setsoto book.pdf · 3 setsoto, ... the basotho from crossing the border, burning farms and...

1 www.goficksburg.co.za

2www.goficksburg.co.za


Setsoto, A Beautiful place ........................................... 4Ficksburg, the Cherry Capital of the World ............ 6Built in Sandstone ....................................................... 8Anglican Church’s Dazzling Windows ..................... 10Dutch Reformed Church ............................................ 12Die Blikplek .................................................................. 14The Pinedene Small Arms Museum .......................... 15The White Mischief, River Cruise Boat ................... 16Sangoma Caves ............................................................ 17Green Goose Organic Cheese & Down Products .... 18Pellissier Art Gallery ................................................... 19Emberdown, Home of Down Products ..................... 20The Old Cemetery ....................................................... 21General Fick Monument ............................................. 21Ficksburg Cherry Festival & Cherry Jazz ............... 22SA Tallest Sandstone Building ................................... 23CR Swart Prison ......................................................... 23Setsoto’s Head Office .................................................. 24Accommodation, Ficksburg ........................................ 25The Kersie Gallery ...................................................... 26Clocolan ........................................................................ 28Essential Oils for Perfume .......................................... 30Angora Rabbit Farm................................................... 30Accommodation in Clocolan ...................................... 31Ben Nevis Cherry Wine Farm.................................... 31Marquard ..................................................................... 32Accommodation in Marquard .................................... 33Senekal .......................................................................... 34Accommodation in Senekal ........................................ 35


Setsoto, a Beautiful Place

The word Setsoto means “a beautiful place”. When theAfrican National Congress came to power in 1994 ademocratic system of rule was implemented. The systemwas designed on three spheres of government. LocalGovernment was based at grassroots level to ensure thedelivery of basic services like water, electricity and refuseremoval. To reduce costs, municipalities werealmalgamated. This had a positive effect on smaller townsas overheads were drastically reduced. Instead of havingfour municipal managers in four towns there would onlybe one manager and one head office.

The Setsoto Municipality sees Ficksburg, Senekal,Marquard and Clocolan integrated into one localgovernment. Heading the Municipality is the MunicipalManager, followed by three directors, the Director ofTechnical and Community Services, the Director ofCorporate Services and the Director of FinancialServices. The Mayor is the political head of the SetsotoMunicipality. All office-bearers are elected for a five-year period.

The Setsoto Municipality employs 700 people andservices a population of 130 000 people.The Setsoto Local Municipality, living up to its motto,‘Re sebeletsa katleho’ (Striving towards Success), hasimplemented several projects and poverty alleviationprogrammes since 2001. Capital projects have been “BlueDrop” which is water quality and assesment the dairyprojectswhich has created much excitement in themunicipality.


AsparagusThe climatic conditions around Ficksburg make this areaideal for certain agricultural crops. Asparagus has becomesynonymous with this region. William Joughin broughtthe first asparagus to the area in 1906. White and greenasparagus are farmed extensively in this area. The differ-ence between white asparagus and green asparagus is thatthe green asparagus have photosynthesised and are har-vested above the ground. White asparagus are harvestedbelow ground.The asparagus season starts in the first week of Septemberand carries right through until the last week of November.

Setsoto’s Coat of Arms


Ficksburg, the Cherry Capital of the World

Situated in the scenic panorama of the Eastern Free State,along the Maloti Route, Ficksburg nestles between thefoot of the Imperani Mountain and the banks of the Cale-don River, the border with Lesotho. As a backdrop thereare magnificent views of the majestic Malotis , whichchange with the seasons, from the purple haze of summerto the snow-clad slopes in winter. Ficksburg was founded on 12 June 1867 and named af-ter General Jan Fick, Commander-General of the old Or-ange Free State Republic. General Fick’s mission was toprotect the border between the then Basotholand and theOrange Free State.The government encouraged settlers by offering themland, horses, guns and ammunition in return for settlingalong the border of the new territory. This discouragedthe Basotho from crossing the border, burning farms andstealing cattle.Today the town is the gateway to Lesotho and the KatseDam and boasts a large cosmopolitan population.Ficksburg’s economy is based chiefly on mixed agricul-ture, concentrating mainly on asparagus, cherries and de-ciduous fruit. Other crops are farmed on a smaller scale.At present there is renewed focus on apples, with morefarmers than ever planting apple trees.The district is renowned for the breathtaking sandstoneformations of the mountains and many of the older build-ings in and around the town were built of sandstone. In-terestingly, the Union Buildings in Pretoria are built fromsandstone quarried in the surrounding area. Gumtree, thesmall settlement just outside Ficksburg, has the tallestsandstone structure in the world—an old mill which issadly no longer in use. Although the number of craftsmen who are able to workin sandstone is dwindling rapidly, there remain a fewpeople who still practise this unique craft.The Cherry Festival is the oldest crop festival in SouthAfrica and has been held annually during the third weekin November since 1968.Ficksburg is the place to be for steam train enthusiastsand plays host to a large collection of privately-ownedlocomotives and rolling stock, some of which may be seenfrom the road travelling towards Fouriesburg.


