Seweweekspoort

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Seweweekspoort
North entrance of the Seweweekspoort.jpg
A view of the northern entrance of the Seweweekspoort mountain pass.
Traversed by R323
Location Garden Route District Municipality, Western Cape, South Africa.
Range Cape Fold Mountains
Coordinates 33°24′S21°24′E / 33.400°S 21.400°E / -33.400; 21.400
South Africa Western Cape relief location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Seweweekspoort
Location of the Seweweekspoort pass in the Western Cape Province.
A photograph of the Seweweekspoort Mountain Bike Challenge on the Seweweekspoort pass. Seweweekspoort Mountain Bike Challenge - Garden Route, South Africa (3919298724).jpg
A photograph of the Seweweekspoort Mountain Bike Challenge on the Seweweekspoort pass.

Seweweekspoort is a mountain pass located along the R323 regional route running from Zoar and Laingsburg in the western Little Karoo region of South Africa's Western Cape province. The highest point in the Western Cape, Seweweekspoort Peak, is located close to the pass. The pass and surrounding area is a popular tourist attraction due to the diversity of local flora and the geology of the surrounding mountains. [1] [2]

Contents

Name

Various theories exist about the origin of the name for the pass. The most plausible is that it is named after Rev. Louis Zerwick of the Berlin Missionary Society and probably worked at Amaliënstein and Zoar . In the vernacular the pronunciation of Zerwickspoort became Seweweekspoort.[ citation needed ]

History

In the 1850s construction began on the road alongside the Gamka River using prison labor. The road was completed in November 1862 and is still in use. [1]

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References

  1. 1 2 The Heritage Portal. "Seweweekspoort between Laingsburg and Zoar". www.theheritageportal.co.za. Retrieved 1 January 2022.
  2. Roberts, Trygve. "Seweweekspoort (P0309 / R323) - Mountain Passes South Africa". www.mountainpassessouthafrica.co.za. Retrieved 1 January 2022.