Content tagged:
excelsior

Whoever was naming passes in this area obviously ran out of ideas, as this pass is simply known as Die Nek (The Neck). It skirts a prominent mountain on the north-eastern side of the tiny town of Excelsior in the central Free State, and essentially consists of just one long gravel road curve from the north-east into the south-west. The road, although fairly rough in places, is in a reasonable condition, and can be driven in any vehicle except possibly in wet weather. The area has great scenic beauty if you take the time to look beyond the seemingly endless flat plains which dominate the region.

This little known tarred pass is located on the R703 between Excelsior and Clocolan. It offers mountainous scenery and summits at 1684m ASL having climbed 160 meters over 8,3 km. Although it is a fairly mild pass with an average gradient of an easy 1:28, there one or two sections where the gradient gets to 1:8. The Korannaberg mountain range runs on the north-south axis and there is a 4x4 route available to offroad enthusiasts which can be accessed from the northern side of the range via a gravel road. (Google Korannaberg Adventures for contact details).

Although officially designated as a pass, Spiders Nek struggles to live up to its name, as it is a long, straight, almost flat gravel road near both Excelsior and Marquard in the central Free State, and should be considered more of a scenic drive. The rolling grasslands, pastures and dams, interspersed with beautiful sandstone koppies and mountains, make for stunning scenery and photographic possibilities. The peace and tranquillity of the area is enhanced by the birds and animals all around you, and disturbed only by the occasional farm vehicle. The road is in a good condition and can be driven in any vehicle, except possibly in wet weather.