Built in Sandstone

Some of the country’s most important buildings, includ-ing the Union Buildings in Pretoria, were built from sand-stone originating in Ficksburg and surrounding areas.From the early 1800s sandstone has been hewn from quar-ries to be used for building. Famous architects, includingSir Herbert Baker, even planned buildings around sand-stone. Today, sandstone from the Eastern Free State is ingreat demand. The traditional blocks, which weighed upto 200 kg, are no longer used. Smaller blocks are cut andsandstone cladding is a popular way of decorating build-ings.Ficksburg was founded in 1883 and in 1885 sandstonewas used architecturally for the first time in a bay win-dow which can still be seen at what is now known asMcBride’s House, situated in McCabe Street opposite thepolice station.Because sandstone was freely available and labour ex-tremely cheap, residents of the town were quick to utilisesandstone for their homes and other buildings. From 1885to 1917 more than 10 sandstone buildings were commis-sioned in Ficksburg. These were Wesleyan (Methodist)Church in 1896, the Town Hall in1897, the Old Magis-trates’ Court in 1899, the NG Church in 1905, the OldPost Office in 1907, the Gereformeerde Kerk in 1917 and,later, the then combined Ficksburg High and PrimarySchools and Pellisier Hall. At that time, buildings all overthe country began to be built with sandstone, much ofwhich was quarried in the Ficksburg district. In 1907 therailway line was laid and sandstone was railed as far afieldas Cape Town. For the past century, sandstone has beenquarried by hand, with skilled stonemasons then carvingintricate designs in the stone. Some of these designs canbe seen in the chapel on the farm Prynnsberg and in build-ings in the town. Nowadays, however, the stone is quar-ried by machine and the art of the stonemason is lost for-ever.Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the mostcommon hues are tan, brown, yellow, red, grey and white.Since sandstone beds often form highly visible cliffs, cer-tain colours of sandstone have been strongly identifiedwith certain regions. Sandstone is a sedimentary rockcomposed mainly of sand-size mineral or rock grains.


Anglican Church’s Dazzling Windows

All Saints’ Church, Ficksburg, is known far and wide forthe beautiful coloured glass windows created by a talentedlocal artist, Helen Dickson, who took a year to completethe work.She took as her theme for the 10 windows the wild flowerswhich grow around Ficksburg, choosing the flowers foreach window to fit the personalities of some of the peoplecommemorated by them.As one enters the church, the three windows in the backwall honour All Saints’ connection with the Diocese ofBlackburn in the UK.Window No 1, featuring Cosmos, Zinnias and a butterfly,was donated by the Bishop of Blackburn. Window No 2depicts purple grapes above a sheaf of wheat with threehedgehogs in front of it. These are part of the coat ofarms of Bishop Claxton, the then Bishop of Blackburn.Window No 3, also donated by the Bishop of Blackburn,is similar to Window No 1 in the back wall.The window in the wall opposite the doorway of thechurch was donated by the Wille family and featuresCussonia (Kiepersol) and Olea africana (Wild Olive)below a white dove. The Rosehips in the window are inmemory of Ingrid Wille, who died tragically at a youngage. The three windows in the left wall commemoratethe lives of three staunch members of All Saints’ Church.In creating Window No 1 in loving memory of WinifredBrumage, who was a nursing sister in Ficksburg, the artistchose the reds of the Sutherlandia, Erythrina, Indigofera,Protea caffra and Erica as symbolizing the “red cross”ofhealing.In Window No 2, fashioned in memory of Frank and


