De Waalskloof Pass was no doubt named after the first Dutch settler that farmed the valley at the foot of the pass. This little known pass is not difficult, but the surface is rutted, rocky and bumpy. It will take 30 minutes to cover the 5.5 km distance. It's of average length and runs along the east-west axis along a valley on the northern side of the Didima Range and the Katberg Mountain.
Although fairly old, the road is well designed and presents an even gradient throughout of 1:13. This pass forms a western approach to the summit of the Katberg Pass and is a perfect approach for those wanting to drive the Katberg Pass in the descending mode. It also provides access to the summit of the Devil's Bellows Pass, which is currently in a very poor state and we don't recommend driving north over Devil's Bellows Pass, unless there are a minimum of two vehicles with recovery equipment and drivers with experienced off-road skills.
The road can get tricky in wet weather where a 4WD vehicle will be mandatory, but in fair weather most 4x2 vehicles with reasonable ground clearance will manage the road. However if you intend descending along the Katberg Pass, you will definitely need a high clearance 4WD vehicle with low range. You will be treated to excellent high altitude scenery. The usual gravel road cautionaries apply - mountain mists with low visibility, electrical storms in summer, high rainfall, snow in winter, rock falls, washaways, deep ruts, loose rocks and livestock on the road.
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Note: Google Earth software reads the actual topography and ignores roads, cuttings, tunnels, bridges and excavations. The Google Earth vertical-profile animation generates a number of parallax errors, so the profile is only a general guide of what to expect in terms of gradients, distance and elevation. The graph may present some impossible and improbably sharp spikes, which should be ignored.
Digging into the details:
Getting there: To approach from the east (the direction which we have produced it), please read up on the Katberg Pass for accurate directions. At the summit of the Katberg Pass there is a triangulated intersection at S32.443759 E26.646624 where you must turn sharp left (west).
To approach from the west (in the ascending mode), drive north-east from Fort Beaufort on the R67 for 12 km and turn left (north) at GPS S32.704724 E26.587980. Drive the Blinkwater Pass (use the hyperlink provided for full details) and at the summit point intersection at GPS S32.577328 E26.517467 make sure you turn right. Now head east and later NNE for 11.5 km to arrive at a Y-junction at GPS S32.486684 E26.523633 where you must keep right. The road soon turns into the ENE for 4 km where you will arrive at the western start of the pass.
A slow and relaxing route / Photo: Google Images
Pass Description: This description is in the descending mode from east to west. For those driving this pass from this direction, will have completed either the Katberg Pass or the Devil's Bellows Pass. The views from the eastern start towards the east over the deep clefts and green ridges of the Katberg State Forest are indescribably beautiful. If the weather is clear, this is a wonderful spot to linger awhile and clear your mind.
From the eastern start the road begins descending immediately and gets progressively steeper as distance is made. The gradients soon reach 1:7 and remain steep for the next 4 km. Whilst the corners and gradients on the pass are all moderate, it is the lack of maintenance that separates this road from the norm. The going is slow due to the deep ruts, loose rocks and washaways. It is best to select low range and remain in low range until you reach the end of the pass. It will give you superior feel and control and allow you to stay off the footbrake.
Depending on recent rainfall, the road condition can range from reasonable to almost impassable. The norm is that the worst sections will be near the summit, so at least you can rest assured that things will improve. The pass contains 36 bends, corners and curves, but none of them exceed 90 degrees. Even if there were sharp corners, the state of the road limits vehicles to around 20 kph max so cornering is not going to present any problems.
Cattle farming country / Photo: Waylands farmstay
The first three km is rough and ready, but at the 3,3 km mark, the bends and gradients ease off a bit and a farm can be seen lower down in the valley on the right. This is the Stonehouse farm and if you're travelling alone, it might be prudent to mark the entrance to this farm in case you have an emergency, as it's the closest inhabited farm at the common summit points of De Waalskloof, Devil's Bellows and the Katberg passes - the last two which are 4x4 only passes.
The drive-out: At the 5.5 km mark, after completing the descent, the road dips down through a small plateau area and changes heading into the south. Here the next two farms can be found on the right. They are Rocky Ridge and Golden Glen farms. Once past these two farms, the road descends rapidly to cross the Koonap River 1.5 km after the end of the pass. On your left is the Waterside farm, close to the river bank.
As the road clears the river course there is a sharp right bend of 120 degrees, where the next farm called Waybank, makes an appearance on the left. Once you reach this point of the exit road after completing the pass, the going is much easier with fewer corners and more gentle gradients. The quality of the road also improves significantly.
