The Swartberg Pass, between Prince Albert in the north and Oudtshoorn in the south is one of the most iconic mountain passes in South Africa. It was the final project of famous South African road builder extraordinaire, Thomas Bain. Completed in 1888 over a period of 7 years, it's quite long as passes go, at 23.8 km.
The Swartberg Pass is unsurfaced and at times very narrow, hardly enough space for 2 cars to pass and requires a steady hand on the wheel, because some of the drops are sheer, and a long way down. During winter the pass is often snow covered, and heavy rain can also make it impassable. But it's just so worth it, with the most awesome views revealing themselves around every corner, each one vying with the last to be the most spectacular.
Thomas Bain walked the length and breadth of the pass many times, he must have been a very fit man. Over 200 convicts were used as labour (no prisoner rights back then), they came from all walks of life, and included lawyers, stock thieves, smugglers and more. Over 40 police officers with dogs were on hand to guard the prisoners.
More about the pass here:
www.mountainpassessouthafrica...
www.oudtshoorn.com/project/ex...
princealbert.org.za/swartberg...
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I’m Chris Corbet, an overlanding, adventure & road trip fanatic and video creator with a passion for nature & wildlife conservation. My motto is "live your adventure". After many years in the digital marketing space, I opted out of corporate life and embraced an overland road tripping and adventure lifestyle instead.
Kangela: to search / to look for / to seek
Available for collaborations: hello@kangela.com
"Live each day as if it’s your last, because someday it will be!" ~ Muhammad Ali
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19 июн 2021