Alice Whitney, the artist’s maternal grandparents, onesees Agapanthus, Watsonias together with wild grasses,Brunsvigia, Nerine, Diersama and Dock clover.In Window No 3, in memory of Alf Payne, she used Aloesaponaria var. Ficksburgiensis, Solanum,Mesembryanthemum to depict his bright and cheerypersonality and Cotyledons to show his kind and gentleside.The three windows on the right hand side of the churchalso honour the memory of families which over the yearshad close ties with All Saints’.Window No 1, created in loving memory of John andHelen Tennant, the artist’s paternal grandparents, depictsyellow Primrose, Hibiscus, Tulbechia, Celemaris, Staticeand Lubeckia. (With a mischievous twinkle, the artistonce said that the prickly nature of the Statice made herthink of Granny Tennant.)In Window No 2, created in remembrance of theAnnandale and Bowie families, Agapanthus, Lobelia,Scabius Scilla, Lilium canadicans and Aristea can be seen.In Window No 3 the life of Clifford Tilsley iscommemorated with Lilies Bulbinella, red-hot pokers andEucorus.The cost of the materials for the windows was coveredby donations from parishioners. Most of the glass wasmade in Murano, Italy and was brought in in lumps, whichwere broken inside heavy canvas, after which the splintersand pieces were sorted into bowls for use in the windows.

GPS Co-ordinates S 28º 52' 28.0 E 027º 52' 22.3Fr Gareth Jones 051 933 2700Cnr Lang and McCabe Street


Dutch Reformed Church

Keeping watch over the town for more than a century fromthe Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk, one of the mostimposing sandstone buildings in Ficksburg, is a timepiecemade by J.Smith & Sons which only loses two minutes aweek despite being in place in the church spire for all thattime. Even now the clock chimes every hour on the hour.Ficksburg has a rich sandstone heritage and the townboasts a number of picturesque sandstone buildings on ornear the town square, a number of which have been de-clared national monuments.One of the most impressive of these is the historicNederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk, which was consecratedon 12 April 1907. Shortly after the arrival of DomineeKestell, who had served as chaplain to General C J deWet during the Anglo-Boer War, it was decided to build achurch as a monument honouring the Boers who had diedduring the war. The plans and specifications for the churchwere drawn up by an architect, Mr W Donaldson, in con-sultation with Dominee Kestell, whose idea it was to builda Romanesque-style church.Work commenced forthwith and the building was com-pleted in less than three years, this despite the fact that, inorder to reach bedrock for the foundations for the churchspire, workers had to dig down almost four metres. Virtu-ally every member of the congregation was involved inraising funds for the new building. The women, for in-stance, worked for the organ and lights and the youngpeople collected for the bell and movement for the clock,while the children accepted responsibility for the pulpit.The weather-cock on the spire was a gift from a memberof the congregation. The total costs for building and fur-nishing the church are minuted as being £17 526-3-3 (R35052.37) — the property is now insured for more than R5-million!

GPS Co-ordinates S 28º52' 24.7 E 027º 52' 39.7Office Number: +27 51 933 4959Voortrekker Street


Die Blikplek

Two enterprising Ficksburgers, Sandra Netherlands andAnsie Fourie, started a small recycling business focusedon turning scrap metal, old enamel and old steel ceilingsinto art and décor articles. This enabled them to generatean income for themselves and for unemployed job seek-ers who now collect scrap metal and other articles andwho assist them in their workshop. The Blikplek Art Yardemploys ten men in the junk workshop.Their passion is helping those who are destitute, to expe-rience a sense of achievement, to develop positive self-esteem and to earn a living. Some of the unskilled work-ers they employed have become skilled welders. Otherunemployed people are commissioned to create uniquearticles that are sold through the Blikplek and they arestarting to train young women in business skills, catering,hospitality and management. Small entrepreneurs aregiven monthly opportunities through a Saturday Marketto sell their own wares.

GPS Co-ordinates S 28º 52' 12.1 E 027º 52' 25.0Sandra 082 828 8381 9 Fontein Street


The Pinedene Small Arms Museum

The Pinedene Small Arms Museum is an accredited pri-vate museum located on the farm Kromdraai in the Ficks-burg district of the Eastern Free State. It came into exist-ence in 1992 when it was registered as an InstitutionalMember of the South African Museums Association. Thefocus of the museum is, as the name implies, on militaryfirearms and militaria, but also included and separatelydisplayed, is a sizeable collection of sporting weapons.The military display consists of infantry weapons fromthe various conflicts in which South Africa has been in-volved, including weapons from the opposing forces. Theydate from those used in the Eastern Cape Frontier Wars,the Basotho Wars, the Zulu Wars, the Lesotho Gun War,the Anglo-Boer War, World War I and World War II, aswell those used in the South African Liberation Forces’struggle for democracy.The military theme is sub-divided into various sub-themesand sub-divisions thereof, such as British Military SmallArms, the various configurations of the Snider rifle, Mar-tini-action Rifles, Webley pistols and revolvers, SmallArms of the Anglo-Boer War, Mauser pistols and riflesand the Luger P 08 and related German pistols, etc. Byappointment only

