The various regions of the S.A. West Coast

THE WEST COAST


Car Hire South Africa

THE SA-WESTCOAST HUB- South Africa's west coast revealed- towns, history, tours, routes, local attractions eateries, accommodation, and much more - Become a member - SEE CLICKABLE AREA MAP

PDF Print E-mail
Heerenlogement Cave at GraafwaterHEERENLOGEMENT

If you thought Namaqualand was a bit hard to reach, think what a journey it was back in the days when the Cape was still a brand-new Dutch colony. North of Graafwater lies the historical Heerenlogement cave. The Dutch name means ‘gentlemen’s lodging’.

The cave was a popular resting place for cattle traders, hunters, soldiers and others travellers heading north between 1665 and 1682. When early explorers were conducting forays into the far north (searching for copper on the instructions of enterprising Cape governor Simon van der Stel), the best ‘hotel' for miles was this cave appropriately called the ‘Gentleman's Lodging', or Heerenlogement.

Olaff Bergh came to Graafwater in November 1682 in search of the mythical gold fields of Monomotapa.  Bergh and his party stayed at a cave about 30km north of Graafwater that is known as the Heerenlogement. He was the first white person who called at the famous cave and fountain ithough after him, many a famous head grabbed a good night's sleep there,  van der Stel included, in 1685 and again on the 29th October 1712.

we know this because many of them scribbled or carved their names on the rock walls.

The Heerenlogement pops up in journals of several early travellers, including one by Commander KJ Slosbo in 1712, who mentions a tree growing from a cleft in the rock roof. If you visit the cave today, look up. Almost 300 years later it's still growing strong.

Among others who slept in the overhang were Kaie Jesse Slotsbo (1712), Ensign IT Rhenius (1721), the Swedish botanist Carl Thunberg (1774) and the French traveller François le Vaillant (1783).

Several well-known travellers also visited the cave during the 19th century, among them Captain James Alexander and Andrew Geddes Bain (1854). Many of these people carved their names on the walls of the overhang; during a survey carried out in 1940, a total of 174 names and initials were recorded.

Next >
 

 
In an effort to help put this glorious region more firmly on the map, we have pulled together as much information as we can, accrediting authors where necessary and providing links to websites or email addresses. If we have inadvertantly used your article or photograph without giving you full accreditation, we apologise and if you notify us we will do so immediately.