This interesting pass was built by the military in the 1980's and provides a safe all-weather pass for technicians to service the microwave and other towers at the summit point, where seven distinct peaks are known as the Seven Sisters. The quality of the road, although narrow, is very good with cuttings, good drainage and camber included in the construction. The views are spectacular for want of a better superlative and as there is to all intents and purposes no traffic, the area is wild and remote, despite its proximity to nearby Wellington and Paarl. Wildlife abounds with antelope and leopards being seen fairly often.
Statistically it's impressive too gaining 500m of altitude over 6 km, which produces an average gradient of 1:12, but the steeper sections ramp up to 1:5. Traction is good, except when there is snow around, in which case a 4WD vehicle is mandatory. The road is controlled by Cape Nature, Telkom, SA Government and private land owners and is restricted. We have added it to our database so the public can get a feel of what it's like via our video.
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