GPS Co-ordinates S 28°51' 04.8 E 027°34' 09.6Charles Barrett +27 519334301 between 07:00-09:00 or 19:00 – 22:00


White Mischief River Cruise Boat

Unwind from the stress of city life as you relax in thescenic beauty of this breathtaking landscape aboard theWhite Mischief, which has gained fame as the only float-ing cigar bar in Africa.The duration of the cruise along this picturesque water-way is approximately three-and-a-half hours journeyingalong the Meulspruit before stopping to disembark for agame-viewing excursion. The waterway winds its waythrough the privately-owned Thaba Sediba Private Na-ture Reserve. The reserve was originally designed as ahunting reserve with a beautiful lodge built on a sand-stone cliff overlooking the Meulspruit. It is home to over15 species of animals, including over 400 antelope. Over100 species of birds have been sighted here. SpectacularFish Eagles, Goliath Herons and Malachite Kingfisherscan be spotted along the banks. Many of the birds aremigratory.At the halfway-mark, passengers disembark at a purpose-built lapa, where they will be served a delicious gourmetmeal, before they re-embark for the return leg of this lei-surely cruise. By bookings only

GPS Co-ordinates S 28º 52' 527 E 027º 50' 077Gavin 082 920 5551 Calen 082 798 5052


Sangoma Caves(Nkokomohi Heritage site)

Led by a call from their ancestors, traditional healers comehere to learn the accumulated knowledge of the Sangomas.A short walk leads you down a beautiful valley with nu-merous cliff overhangs which serve different purposesThere is a Sangoma hospital area where people come forhealing and a Sangoma university where Sangomas passon the knowledge of the ancestors to those called to serve.There are several areas for prayer where you can respect-fully light candles and leave tokens of food for the Spiritsto consume. This valley is the place to honour your an-cestors and to dwell on matters of the spirit.Entrance fee is required. On the Ficksburg-Rosendal road,close to Versierskerf.

GPS Co-ordinates S 28º 39' 44.6 E 028º 00' 32.5


Green GooseOrganic Cheese and Down Products

The Green Goose offers a unique experience for anyoneinterested in organic produce and home-grown productsranging from exceptional cheeses to a beautiful selectionof down duvets. Some 15 km outside Ficksburg on theeasily accessible farm Uitkyk, you will be met by thefriendly Sorour family who are renowned for their vision-ary organic farming methods as well as the superb prod-ucts on offer under the brand name The Green Goose.You can browse around the beautiful sandstone on-farmshop for down pillows, cushions and duvets, homemadejams and lavender bath oils as well as hand-painted T-shirts and tablecloths, or stock up on some wonderful or-ganic cheeses which are fast becoming a household nameacross South Africa.Even better, you can book for a laid-back meal undergnarled old trees and enjoy the spectacular views overthe Free State koppies and valleys while geese and cowsroam the fields nearby. Green Goose Organics’ range ofhomemade cheeses include cheese-maker AnnekeSorour’s spectacular haloumi and French-styleFicksburger as well as gouda, cheddar, feta, and creamcheeses, in addition to her popular mature farmhousecheese. All the cheeses are handmade at the on-farm “farm-house” style cheesery from raw (unpasteurized) milk pro-duced by 100% grass-fed and organic certified cows.By appointment only

GPS Co Ordinates S 28° 42’ 42 E 27° 55’ 54Tel : 27 51 933 5754 Cell +27 82 925 2770


Pellissier Art Gallery

Another "treasure" not to be missed on any visit toFicksburg is the S H Pellissier Gallery, originally builtas a school hall, and now home not only to murals byPierneef, one of this country's "old masters", but also acomprehensive collection of paintings by top SouthAfrican artists. The sandstone hall was built in 1921 forthe Ficksburg School.Seven of the eight Pierneef panels were based on rockpaintings from two rock art sites in Rouxville, one inSmithfield and three in Zastron in the Free State andfrom a site in Barkley East in the Eastern Cape. Thelocations of the original San imagery for the eighthpanel are unknown. The panels and frieze are painted inred, ochre, white and black from pigments very similarin origin and colour to those used by San artists andwhich Pierneef collected from the area.Today the Pellissier Gallery is a treasure house of SouthAfrican art, with its principal focus the Pierneef Sanmurals. It also houses a collection of paintings byprominent South African artists, each, since 1927,donated to the Ficksburg High School by its outgoingmatric class.Only by appointment.

