Escape into the rural hinterland of the Klein Karoo along the R62 to find, the town of Ladismith, some amazing soul space under the imposing peaks of the Klein Swartberge.
The twin pinnacles of Towerkop create a magnificent backdrop for the picturesque town of Ladismith in the Western Cape of South Africa, with its neat tree-lined streets and unique vernacular architecture, a simplified Georgian design dating from the 1830s.
The town of Ladismith was named after Juana Maria de los Delores de Leon, but that would have been one helluva mouthful. Fortunately, she was also known as Lady Smith, the wife of the then Governor of the Cape, Sir Harry Smith - the name was later changed by swapping the ‘y’ for an ‘i’ to avoid confusion with Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal province.
Ladismiths’ second-most famous landmark is a tiny light connected to a bicycle dynamo and powered by a stream, halfway up the rugged slopes of Elandsberg. Designed and built by local legend Stanley de Witt, it’s known as ‘Oom Stanley se Liggie’. An ingenious contraption, it has survived in various forms for decades, and warns residents of changes in their water supply.
And the most famous landmark in Ladismith? That is indubitably Towerkop with its impressive split silhouette, which dominates the Klein Karoo horizon a few kilometres from town. According to local legend, a witch passing overhead struck the peak in anger with her wand because it obstructed her passage. Hike onto the rugged slopes covered in fynbos, and you might just begin to believe the story, too.
There are a range of scenic hiking routes in the Ladismith area. The Stanley’s Run route is a 24 km trail that follows a mountain track th...
The Touwsberg Private Game and Nature Reserve is the perfect weekend getaway - it offers endless adventuring and activities for the whole fa...
Ladismith is known as 'the jewel of the Klein Karoo' and is located at the foot of the Klein Swartberg Mountain range in the Klein Karoo. On...
In the Klein Swartberg, the 2 189 metre-high Towerkop dominates the area around Ladismith and is easily recognised by its twin towers. Altho...