Heritage Gems in Plettenberg Bay
Happy Heritage Day from Cornerway House! In celebration of our gorgeous, diverse country and rich cultural and natural heritage, here are some heritage gems just waiting to be explored in Plettenberg Bay.
LAND ART
Calling the Herd. Image: Jade Holin
SiteSpecific’s Land Art event was once an annual festival in Plett, bringing artists from across the globe to work alongside Plett artists to create installations in our exquisite natural surroundings. And, while the event may have moved on, there are two permanent pieces along the Kranshoek/Harkerville coastline for us to enjoy. These are Aardmoeders (a rock installation in the form of elephants) in honour of the ancient pathways that the Knysna elephants once trod. And the Calling the Herd trumpet which also celebrates our indigenous-forest elephants with a trumpet call. As they’re set reasonably close together, a visit to the Land Art installations can be combined with both Harkerville forest and Kranshoek coastal hikes for a combination of art and natural heritage.
CRADLE OF HUMAN CULTURE
The new Paleo Route, which is currently being launched along the Southern Cape coastline is the latest in tourism trends and quite unique to South Africa. Nelson Bay Cave on Robberg and Klasie’s Cave in Tsitsikamma are two excellent examples of how this stretch of coastline may have been the origin of modern humans and, at the very least, the origin of human culture. Robberg’s cave is a wonderful walk through human history with tools and ornaments on display dating from 2000 years ago to 12 000! Given the beauty of our region, it’s understandable that humans would have chosen to settle on the Garden Route all those millennia ago!
THE GRIQUA COMMUNITY
The Griqua, of Kranshoek, are South Africa’s rainbow people: a multicultural mix of people whose origins can be found in the first encounters between Dutch settlers and the KhoiKhoi women and, according to historical archives, they have been searching for their own land ever since. Take a guided tour of the Kranshoek area, stroll along the cliffside and enjoy the joyful stylings of the traditional rieldansers.
GARDEN ROUTE BIOSPHERE RESERVE
The Garden Route, declared a UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in 2017, is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet. Our endemic Cape Floral Kingdom is the most richly diverse of all the plant kingdoms with some 5000 of our 8000 species found nowhere else in the world. A walk through the fynbos is a fine illustration of our natural heritage as unique plant species are everywhere! The spikey, colourful protea is the best-known of our flora and you’ll find various species growing in the wild, on the roadside and on many hikes. Plett is a brilliant place to stop and enjoy the flowers…