GPS Co-ordinates S 28º52' 07.3 E 027º52' 46.3Renette Humphreys 084 664 3491


EmberDown, Home of Down Products

Ember Down is the home of the most fabulous goose downand feather products! All the down and feathers come fromthe company’s own birds, which range free on the farm,surrounded by beautiful sandstone cliffs.The owners have always been fascinated by geese andwhen they moved to the farm, the first geese began arriv-ing very soon afterwards.As goose down has so much potential, it was decided tooffer the best products possible.This begins with the geese, which have the very best innatural foods — serradella, oats, maize, kikuyu and othernaturally growing grasses/plants on the farm. This ensuresthe best quality raw material to start with. Their productis becoming the preferred choice of goose down andfeather products, both locally and internationally.All the products are treated for allergies and buyers canrest assured that even the most asthma / hayfever afflictedperson will love their duvet or pillow.There is a full range of duvets, comforters, pillows, slip-pers and other products.Tours can be arranged to view the plucking and manufac-turing — call us for further details.

GPS Co-Ordinates: S 28º50' 33 E 27º46' 28Cell: +27 82 408 6770


The Old Cemetery

The Memorial Cemetery, situated close to the centre oftown, continues to be a source of fascination, intriguingprofessional and amateur historians alike. Both Britishand Boer combatants were buried here during the AngloBoer War. The remains of three Frenchmen who volun-teered to fight for the Boers were also interred here.The cemetery holds two notorious graves. The first is thatof GB Mousley. Mousley was a well known “smous”(trader) in the area. The second grave is that of ArthurPond, whose history remains a grey area in the history ofFicksburg. What is noticeable about his grave is that thisit faces the wrong way — west instead of east.GPS Co-ordinates S 28º52.100' E027º52.630'

Generals Fick Monument

A monument in memory of Genl. Fick, who played animportant part in the Basotho Wars and in the history ofFicksburg, and after whom the town was named, is foundon the town square. This monument was erected in 1938and marks the grave of Genl. Fick and his wife, who werereburied here in 1939, with permission from the Fick fam-ily.

GPS Co-ordinates S 28º52' 19.5 E 027º52' 31.1


Ficksburg Cherry Festival & Cherry Jazz

The idea for the first Cherry Festival took root in 1968when a group of young men who had founded a Ficks-burg chapter of Jaycee International, the international ser-vice/leadership development organisation, were lookingfor a project to launch their new organisation and per-form a service to the community.Many ideas were thrown around, so it is difficult to sayexactly how a Cherry Festival was arrived at!What is sure, however, is that Ficksburg is the largestcherry producing area in South Africa, followed by itstwo neighbours, Clocolan and Fouriesburg, and to a lesserextent parts of the Ladybrand district.Today Ficksburg is known throughout the world as theCherry Capital of the worldSpecial bus tours have become very popular, and Ficks-burg has become a ‘must’ for tour operators.To the best of our knowledge, the Cherry Festival is theoldest crop festival in South Africa. More than 25000people descend on Ficksburg on the third weekend inNovember. A week after the festival, the Cherry Jazz Fes-tival takes place, making Ficksburg a hive of activity.

www.cherryfestival.co.za051 933 6486


South Africa’s Tallest Sandstone Building

Gumtree, a quaint railway siding surrounded by a clusterof houses and situated 20 km from Ficksburg, where dirtroads still exist, has become a new focus in the EasternFree State.It is home to the highest sandstone building in the coun-try — the mill which used to be the hub of this once-thriving district.Sadly the mill is no longer in use and just the shell of themagnificent building remains. The ruin, with its magnifi-cent architecture, is a photographer’s dream.

