Riviersonderend

  • The Akkedisberg Pass translates from Afrikaans into Lizard Mountain Pass. It's an easy drive along this tarred coastal pass on the R326 links the small farming town of Riviersonderend with the quaint coastal hamlet of Stanford and the coastal road to Hermanus. The original gravel road dates back to 1776 and is amongst the very oldest passes in South Africa.

    The pass had mild gradients and only 13 bends, corners and curves, none of which are particularly sharp or dangerous. It's a fairly long pass at 12,5 km and produces a gentle average gradient of only 1:86 with the steepest sections getting up to 1:18. The views are lovely with the tall mountains keeping watch over the green valley on the right. There is at least one excellent wine estate that leads off the pass.

     

  • The Muiskraal Pass is named after the farm of the same name near the northern foot of the pass. The pass is basically the northern descent of the Garcia Passonto the Little Karoo plateau and forms one long, continuous pass which connects Riversdale in the South with Ladismith in the North. It is a modern, well engineered pass with no obvious safety issues. We filmed the Muiskraal Pass ascending from north to south.