Swartberg Pass
Ian Georgeson, our CEO, on The Swartberg Pass.
The Swartberg Pass is considered Thomas Charles Bain’s (1830 – 1893) masterpiece. It was planned in 1879 and finally completed with the help of convict labour in 1887. It was also the last of the seventeen passes he built in the Cape Province.
The start of the pass is well marked by a directional board.
Thomas Charles John Bain was the second son of Andrew Geddes and Johanna Bain, born on the 29th September 1830 in Graaff Reinet. When he was eighteen, he started working for his father (who is famous for constructing Mitchell’s Pass and Bain’s Kloof) as an apprentice. Five years later he qualified as a Civil Engineer, which is when his real career as a roadbuilder began. On 26th June 1854 he married Johanna de Smidt in the Groote Kerk, Cape Town. They went on to have 13 children. They enjoyed a very happy domestic life, and Johanna and the children would accompany Thomas and live onsite whenever they could.
The beginning of a beautiful adventure.
The Swartberg Pass is located between Prince Albert and Oudtshoorn and is one of the most spectacular passes I have ever traversed. The pass is situated in a magnificent set of mountains, and as one goes around each corner, different vistas are revealed, each a new delight. The cliffs are rugged and sheer, towering above you as you enter the pass from the Prince Albert side.
The start of the pass is not dissimilar to Meiringspoort.
At Eerste Water (First Water) there is an ice-cold stream where Bain’s first camp was located. Many years later this spot became known as Die Dansbaan (the dance floor) as many young people back in the day came to enjoy a waltz under the starry sky here. This spot was particularly popular as a New Year’s Eve venue, when farmers used to travel from far and wide in their carts and wagons to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. Today, this site is better known as a picnic spot.
On the valley floor – before the climb starts.
As the road slowly climbs higher and higher, winding around on hairpin bends, the air becomes crisper and cleaner. When we drove the pass, it was raining – a soft, gentle rain that brought out the pungent aroma of the fynbos and the rich earth. Being someone who lives in Johannesburg, that aroma is like inhaling an invigorating, pungent perfume. The clear atmosphere lends itself to the most incredible views. There is a huge variety of fynbos, and the proteas were just starting to bloom. This is one of those places where one can leave the cares of the world behind, and just “be” – completely enveloped in the moment. At the summit (“Die Top”), there is apparently an amazing view – which we missed as a result of the mist which had moved in…
The geology of the area is written in the mountains – if you but take the time to study them.
But let’s return to the beginning of the Swartberg Pass. Meiringspoort and the Seweweekspoort were the only links / connections between the port of Mossel Bay and the towns and villages of the Great Karoo. They were, however, often closed due to flood damage and rockfalls. In fact, heavy flooding during 1875 caused the closure of these gateways for weeks. In 1878 the Divisional Council of Prince Albert and Oudtshoorn both requested of the Cape Government that an alternative route be built – a direct route over the mountains which was to be 40km shorter than the route through Meiringspoort. This route would be of invaluable benefit to farmers on both sides of the Swartberg.
Slowly you begin to climb…
In 1879 Thomas Bain was commissioned to plan a new route over the Swartberg Mountain Range. Although there was a footpath over the mountains, it was only accessible by people and horses, not vehicles. He tried four different routes before settling on his final route. Bain’s master plan was approved by the Government in 1880.
And climb… (Notice the complete lack of guard rails.)
Bain was building the Tsitsikama road at the time, and so John Tassie’s tender of £18 120 was accepted. He employed 100 Mozambicans from Delagoa Bay and started construction from the Prince Albert side of the mountain in 1881. After13 months he had advanced only six kilometres and was finally declared insolvent.
The edges of this pass are not entirely stable.
Thomas Bain took over the building of the pass in November 1883 and chose to use 200-240 convicts. He was wildly enthusiastic, tackling the job with great enthusiasm. He used gunpowder, wheelbarrows, pickaxes, spades, sledgehammers and crowbars. Boulders were dealt with using fire to heat them and then cold water to split them. Rocks were broken up by the convicts – first using sledgehammers, after which they carefully dressed the rocks. These same rocks were then used to build the impressive retaining walls that supported the road against the sheer slopes.
You can see how the stones were packed as the road zigzags up the hill.
Today, over a century later, travellers still wonder at this feat. It truly is an incredible piece of engineering which, like all his creations, has stood the test of time… The official opening of the Swartberg Pass was 10th January 1888.
Nearing the top, the views are beyond spectacular.
The 24km Swartberg Pass was declared a National Monument in its Centenary year, 1988. It is considered one of the finest mountain passes in the world – an untarred road that winds to the summit 1583 metres above sea level, filled with steep zigzags and sudden switchbacks with breathtaking views at every turn.
Spring flowers abound in all directions.
Take much care on the pass – there are few barriers, and the drop is truly life-threatening. Should you wish to park and admire the views, switch the engine off, engage 1st or reverse gear if you’re driving a manual car. If your car is an automatic, engage “PARK”. For extra insurance, fully apply the handbrake. There has been more than one incident where a vehicle has toppled off the pass and down into a valley – far, far below.
Protea bushes with the first buds of spring.
The Swartberg mountains are part of the Cape fold mountain range, and they are regarded as one of the “finest examples of exposed fold mountain chains in the world”. Whatever they are, or however the pass was built – it is, quite simply, one of the finest, most beautiful and awe-inspiring passes you will ever drive!!
Jacqui Ikin & The Cross Country Team