GPS Co-ordinates S 28º 52' 093’ E 027º 52' 526’

CR Swart Prison

When CR Swart, who later became the first StatePresident of the Republic of South Africa, was only 19years old he became a school teacher in Ficksburg.During the 1914 Rebellion, Swart sided with the Boerrebels against the Smuts government of the day and wasarrested and imprisoned after taking a photograph ofthe Town Guard — 48 mounted and armed Boers.Mr Mitchell, the Provost Marshall, threatened to shootSwart, but after he had spent three nights in jail, senthim back to his classroom under house arrest. The tinysandstone building in which he was incarcerated —which consists of only two cells — is now a nationalmonument. The prison building is located in BrandStreet, opposite the present Post Office

GPS Co-ordinates S 28º 52' 11.8 E 027º 52' 40.4


Setsoto’s Head Office

This jewel in Setsoto’s crown came into being because,by the early 1970s, Sentraoes, the company whichcommissioned the building, had become the largest hailinsurance company in the southern hemisphere and wasdoing business with re-insurers all over the world. Itbecame clear that the rapidly-expanding client basenecessitated more staff, larger premises and an up-to-date computerized record system. By 1975, it providedcover against hail damage on more than 90 differenttypes of crops. Its premium income had increased fromR3.5 million in 1970 to R11 million in 1975. A strategicsite opposite the Ficksburg Town Hall was purchasedand architects — Moerdyk & Holzapfel — wereappointed.The building was inaugurated on 27th February 1976by the then-Minister of Agriculture, Mr HendrikSchoeman. The total building cost amounted to aboutR950 000 and it took 18 months to complete. ImperaniMountain’s amphitheatre-shaped, rain-streaked,sandstone krantzes, which form the western boundaryof the town, served as the inspiration for the design. Asandstone-coloured brick was selected as the mainbuilding element and the sun protection brick fins werecorbelled out, calling to mind Imperani’s overhangingrock formations. At the same time, these elements givethe building a solid and monolithic look which rein-forces the idea of security. Above the staircase hovers aglass-in-concrete roof-light (executed by Leo Theron),symbolizing the sun

GPS Co-Ordinates: S 28º 52' 18.3 E 027º 52' 27.0+27 51 933 9300


Accommodation Estalishments in Ficksburg

Bella Rosa Guest House ................ 051 933 [email protected] B+B / Self Catering ........ 078 034 [email protected] B&B ........................ 051 933 2820Boschfontein Farm B&B ............... 051 933 [email protected] Backpackers ......................... 051 933 [email protected] B&B ................................ 051 933 [email protected] Kersiehuis B&B ...................... 051 933 [email protected] Klein Woning / Self Catering .. 051 933 [email protected] View ..................................... 051 933 [email protected] Country Cottage ............ 051 933 [email protected] Mountain Lodge ........... 051 933 [email protected] Guest House B&B S/c ........ 082 520 [email protected] Hotel ............................. 051 933 [email protected] Oxwagon Camp / S/c 051 933 [email protected] Woning B&B / S/c ........ 051 933 3509Imperani Guest House ................... 051 933 [email protected] Guest House .................... 072 326 5190Leeu Kop Lodge ............................ 076 781 [email protected] Ldge Guest Farm / S/c 051 933 [email protected] Dam ............................. 051 933 [email protected] Pvt Game Reserve 051 933 [email protected] Hotel .............................. 051 933 0226Mount Nebo Holiday Farm............ 051 933 [email protected]


Oregon Cottage Guesthouse S/c ....... 051 933 4849Pin Oak Place B&B .......................... 051 933 [email protected] & Game Farm B&B ....... 051 933 [email protected] Sediba Pvt Game ................... 051 933 5720Reserve & [email protected] Thabo PvtGame Reserve ....... 084 500 [email protected] Green Acorn B&B ..................... 051 933 [email protected] Morrison .................................... 051 933 [email protected] Park Municipal Caravan Park 051 933 2905Uitgedacht Guest Farm ..................... 083 434 [email protected] Guest House ............................ 051 933 3550Woodpecker B&B ............................ 051 933 [email protected] Estate Guest Farm B&B . 051 933 3708info@walkabout_estate.com

The Kersie Gallery

The Kersie Gallery is an art gallery which showcasesthe talents of residents of Ficksburg and surroundingareas. Of late a number of creative Ficksburgers haveturned their hands to painting and it is primarily theirwork that is on display at the gallery. It has becomeknown as somewhere where you can purchaseexcellent paintings at reasonable prices. Also on offerat the venue are art classes. The gallery opened itsdoors two years ago and has proved to be very popular.Well-known artists occasionally exhibit at the gallery.


