Part romantic, part scary, the dusty road through the Outeniqua Mountains is steeped in history and stories.

It’s a beautiful day to sit next to a grave with a view…which is an amazingly regular thing to do when you are travelling up the winding road of the Montagu Pass outside George.

Built by convicts in the 1840s, the pass was one of only a few roads that connected Karoo and coast, and was considered to have revolutionised travel and transport in the region.

It was uniquely built using dry stone walls, no mortar, and still stands today as a symbol of exceptional road engineering (although the regional municipality keeps the stone walls together with cement these days).

The increased use of motor cars eventually necessitated the alternative Outeniqua Pass, which opened in 1951, and the Montagu Pass became the peaceful meander it is today – connecting a few farms and lending itself to a leisurely drive into the past.

We bought a specially compiled 30-pager booklet at George Tourism on our way out and turned off onto the rugged dirt road which looks much like it did more than 150 years ago.

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The small stone tollhouse, which housed the toll keeper and his family, can still be seen. We stop for a few pictures and try peeping into the windows, one of those places you would both love and hate to restore.

Back in the car I read aloud as we go.

As the colourful and descriptive names of the intricate bends and nooks appear, we really start getting the picture. Check out the gallery here.

Moertjiesklip (Helluva Stone) refers to a large rock on the side of the road. Legend has it that the boulder rolled down the mountainside during the road’s construction and landed on an unfortunate convict. The rock was too heavy to move and hence became the convict’s tombstone.

Some say his restless soul still lingers on stormy days…

We stopped at Amanda’s Grave, an awe inspiring viewpoint alongside the road where a husband so in love with his wife buried her ashes at the spot where he had once proposed to her.

Wild flowers grow all around it and we placed a few on the grave.

Old Smithy is the site where a blacksmith had his workshop but not even ruins remain, Grogkantdraai refers to the ‘grog’ (Irish for gin) that some travellers used to quench their thirst while resting on the bend.

As the pass flattens out a sign post indicates Cradock Farm, the home of Herold Wines, one of South Africa’s most special wine farms.

Nestled at the foot of the Outeniqua Mountain’s highest peak, and surrounded by nature reserve, it is a great place to stop for tea and treats, a tasting of wine and fresh mountain air.

At 650 to 750 metres above sea level, the vineyard is one of the highest and coolest in the country and has its own wine proclamation: “Wine of Origin Outeniqua”.

We met Vivien Harpur (cor), the petite mother of four who started a wine farm with only the knowledge of books, much enthusiasm and farm workers who were willing to learn.

“I didn’t even like wine when my brother, Mark Chandler, asked me to make his dream happen. But my kids were on their way out of the house and this was a great way to combat Empty Nest Syndrome,” she laughs.

We get a guided tour of the cellar where the magical story of Herold Wines unfold – from the ‘coincidental’ availability of a redundant SAB hops farm in the mountains to fighting off baboons and firefighting, to chasing birds, wine bottling dramas and eventual success.

We then took a map of walks and explored the farm at our own pace.

There are birds everywhere; and although we didn't see any baboons, buck and other small animals, we're told on a good day you can spot all of them.

We brought our own picnic basket, but you can order one in advance from Vivien if you want something special. On the shores of a beautiful mountain pool we found our peace…we swam but be warned, the water is so cold it hurts.

On our way out we stopped at the small cellar to buy some of the award-winning vintages.

At the top of the pass we find the tiny farmers’ community of Herold, a once bustling settlement because of its proximity to the only ‘decent’ road across the Outeniqua Mountains. We met former Jo’burgers Dave and Gail Lodge who quite literally own an entire town.

While nobody seems to know how it all came about, a few buildings on the old main road of the town had somehow become part of a local hops farm and the proud and joy of a farmer Michele Joubert.

Among the buildings were the local police station, a jail cell, a school and two residences. Other buildings scattered around the premises, including old farm workers’ cottages, seemed situated just right for a special project – a guest house, which would eventually get the apt name Over the Mountain.

Where once a range of rowdy criminals were dragged into the police station, now there is a super-long yellowwood dining room table and a solid wooden bar.

The jail cell was turned into a laundry and the local school houses guests.

The old farmers’ cottages have also been turned into cosy guest rooms.

When Michele died, the old town went up for sale and Gail’s family decided to buy.

“They saw the enormous potential of a historic town linked to a historic route. It is romantic and special – a place to rest and breathe mountain air,” says Dave.

So that’s exactly what we did.

George Tourism 044-8019299
Herold Wines 072 833 8223
Over the Mountain Guest House 073 170 7120

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