| Journal: TWUK | Section: |
| Title: | Issue Date: 26/06/00 |
| Author: | Page Number: 47 |
| Copyright: Other |
The Eastern Cape
Going east for rugged beauty and a sense of living history
Colin Gardiner enjoys the lesser known side of the Cape
For a long time tourists have overlooked South Africa’s Eastern Cape in favour of the Western Cape but now, thanks to its tremendous diversity – historic towns, a sunshine coast, a shipwreck shoreline and the home of Nelson Mandela – the region is gaining popularity.Port Elizabeth is the gateway to the Eastern Cape. We came in the wake of British settlers who 180 years ago faced a barren landscape with courage and vision. We felt like pioneers starting a 12-day journey from the port, named after the wife of a Cape governor lamenting her death from fever in India.
Hacklewood Hill, an English country house, welcomed us to the ‘friendly city’, as Port Elizabeth is known and launched us on the trail of beauty and beasts.
Addo Elephant Park, 40 miles from Port Elizabeth, is home to 325 of these lumbering giants.
There are plans to extend the conservation area to the Indian Ocean – a move that will transform the province into a massive game reserve rivalling the Kruger, giving visitors the chance to see elephants and whales in the same excursion.
Its proximity to the Garden Route and Cape Town will be a major draw.
Our wildlife experience was further enhanced at a dramatic new conservancy of six farms called Amakhala where a group of young farmers – descendants of those early British settlers – are creating a game reserve.
Amakhala is on the N2 highway, the coastal lifeline for many provinces. It takes you within reach of the Wild Coast, passing though such havens as Grahamstown and East London. We found ourselves in serene surroundings at the Ocean View Hotel in Coffee Bay – the beach was idyllic and the hospitality extremely generous. The calamari and crayfish were superb.
Further along the coast, at Port St Johns, our host was Steve Roberts at the Cremorne Estate on the banks of a river that unites with the Indian Ocean. Naturally, seafood was on the agenda again.
We passed through staggering Valley of Desolation, which was once dominated by dinosaurs. This is all part of the Karoo which, translates as the Land of Thirst.
Then we travelled to Graaff Reinet – the fourth oldest town in South Africa – with 200 national monument buildings and a remarkable church, modelled on Salisbury Cathedral.
I used to go round the church when I visited but this time I stayed for two days, soaking up the heritage and enjoying the Karoo lamb.
I stayed in one of the yellow-shuttered cottages of the 19th century Drostdy Hotel.
The cottages were once slave quarters – a reminder of the prisoner who became a President. Visiting his homeland in the former Transkei, is to come to the heartland of South Africa.
A recently opened Mandela Museum in Umtata honours him with a tour of his long walk to freedom.
Wide open spaces: the Valley of Desolation, East Cape
Washed up: Nahoon Beach
factfile
THE EASTERN CAPE
Cost of living: Very reasonable for British visitors. Restaurant meals £3 – £5 pounds. Beer 40p – 50p. Prices for wines range from £2.50 – £5 for a high quality label.
Which operators go there: subs – waiting for confirmation from tourist office (Travel 2; Thomas Cook Holidays; Saga Holidays)
Sense of direction: Port Elizabeth