Tiny Mamre is a picturesque mission settlement about 30 km north of Cape Town, with neat rows of whitewashed hipped-roof cottages, each with its own little garden and stately oak trees. Originally named Groenekloof, a military outpost known as De Kleine Post was established in the lush green valley in 1701.
The outpost later served as a trading station until it was closed in 1791. In 1808, the Moravian Church founded its second mission station in the country here, renaming it 46 years later after the biblical Mamre (Genesis 13:18), which means 'fatness'. In time, the mission station became an important educational centre and members of the community were trained in various skills.
Among its architectural treasures are Long House, farmhouse, which served as barracks for the garrison between 1701 and 1791, the Parsonage, 1701 and the mission church, 1814, with its Cape Dutch gable. Other historic buildings include the school, bakery, packing shed, stables and the water mill 1844, which now serves as a museum.
Outdoor Activities in Mamre
The ‘Wheels of Time’ Trail is a multi-day mountain biking route stretching from Mamre to Darling, but there are a host of other quiet back roads to crank. Alternative transport is offered on the back of a donkey cart; go local on a leisurely guided, catered and interpreted tour through town.
Explore nature in the Mamre Nature Garden. It has a rich biodiversity and an interesting cultural history; more than 234 plant species have been recorded in the reserve while nearby Duckitt Nurseries on Oude Post Farm has the largest orchid nursery in South Africa, if not the southern hemisphere.
