In the footsteps of our forefathers

B and I spent the long weekend on a drive around the Northern Cape, visiting the sites of the Anglo-Boer war. Our families played a large part in the second war for independence, especially in this area, and the names of our families are displayed on almost every memorial.

It was a moving experience, especially the memorial and museum to the women and children who died in the concentration camps.

Women's memorial in Bloemfontein

Memorial to the Scandinavians who fought at the side of the Boers

The view over the Magersfontein Battlefield

Magersfontein Boer memorial

The outskirts

Anglican Church Barkley West

Bles memorial - Wolmeranstad. Thankfully not family.

Koi-san Engravings - Hartenbeesthoek

Kimberley Gat and Olde Towne

Perdeberg - Walkerville

Last weekend saw us visiting the towns of Heidelberg, Greylingstad and Standerton. This weekend we wanted to take a visit closer to home, prompted by an aerial photograph I saw at Google Earth of a koppie called Perdeberg, just a few k's from home.

Perdeberg (Horse Mountain), is the dominant natural feature of the Walkerville area. It was so named because during the Boer War, horses from the area and from as far away as Standerton, were driven to the summit of the hill at a certain time of the year to protect them from contracting horse sickness.

I managed to locate the many Kraals (stables) on the satelite photo, and B and I went in search of some tangible evidence.

The 1st photo (Aerial Photo 1) is of the koppie and the route we took. Position 1 is of a kraal at the summit. Position 2 and 3 are the remnants of the Kraal at a lower altitude. 4 is the old road we took. 5 the view back to the koppie. 6 is an old wall we manage to find, only because B 'just had to go'. And 7 - We almost missed this. An old graveyard where the headstones are of coloured people. The oldest headstone read a birth date of 1907 and the death at 1963.

The photo (Point 3), Aerial Photo 2)) is a close up of the kraal area as indicated by the waypoint 3 on Aerial Photo 1.

The rest of the photos are arranged according to the waypoints indicated on Aerial Photo 1. Re: Photo 3 - waypoint 3. Photo 7 - waypoint 7

I misread the Aerial photo completely, but B managed to find this kraal almost immediately.

Some of the walls are well preserved and still a few feet high.

The road around the koppie. Recently scraped, but lots of evidence that this is a very old road.

It really is great to have a partner that shares you're interests as much as I found with B. We're in the same work industry, we love photography, and Afrikaner history. It helps, so that I'm not out there walking, and talking to myself. Thankfully she's can also read a map.

Thanks Love.

Standerton via Heidelberg and Greylingstad

Saturday Morning 05:30am. Packed the Cameras, Sarmies and a Flask of Coffee and hit the road. Our aim was to visit some historical sites in and around Heidelberg, but we ended up going as far as Standerton when we heard about the old concentration camp there.

The old Stone Church in Heidelberg is a beautiful piece of architecture.

Beautiful Dark Roof and Gutters.


The side entrance to the Church Museum.

The ZARS museum in Heidelberg.

I thought the Power Station at Grootvlei was decomissioned, but it's up and running again.

The old Post Office in Greylingstad.

The Stone Church in Greylingstad.

Nice Door Handle!

Love to have gone inside, but it's closed on Saturday's.

A Landmark on the Greylingstad-Standerton Road. Was able to buy a Coke and a Black Label.

A statue and Plaque commemorating the Women and Children who perished in the concentration Camps - Standerton.

The Hindu Crematorium in Standerton

B inside the 'Oven'

The Steel Carriage inside the Oven.

Perdeberg Homestead

Said to be the oldest Boer building in our district.

Bosco Youth Centre

Heavy Metal

I left earlier than usual for work to take photographs in the Eikenhof area and came across some heavy metal equipment.

I've always been fascinated by big machinery. Be it heavy lift machinery, large cranes or even big trucks. I took an early drive past Lapeng on the Kliprivier road to Alberton via Eikenhof, and passed these two Abnormal loads on the way. The photo above was taken in Eikenhof and the one below In Kliprivier across from the Vereeniging Highway.
The heavy Equipment below is a Tipper used to tip train wagons to offload raw materials at the Waterworks factory south-west of Kibler park and east of Eikenhof.

Spoornet Mounted Security

These two friends ride Ponies along the Kliprivier train route, looking for signs of cable theft and at the same time making sure the tracks are free of dangerous objects. I went with them and they showed me their horses, which they keep at the Damelin Equestrian Academy.

I snapped this photo of the two as they made their way to fetch their horses.