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10 things to do in Willowmore in the Karoo

16/4/2013

18 Comments

 
Willowmore, Karoo
Anyone who thinks the Karoo is full of a whole lot of nothing just isn’t paying attention. Same goes for anyone who speeds through the Willowmore in the Karoo without stopping to scratch beneath the surface. Here are just some of the things to do in and around this little dorpie.

1. Go hiking or mountain biking on Aasvoëlberg (vulture mountain), which looks out over Willowmore and is one of the few places in the Karoo where coastal fynbos grows. There’s also a 4x4 trail to the top of the mountain. The mountain is on a private farm and you’ll need to pay a small fee for entry; contact Joanne Kroon on 082-7835389.

2. Hike the Pierre Ferreira trail through Karoo veld rich in succulents. You’ll pass two old Anglo-Boer War forts that were used to guard the railway line to Willowmore. It’s a 2-3 hour circular trail that gives good views of the village, and is especially pretty in the early morning or late afternoon. In summer when it’s very hot, make sure you wear a hat and sunscreen, and take plenty of water. It’s signposted from the main road, or ask for more details from the Tourism Office on Knysna Street, tel 044-9231702.
Willow Historical Guesthouse, Willowmore, Karoo
3. Stay at the Willow Historical Guest House, once a church rectory. Read about our visit here. At the very least, pop in for a drink in a bar jam-packed with historical memorabilia or ask if you can book for dinner; the lamb shank is delicious. Tel (044) 923-1574, www.willowguesthouse.co.za.
Sophie's Choice, Willowmore, Karoo
4. Have tea or lunch at Sophie’s Choice. This is one of my favourite things to do in Willowmore. The food is yummy, but this is more than just a coffee-shop; it’s also a deli and an antiques shop you’ll be itching to explore. Read about our visit here. Find it on the main drag (Knysna Street), tel 044-9231117, http://www.sophieschoice.co.za/. [Update: In June 2020 Sophie's Choice moved to Keurfontein Country House, 18km from Willomore towards Uniondale on the N9.]

5. Look out for the flower-festooned ‘Willow Limo’ donkey cart that’s usually parked near Sophie’s Choice on the main road. Take a slow 20-minute ride around the streets of Willowmore and listen to a local’s take on its story.
Old Boer graveyard, Willowmore, Karoo
6. I may be odd, but I love old graveyards that reek of history – and Willowmore is rich in graveyards. Wander around the old Boer graveyard with its graves dating back to the Anglo-Boer War and beyond; the oldest graves go back to the first half of the 1800s. To the right of the entrance are the graves of some ‘Cape Rebels’ executed by the British for supporting the Boer guerillas during the Anglo-Boer War. From here you can take a short hike to a small gunpowder chamber used during battle to store gunpowder and ammunition.
Jewish cemetery, Willowmore, Karoo
7. Visit the well cared-for Jewish cemetery. Follow the signs from the northern end of the main road, which take you through a fairly neat but poor ‘township’. The gates to the graveyard are locked but by the time you park someone carrying a key will appear to let you in. Willowmore used to have a thriving Jewish community until about the 1960s. On Victoria Street, you can still see the synagogue built in 1908, but it’s disused and rather forlorn.
Blackstone Power Station, Willowmore, Karoo
8. If you’re interested in anything to do with power and electricity, you’ll be intrigued by the tiny Blackstone Power Station at the southern end of town. It has six Lister Blackstone diesel engines that used to supply the whole town with power until 1984. One is still in working order and can be used to supply power to the municipality during Eskom power cuts – using 20 litres of fuel every hour. You can get a key from the Tourism Office on the main road, tel 044-9231702.
Baviaanskloof, Karoo
Baviaanskloof, Karoo
9. Another of my favourite things to do in Willowmore is to take a drive into the beautiful red-stone mountains of the Baviaanskloof (valley of the baboons). Willowmore is the western gateway to this Unesco World Heritage Site and biodiversity hotspot. The road is both the last and the longest of the 24 that the ingenious Thomas Bain built in the 19th century. You can choose to venture only as far as the Nuwekloof pass before you turn back to Willowmore, or you can drive the full 203km to Patensie in the east, taking in numerous bridgeless river crossings and narrow gravel passes along the way. Note that you need a 4x4 on the last section through the Baviaanskloof Nature Reserve. 
The old jail, WIllowmore, Karoo
The old jail, Willowmore, now a gallery and accommodation
10. Pop in at the Tourism Office in the municipal building on Knysna Street (diagonally opposite Sophie’s Choice) to ask about other things to do in the area. They’ll give you a map of the major attractions, including various historical buildings in the town: the town hall, the rabbi’s house, the red pedestrian bridge, the old jail, etc. Tel (044) 923-1702, www.baviaans.co.za.