The heading settles down into the south-west as the road remains on the southern side of the river. Towering mountains hem the valley in on both sides and the feeling of peace and isolation is palpable here. Soon the next three farms appear. Waylands farm is on the left, followed by the Wheatlands farm. The final farm, called Riet Vlei is on the left. This last farm has an interesting 4x4 route, which can be clearly seen on Google Earth and contains some dramatic switchbacks. If you're in the right vehicle and enjoy these 4x4 routes, why not stop in at the farm and make inquiries.
On your way back to Fort Beaufort or Adelaide, you will pass Post Retief. If you have time to stop, this is an interesting relic from the local wars along the eastern frontier in the 1800's. The wars lasted 100 years, which shows how relentless both sides were in determining their respective futures.
Post Retief Military Barracks was the most northerly fort in the Lewis line of fortifications built along the Eastern Cape Frontier after the 6th Frontier War. It was built on the orders of Governor D'Urban and based on the design by the Royal Engineers' Charles Selwyn on the farm of Pieter Retief in the Winterberg. It is rapidly falling into disrepair and soon will be beyond saving. The Post Retief Barracks is one of the very few frontier war fortifications that is almost complete.
The stone complex comprises a central parade of one hectare and comprises important buildings such as the Officers' Quarters with its masoned stones, lath and plaster ceilings, yellowwood posts and sneezewood lintels. It was constructed by the Royal Engineers and completed in early 1836. Other buildings include the old Stable complex, the Forge and Bakery and Soldiers Barracks. The old war graves lie a short distance from the post.
The facade of the old Stables and its back wall have shown great decay in the last few years. A section of the South wall fell over during heavy rain during 2016. The old lead roofing is degrading fast and the section that is salvageable should be conserved urgently. The Officers' Quarters roof needs repair. (Courtesy The Heritage Portal)
Fort Beaufort has a rich military past, although in 1816 it began as a mission station established by the London Missionary Society’s Reverend Joseph William. Later the town underwent a new transformation and became a frontier post in 1822, formed by Colonel Maurice Scott.
Fort Beaufort acquired its name in honour of the Duke of Beaufort, who was also the father of the first British governor of the Cape, Lord Charles Henry.
The British army continued to occupy Fort Beaufort up until 1870. Today, the Historical Museum, Military Museum, and Martello Tower house many military artefacts for those interested in discovering more about the town's military past.
Victoria Bridge is one of South Africa’s oldest bridges and was the first bridge to be built across a river in the Eastern Cape. This landmark, built in 1840 can be found on the Kat River Hiking Trail. So as you explore the unique natural environment of the Eastern Cape, keep an eye out for the 3-arched bridge. Still in use today, this multi-arched structure is an engineering feat worth beholding.
Victoria Bridge in Fort Beaufort is still in daily use / Photo: Wikipedia
One of Fort Beaufort’s most visited spots is the Martello Tower. Originally built as a defence against the attacks of the Xhosa armies in the 19th century, it later served as a storage house. The multi-purpose nature of the Martello Tower was soon apparent when it became a public latrine. Until 1938 when it was granted a better function as that of a national monument.
There are only six of these towers in the world. South Africa is home to two. The other Martello tower resides in Simon's Town. The tower in Fort Beaufort has a small swivel cannon mounted on the open observation area at the top of the tower.
In the old officers' quarters, which date back to 1839, are maps, documents, photographs and equipment relating to the history of the area. The Martello Tower maintained its purpose as a military defence for 32 years.
Fort Beaufort is not only a picturesque town located in the Eastern Cape Province, but it is also home to the Pareiasaurus Serridens or as it is more commonly known, the ‘Blinkwater Monster’. The large fossilised jaw replete with teeth was discovered by Andrew Geddes Bain, an illustrious road builder and palaeontologist.
If the name evokes fear, be assured that the Blinkwater Monster will not be making a re-appearance. The fossil was discovered near Blinkwater River in 1822 and is believed to have belonged to a large 4-legged herbivore dinosaur that lived in the Karoo region 250 million years ago.
Fact File:
|
GPS START |
S32.443759 E26.646624 |
|
GPS SUMMIT |
S32.443759 E26.646624 |
|
GPS END |
S32.439497 E26.602473 |
|
AVE GRADIENT |
1:13 |
|
MAX GRADIENT |
1:7 |
|
ELEVATION START |
1625m |
|
ELEVATION SUMMIT |
1625m |
|
ELEVATION END |
1205m |
|
HEIGHT GAIN/LOSS |
420m |
|
DISTANCE |
5.5 km |
|
DIRECTION - TRAVEL |
West |
|
TIME REQUIRED |
30 minutes |
|
SPEED LIMIT |
60 kph |
|
SURFACE |
Gravel |
|
DATE FILMED |
10.03.2024 |
|
TEMPERATURE |
20C |
|
NEAREST TOWN |
Seymore (28 km) |
Route Map:
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Route files:
||Click to download: Dewaalskloof Pass (Note - This is a .kmz file which can be opened in Google earth and most GPS software systems)
