Hottentots Holland Mountains | |
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Highest point | |
Peak | Somerset Sneeukop |
Elevation | 1,590 m (5,220 ft) |
Coordinates | 34°2′5.56″S18°59′6.53″E / 34.0348778°S 18.9851472°E |
Geography | |
Country | South Africa |
State | Western Cape |
Region | Overberg |
The Hottentots Holland Mountains are part of the Cape Fold Belt in the Western Cape, South Africa. The mountain range forms a barrier between the Cape Town metropolitan area and the southern Overberg coast.
The range is primarily composed of Table Mountain Sandstone, and lies between the eastern Cape Town suburbs of Somerset West and Gordon's Bay to the west, and the Elgin valley to the east. Sir Lowry's Pass is the only crossing, in the form of the N2 motorway. The Steenbras Dam, one of Cape Town's main supply dams, is located in the Elgin valley south of the town of Grabouw due to the abundant rainfall normally experienced in the uplands of the catchment area.
The Gantouw (Eland Pass) ceased to be used by wagons on 6 July 1830, when the new Sir Lowry's Pass road was opened. Wagons of the Great Trek beginning 1835, did not actually use the old pass, instead they used the new road. When previous migrants decided to leave the Cape Town area, or Cape Colony as it was then known, this was the first mountain range they crossed. Cuts and wheel markings from their ox wagons can still be seen in rock formations of the old Gantouw pass which lies slightly north of the new Sir Lowry's Pass, and are a national monument. [1] This route still serves as the primary route out of the Cape Town area for travellers heading east along the coast of South Africa.
The climate is typically Mediterranean; however, it is generally much cooler and more verdant than other areas in the Western Cape, with annual precipitation exceeding 1500 mm (as high as 3300 mm on the Dwarsberg plateau [2] ) and summer temperature maxima rarely exceeding 25 °C. Snow is not unusual on the higher peaks, like Verkykerkop, Somerset Sneeukop (Afrikaans : Snow Peak) at 1590 m high and The Triplets in the northern section of the range. This area and the other ranges to the south are considered the hub of the Cape floristic region with the most biodiversity in the entire fynbos biome. The surrounding lowlands have rich alluvial soils supporting viticulture and other deciduous fruit farms.
This section needs expansionwith: More peaks, and their locations. You can help by adding to it. (June 2022) |
The Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve is a World Heritage Site with an area of 70,000 hectares from Elgin to north of Villiersdorp, between the Stellenbosch Mountains and the Groenland mountains. [2] The reserve functions as a conservation area for mountain fynbos, with about 1300 plant species, of which some are rare and endemic. About 110 species of bird have been recorded, and a variety of indigenous animals, some of which have been reintroduced. [1]
Altitude in the reserve varies from 500m to 1590m. Weather conditions can be unpredictable, and bad weather can make conditions dangerous. The entrance to the reserve is at Nuweberg, in Viljoen's Pass (R321) between Villiersdorp and Grabouw. An additional 7000 hectares of state and privale land adjacent to the reserve is co-managed by the Theewaterskloof Conservancy, which includes CapeNature and private landowners. [2] [1]
Overberg is a region in South Africa to the east of Cape Town beyond the Hottentots-Holland mountains. It lies along the Western Cape Province's south coast between the Cape Peninsula and the region known as the Garden Route in the east. The boundaries of the Overberg are the Hottentots-Holland mountains in the West; the Riviersonderend Mountains, part of the Cape Fold Belt, in the North; the Atlantic and Indian Oceans in the South and the Breede River in the East.
Theewaterskloof Municipality is a local municipality located within the Overberg District Municipality, in the Western Cape province of South Africa. As of 2022, the population was 139,563. Its municipality code is WC031. The enormous Theewaterskloof Dam, which provides water for Cape Town and the surrounding areas, is located in the municipality.
The R45 is a provincial route in Western Cape, South Africa that connects Saldanha with Villiersdorp via Vredenburg, Malmesbury and Paarl. The route is mostly a two-lane wide-shouldered highway, however sections within Paarl and between Vredenburg and Saldanha are dual-carriageways. The R45 is co-signed with the N7 for a short segment north of Malmesbury.
Somerset West is a town in the Western Cape, South Africa. Organisationally and administratively it is included in the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality Eastern Suburbs zone . The vehicle registration code for Somerset West is CFM and the post code is 7130 for street addresses, and 7129 for post office boxes.
Helderberg refers to a planning district of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality, the mountain after which it is named, a wine-producing area in the Western Cape province of South Africa, or a small census area in Somerset West.
Elgin is a large, lush area of land, circled by mountains, in the Overberg region of South Africa. This broad upland valley lies about 70 km southeast of Cape Town, just beyond the Hottentots Holland Mountains.
The Volunteer Wildfire Services is a group of volunteers in Cape Town, South Africa who assist local fire fighting agencies to suppress wildfires. Affiliated to the Table Mountain National Park, the VWS is the only unit of its kind in South Africa.
Grabouw is a town located in the Western Cape province of South Africa. Grabouw is located some 65 km south-east of Cape Town, over Sir Lowry's Pass from Somerset West, along the N2 highway. The town is the commercial centre for the vast Elgin Valley, the largest single export fruit-producing area in Southern Africa, which extends between the Hottentots-Holland, Kogelberg, Groenland, and Houwhoek Mountains. The town's population has grown rapidly, with 44 593 people in 2019 from 21 593 as listed by the 2001 census.
The Kogelberg is a range of mountains along the False Bay coast in the Western Cape of South Africa. They form part of the Cape Fold Belt, starting south of the Elgin valley and forming a steep coastal range as far as Kleinmond.
Villiersdorp is a town of approximately 10,000 people located in the Western Cape province of South Africa in the Overberg region.
Sir Lowry's Pass is a mountain pass on the N2 national road in the Western Cape province of South Africa. It crosses the Hottentots Holland Mountains between Somerset West and the Elgin valley, on the main route between Cape Town and the Garden Route. A railway line also crosses the mountain range near this point.
The Anysberg Nature Reserve of 62,500 ha, is situated in the western Little Karoo region of the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve in the Western Cape province, South Africa. The central mountain is named after Anise, Pimpinella anisum, which is found in the reserve. The reserve was established in 1984, to conserve succulent and fynbos flora in the Cape Fold Belt, and to reintroduce game which formerly occurred here.
The Overberg branch line is a railway line in the Western Cape, South Africa. It runs from Cape Town through Somerset West and Caledon to Bredasdorp.
Kogelberg Sandstone Fynbos is a critically endangered vegetation type occurring in the far south of the Western Cape, South Africa.
Helderberg Nature Reserve is a 398-hectare (980-acre) nature reserve in Somerset West, South Africa.
Kogelberg Nature Reserve is a nature reserve of 3,000 ha comprising the Kogelberg Mountain Range, to the east of Cape Town, South Africa.
The Groenland is a small mountain range in the Western Cape, South Africa, and forms part of the Cape Fold Belt.
Stellenbosch Mountain is a mountain forming a prominent landmark overlooking the town of Stellenbosch in the Western Cape Province of South Africa. The mountain forms part of the Coetsenburg Estate, the Jonkershoek Nature Reserve, the Assegaaibosch Nature Reserve and the larger Hottentots-Holland Mountains Catchment Area.
The Steenbras River is a small river in the Western Cape province of South Africa between the Hottentots Holland and Kogelberg mountains, draining into False Bay south of Gordon's Bay. It has been dammed in two places and provides water to the city of Cape Town. The upper dam also serves as a reservoir for the Steenbras pumped-storage hydroelectricity scheme which supplements Cape Town's electricity supply during periods of peak demand.