Clocolan

The town of Clocolan is strategically placed on the R26where it is set on the grasslands at the foot of theHlohlowane Mountain from which Clocolan derives itsname — the newcomers’ incorrect pronunciation of theSotho word ‘Hlohlowane’, which means ‘stand up andfight. The majestic Hlohlowane Mountain (1,820 metresabove sea-level) dominates the town.Because of the need for a school, church and businessfacilities for people living in the area, Clocolan wasestablished in 1906 and obtained municipal status in1910.It is part of the Conquered Territory, the region wrestedfrom the Basotho during the Basotho Wars of the early1800s. The area is rich in the history of both the Basothowho had lived there and the Afrikaners who settled there.The climate is bracing, thanks to the mountain air, andthe abundance of water in the area make it ideal foragriculture.The district lies in one of South Africa’s main sunflower-producing belts and is also one of the country’s top wheat-and maize-producing districts. Much of the country’sasparagus is farmed here. It is known, too, for its cherriesand other fruit. It is also suited to cattle and sheep farming.The town is located next to the so-called ‘Maloti Route’and 20 km from the Caledon River, which is the boundarywith Lesotho. The town is advantageously situated fortrade with Lesotho and is on the main railway route fromthe Cape and Southern Free State to KwaZulu Natal. It isalso on the main north-south route through the Eastern Free State.Clocolan hosts the annual Veteran Tractor Show, which


attracts visitors from far and wide, in March. There areseveral San rock art sites in the district.

The First Cherry Trees in South AfricaThe first successful cherry trees were planted in SouthAfrica in 1905 on the farm Platkop in the Clocolan dis-trict after Harry Pickston had contacted German mission-aries in South Africa with questions about growing cher-ries.A year later five hectares of trees were brought to Clocolanto be planted on the farm. The varieties included GiantHeidelfinger, Bing, Early River, Early Red, and Elton.Some of the original cherry trees can still be seen on thefarm today. These cultivars are still grown in the area.It is estimated that there are 500 hectares of cherry treesin the Eastern Free State concentrated mainly in the Ficks-burg, Clocolan and Fouriesburg area. There are approxi-mately 250 trees per hectare and the average yield perhectare is 10 tons.

Prynnsberg, a Heritage Home in ClocolanThis prestigious homestead, situated 5km north ofClocolan, is one the historic architectural treasures stillto be found in the Eastern Free State. The Prynnsbergestate was a testimony to the vision of Charles Newbury,who bought the farm in 1880. The estate remained in thefamily’s possession until 1996. Sotheby’s auctioned thecontents of the house. Charles Newbury acquired hiswealth from his directorship of the De Beers diamondconsortium. Today Prynnsberg is being restored to itsformer glory The graves of this once prominent familycan be seen at the Chapel on the property.


Essential Oils for PerfumeThe Highlands Essential Oils factory in Clocolan is onlyone of a handful in the world that produce valuableessences for the manufacture of French perfumes. Inspring and summer one can see hectares of flowers andherbs that are specially grown for the extraction of theprecious essences. The essences are then exported toFrance where they are sold.Oils are extracted from flowers, herbs and common“khakibos” On the same farm freeze-drying of herbs hasproven to be a new and profitable venture. The herbs arefreeze-dried and sold to supermarkets. Once defrosted theyappear like fresh herbs. Visit the farm an try your hand atmaking perfume. Courses are offered to teach you thisart. Recently an old shed has been converted into arefreshing retail outlet.GPS Co-ordinatesS 28º 53' 05.8 E 027º 35' 30.2051 943 0317

Angora Rabbit FarmAt Makoadi, situated outside Clocolan, 500 Angorarabbits are plucked and local people create beautiful hand-woven garments from their wool. The Mokoadi project isaimed at empowering black women by means of job-creation. These unique products are sold throughout thecountry.GPS Co-ordinates S 28º 54' 25.9 E 027º 34' 27.7051 943 0273


Ben Nevis Cherry Wine FarmBen Nevis is notable for being the only cherrywine-producing farm in the Eastern Free State.Here you can sample cherry wines and liqueursin a beautiful setting. Wine produced here is stillmade in the traditional way and is a definite mustfor anyone visiting the area. In cherry seasonorganised tours can be arranged. Cherry winetastings are available all year round.