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Discover things to do in Willowmore in the Karoo, South Africa. The town is the gateway to the Baviaanskloof World Heritage Site in the west, offering hiking, heritage, Anglo-Boer War history and Willowmore restaurants, Willowmore accommodation. #Willowmore #Karoo #Baviaanskloof
Things to do in Willowmore in the Karoo #SouthAfrica #travel
More about the Baviaanskloof

Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission from roxannereid.co.za
18 Comments
Burnell Hugo
13/5/2015 09:42:20 am

What a lovely posting. My Grandfather Christian Dorfling was born there in 1894. I would definitely like visit this town one day when I visit SA again.

Reply
Roxanne
22/5/2015 04:56:49 am

Thanks Hugo. It's small but fascinating - i'm sure you could track down the house your grandfather lived in if you went there; so many old places still standing.

Reply
william stephen rex
24/6/2016 07:07:00 am

its the place of my birth,i grew up in the 60's next to the old jail.my late mother used to work for one of the wealthy families in the town and operated the bellows at the st.matthew's church so that the organist Mrs.Chapman could play on sundays.

Reply
Roxanne
24/6/2016 09:43:07 am

What super memories of Willowmore, William. Thanks for sharing them. I wonder when last you visited.

Reply
william
24/6/2016 09:55:39 am

regrettably about two years ago for a funeral...

Reply
Roxanne
24/6/2016 02:08:38 pm

Ah, William, that's sad.

Teresa link
17/8/2016 10:55:56 am

Great and informative

Reply
Roxanne
17/8/2016 05:05:36 pm

Thanks for reading and commenting, Teresa. Glad you found it useful.

Reply
Jackie
5/6/2017 10:23:19 pm

Can one walk or drive through the Toorwaterkloof railway route?

Reply
Roxanne
7/6/2017 04:20:58 pm

Jackie, I'm afraid I don't know. I've only stopped over there for a night and don't know about the Toorwaterkloof railway. I'm away with a really slow connection otherwise I'd Google it, but perhaps that would be the best thing for you to do yourself. If you don't find specific mention of it, Google the Willowmore tourism association - they're bound to be able to help.

Reply
ezette pool
3/9/2017 12:43:06 pm

Great blog and I am on my way there again next week!! Would love to buy your books!!

Reply
Roxanne
3/9/2017 01:04:07 pm

Enjoy your visit, Ezette. Just follow the links to my books and you can buy them on an amazon account - you don't need a kindle or ereader, you can get an app to read them on your phone or computer.

Reply
Denise Diamond
9/2/2019 02:58:53 pm

Am planning to visit Willowmore in April 2019 to find out about my great grandmother Aletta Ferreira. This is a lovely guide for us to use. Thanks very much.

Reply
Roxanne Reid
9/2/2019 03:46:03 pm

Ah, good luck with your research, Denise. I'm sure you'll enjoy your time in this part of the Karoo. It's also well worth exploring the Baviaanskloof while you're in the area.

Reply
Eddy
6/5/2019 12:41:16 pm

I had the honour of arriving in Willowmore last year while travelling from GraaffReinette to Oudtshoorn.I met some friendly people,first lf all.The clean air,the historical buildings,the sight of a tranquil Karoo town setting,is worth staying in your memory for a long time.I will definitelygo back there but this time to stay a couple of days.Thank you

Reply
Roxanne Reid
6/5/2019 03:43:35 pm

Indeed, Eddy, that's just how I remember it. It's definitely worth going a couple of days to explore it properly. Hope you get back there soon.

Reply
Windra Basson (nee Chatwind)
13/12/2019 12:06:08 pm

I was born in Willowmore at the local hospital in 1957. I lived there until around 1971. My father, Joey Chatwind farmed in the Aberdeen district. The last I visited Willowmore was around 20 yrs ago. I have very fond childhood memories of the town.

Reply
Roxanne
16/12/2019 07:03:09 am

What wonderful memories, Windra. You should try to go back sometime - it would be interesting to know how much has changed in the past 20 years.

Reply

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    I'm an independent travel writer and book editor with a passion for Africa - anything from African travel, people, safari and wildlife to adventure, heritage, road-tripping and slow travel.
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