Bedrogfontein 4x4 - Kirkwood

Tell us about your favorite 4x4 trail. Tell us how easy or difficult it was, is there escape routes for the faint hearted? Please add some photographs if you can.
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Debs
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Bedrogfontein 4x4 - Kirkwood

Post by Debs »

Hi almal

Die bedrogfontein roete is deel van die Addo olifantpark en loop vanaf Kirkwood tot by die Darlingdam naby waterford, Jansenville distrik. Jy kan die roete van beide kante af ry.
Dit is nie 'n baie moelike roete nie. Daar is wel twee stukke wat baie klipperig en rotsagtig is en lekker steil hellings waar jy moet op en af. So min of meer in die middel van die roete kry jy die fontein self. Hou stil by die dam en geniet 'n lekker swem voor jy daai piekniek mandjie uithaal om die innerlike te versterk.

Die roete is 45 km lank en jy kyk so na 5 ure se ry. Afhanhend van waar en hoe lank jy stop. 'n Lekker daguitstappie neem jou van Port Elizabeth af tot by Kirwood. Van Kirkwood af ry jy die roete tot by Darlingdam en dan vat jy die pad regs tot by Ann's Villa. Hier draai weer regs en ry oor die Suurbergpas na Addo en dan Baai toe.

Aan die Kirwood kant is daar nie baie wild nie, maar die dam omgewing vergoed weer daarvoor met genoeg koedoes, Elande, bosbokke en as jy gelukkig is renosters. Daar is geen Olifante of leeus in die gebied nie en jy na willekeur stilhou en rondloop. Rerig lekker om uit die stad te kom. Hier is so paar fotos.

Vrede vir julle.
1 Entrance gate to Bedrogfontein.jpg
1 Entrance gate to Bedrogfontein.jpg (84.03 KiB) Viewed 5259 times
2 Flats on top of mountain.jpg
2 Flats on top of mountain.jpg (96.54 KiB) Viewed 5259 times
3 The kloof.jpg
3 The kloof.jpg (87.07 KiB) Viewed 5259 times
4 exit of of the tree tunnel.jpg
4 exit of of the tree tunnel.jpg (111.74 KiB) Viewed 5259 times
5 Bedrogfontein.jpg
5 Bedrogfontein.jpg (123.02 KiB) Viewed 5259 times
6 View to the south Kirkwood.jpg
6 View to the south Kirkwood.jpg (67.35 KiB) Viewed 5259 times
8 View to the south from top of mountain.jpg
8 View to the south from top of mountain.jpg (71.94 KiB) Viewed 5259 times
Attachments
9 Cycads and Darlington dam to the north.jpg
9 Cycads and Darlington dam to the north.jpg (59.68 KiB) Viewed 5259 times
OOOOMS
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Re: Bedrogfontein 4x4 - Kirkwood

Post by OOOOMS »

Hannes, dit lyk na 'n baie mooi plek met pragtige uitsigte, dankie dat jy dit met ons gedeel het :thumbup:
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Re: Bedrogfontein 4x4 - Kirkwood

Post by Rebel 4x4 »

Pragtige wereld daai, nog nooit daardie roete gedoen nie, maar ek sal beslis daar 'n draai maak in die nuwe jaar.
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Re: Bedrogfontein 4x4 - Kirkwood

Post by jacques kotze »

Dit lyk heel relaxing :thumbup: :thumbup:
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Re: Bedrogfontein 4x4 - Kirkwood

Post by Debs »

Vir die geskiedkundiges

"Hills alive with history The Bedrogfontein 4x4 Trail is more than the regular assortment of steep slopes, rocky bits and diff lock talk. It also includes some fascinating, gory stories. General Jan Smuts and his Boer commando gave their British pursuers a thrashing here in the kloofs of the Zuurberg. Early in October 1901 Smuts and his men unsaddled in a clearing high on Bedrogfontein Pass under two big milkwood trees, which are still standing today. Most of the men, Smuts included, were very ill after eating green cycad seeds. About a thousand British troops came up the narrow, winding pass, unaware that the Boers had spotted them and were lying in ambush. And then the bullets rained down.

In his book Memoirs of General Ben Bouwer, PJ le Riche describes the Battle of Bedrogfontein: “Maddened horses tumbled screaming into the donga, carrying their riders with them.…” Apparently more than 700 British horses fell 300m to their death down the pass."
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Re: Bedrogfontein 4x4 - Kirkwood

Post by Thunder02 »

Looks like a great place,thanks for the history,sad story :thumbup:
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Re: Bedrogfontein 4x4 - Kirkwood

Post by Rebel 4x4 »

Thunder02 wrote:Looks like a great place,thanks for the history,sad story :thumbup:
Sad storie? :shock2:
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Re: Bedrogfontein 4x4 - Kirkwood

Post by legend35 »

Baie nice Hannes. :thumbup: Ek is skoon jaloers want ek was laas jaar daar in PE en het die een skoon mis gery :evil:
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Re: Bedrogfontein 4x4 - Kirkwood

Post by Debs »

Ja, die uitsigte van die berg af is ongelooflik. Jy sien oormore aankom. Nog merkwaardiger is die broodbome teen die hange van die berg. Dis nie een of twee nie, dis 'n woud. Van hulle is tot 3 meter hoog + miskien nog n bietjie. As julle in die Oos Kaap kom, ry hom. Besprekings word gedoen by die Addo olifant park kantoor. Jy kan hulle sommer net bel om die bespreking te doen.
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Re: Bedrogfontein 4x4 - Kirkwood

Post by Popmar »

As `n mens beplan om die roete te doen kan jy ook gerus daaraan dink om by Mvubu kamp in daardie gedeelte van die Addo te kamp. Vir die mense wat daarvan hou om die stilte van die natuur en `n fantastiese kampplek met basiese geriewe te geniet is die kampplek die een vir jou. Doen bespreking deur Addo wat jou sal verwys na die perone wat in beheer is van die kamp.
Was so 3 jaar gelede daar en het ook die roete gedoen.
Volgens my is dit een van die top kampeerplekke in die land vir die opregte natuur liefhebbers.
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Re: Bedrogfontein 4x4 - Kirkwood

Post by Stef »

Nice :thumbup: Lyk na 'n lekker roete....trek my hart weer terug PE toe...
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Re: Bedrogfontein 4x4 - Kirkwood

Post by Bacchus »

Jip, stem saam dat Mvubu 'n besonderse boskamp is - een van daai waarvan jy amper nie vir ander wil vertel nie, want jy's bang dit word 'n vertrapping :) As Debs nie omgee nie gooi ek sommer so 'n fototjie op van die kamp - klein, stil en rustig! Dit lê op die wal van die Sondagsrivier aan die begin van die Bedrogsfontein roete vanaf Kirkwood se kant.

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Op die rivier se wal is 'n houtdek waarop daar lekker gekuier kan word. Ook kano's - pasop net vir die seekoeie hoër op.

Image

Die roete laat my baie dink aan die Baviaans. Om by te las by die geskiedenis - die storie loop ook dat Genl Smuts en sommige van sy troepe by die dood omgedraai het toe hulle kos opraak en hulle van daai broodbome se sade geëet het.

Vir diegene wat nie kamp nie - daar is ook 'n lekker groot plaashuis teen die berghange met baie slaapplek en 'n lieflike braaiarea. Die slaghuis daar in Kirkwood se hoofstraat verkoop die lekkerste Kudu steak klaar verpak in 'n rooiwynsous!
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