. There is a nice outdoor terrace, you can get free coffee and tea and there is always soap, toilet paper and a clean towel on the toilet.

Note that if you go to Nieu Bethesda to exchange money (or ATM) because there is no bank in this small village. Also shopping can only be done in, among others, Graaff Reinet - in NB is just a small shop. Finally, to my knowledge, no WIFI can be received.

If you want to spend the night in Graaff Reinet, you will have to dig deeper into the pouch - cheap camping can be done at the Urquhart campsite (60R) but it is far from pleasant. At Prostnod you can camp for 150R. Places are generally pretty upmarket.