GPS Co-ordinatesS 28º 51' 04.8 E 027º 34' 09.6051 943 0031

Accommodation Establishments in Clocolan

Amohela Ho Spitskop Country ........ 051 943 [email protected] Nevis Cellar & Guest Farm ...... 051 943 [email protected] Game Ranch ..................... 051 943 [email protected] Essential Oils .................... 051 943 [email protected] Gateway Farm.................... 051 943 [email protected] Guest Farm B&B .............. 051 943 [email protected] Barletta .................................... 051 943 [email protected] Guest House ..................... 051 943 0291Van Zoelenshoek Excelsior .............. 051 973 [email protected]


Marquard

The town of Marquard was established on the farmVarschfontein, which means ‘Fresh Fountain’, in 1905when the first of 125 plots were sold at record prices forthat time.Ds J J T Marquard, after whom the town is named, wasmarried to a daughter of John Murray, a son of thelegendary missionary, Andrew Murray, and he(Marquard) campaigned fiercely for the establishmentof the new town.It is a beautiful little town, set in the South-Eastern FreeState and home to a lively and energetic community,which is known for its friendliness. Visitors are alwayswelcome there and the residents take great pride in theirwell-kept town.In days gone by, Marquard was fenced in and there was anight-watchman who would guard the four gates at night.There was only one tap to serve the whole town andlegend has it that a local clergyman’s horse learned howto open this tap at night to drink from it, but, of course,couldn’t close it, causing the town’s reservoir to run dry.Marquard is one of few towns which still has a workingmill, a beautiful old building well worth seeing.The imposing NG Church was built from sandstonequarried in the district, as was the gabled town hall. TheMarquard Hotel, now a boutique hotel, also dates backto the early 1900s.The town has a colourful history, with tales being told ofa stock auction at which a lion was put up for sale, witha fox terrier being added to the lot to increase its value!The biggest annual event in Marquard is the KorannabergMountain Bike Race, regarded as one of South Africa’spremier off-road biking events. It is a superb test of theeffectiveness of the riders’ training schedule. The track


features twists and turns down sandstone rock faces —the very essence of mountain biking.The largest business in Marquard is Sparta Beef, a family-owned and operated cattle feed-lot and farming concernwhich has been in the Van Reenen family for over 100years.The feedlot started off as a small cattle-feeding facilityin the late 1960s, with ± 30 head of cattle on feed all yearround. To date, it has grown to accommodate about 50000 mixed breeds of cattle, depending on the time ofyear.At any given time, it has between 48 000 and 50 000head of cattle on feed and between 10 000 and 27 000calves on the farms. Sparta is the largest employer in theMarquard district and one of the largest in the Free State.In 2009 Marquard won an award for been the cleanesttown in South Africa.

Accommodation in Marquard

Le Cheri Guest House ....................... 079 527 [email protected] Hotel ................................. 051 991 0040/[email protected] S/C ................................. 051 991 [email protected] Guest House ................... 051 991 [email protected] Cottage ....................................... 082 571 [email protected] Villa ........................................... 082 884 [email protected]


Senekal

Senekal has grown over the past 130 years from itshumble beginnings into a flourishing and progressiveplatteland town positioned in the heart of a thrivingagricultural district in the picturesque Eastern Free Stateon the main route between Bloemfontein and Durban.

The town, situated on the banks of the Klipspruit, atributary of the Vaal River, was established in 1877, onthe farm De Puk, in the district of Winburg, when 30plots of land were sold off for a total of R4 600.00. It isnamed after Cmdt-Genl F P Senekal, who was killedduring the Second Basotho War. The town was occupiedby the British during the Anglo Boer War.The majestic N G Church, built of the sandstone whichis so typical of the area, was constructed in 1896 right inthe middle of what is now the business hub of Senekal.

A truly remarkable wall, constructed of fossilised treetrunks which were dug out at the Sand River, west ofSenekal, surrounds the church. According topalaeontologists, these tree trunks are approximately 250million years old and are the fossilised remains of anumber of pine and yellowwood varieties. The wall isnow a national monument.

The land here is ideal for agriculture, around whicheconomy of the town revolves. Both stock farming andcrop farming take place her.This area is also home to some of the best game farms inthe North-Eastern Free State.


Accommodation in Senekal

Die Sandsteen Gastehuis ............ 083 414 [email protected] Gastehuis ......................... 082 294 3954Nanies Gastehuis ......................... 082 371 [email protected] Guest House .................... 058 481 [email protected] Mountain Resort . 058 481 [email protected] B&B ......................... 058 491 [email protected]

Setsoto Travel Guide was designed and developed by:St. Ives CommunicationsP.O. Box 133, Ficksburg, 9730, South AfricaTel: +27 51 933 3531 / 6486Text complied by Gavin Boy and Calen [email protected] or [email protected]© All material in this publication is copyright to St. Ives Communications.© All photographs were taken by Gavin Boy

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