clanwilliam

Clanwilliam lies against a backdrop of the mighty Cederberg mountain range and is embraced by two rivers, the Olifants and the Jan Dissels. Until the N7 from Cape Town to Namibia was built in the sixties, Clanwilliam remained virtually undiscovered .

Now busloads of tourists, on their way north, stop to visit the town. Word has spread and travellers arrive and return each year, attracted by the magical lure of this special lifestyle.

Heart of the Rooibos tea area, Clanwilliam is one of the ten oldest towns in South Africa and is rich in both cultural and historical heritage, breathtaking natural beauty, it offers modern recreational facilities and is the centre of a flourishing agricultural community. Clanwilliam is also situated in the only area in the world where Rooibos tea (Aspalathus linearis) can be cultivated. Rooibos is processed, packed and marketed worldwide from the factory in Clanwilliam.

Clanwilliam and "veldskoene" are synonymous. The Strassberger shoe factory dates back to 1834 when a cobbler's shop was started at the mission station village, Wupperthal. These shoes are still handmade, as in days gone by and come in a variety of styles.

Historical walks through the town centre take in seven national monuments that include the original farmhouse of Jan Disselsvalleij - the town was initially his namesake before it became Clanwilliam in 1814 - the old jail building, now a museum, and an 1820 Settlers house.

Pertinent to the town’s history is the Clanwilliam cedar, after which the Cederberg Mountain range is named. This magnificent tree, with its durable wood and particular fragrance, is now on the brink of extinction due largely to global warming and the increase in the frequency of fires in the area - few saplings ever reach seed-bearing maturity.

While the inhabitants long for shade, the plants flourish, including a wealth of Mediterranean and subtropical trees, flowers, fruit and nutsEach year during August and September, depending on the preceding winter's rainfall, the area is transformed into a floral showcase. The area features a large variety of wild flowers. Ramskop Nature Reserve at the Clanwilliam Dam Resort boasts 250 indigenous species of wild flowers. At the end of winter, the Flower Church becomes a hive of activity. Volunteers happily create a manmade landscape inside the church; a kaleidoscope from nature made accessible to everybody. About 360 species are exhibited by the Clanwilliam Wildflower Society, which is a fitting complement to the dignified architecture of the church. The pulpit has been quiet for many years, but the flowers offer a song of praise heavenwards. This flower fête includes concerts, art and food stalls, and a street carnival.

The greater part of Clanwilliam falls within the world renowned Fynbos Biome. Various endangered endemic fynbos species can be found in the area. The most notable of these are the Clanwilliam Cedar (Widdringtonia cederbergensis) and the snow protea (Protea cryophila) which grow exclusively in isolated sites in the Cederberg Wilderness Area. Buchu (Agathosma betulina) is a sought after medicinal herb which grows in the mountains around Clanwilliam.

Archeologists and paleontologists are becoming increasingly fascinated by the well-preserved fossils, recently discovered by researchers working in the Cederberg mountains.

In the town and district there are several attractive historical buildings, a wealth of rock art and a profusion of birds.