Vanrhyn's Pass The magenta flowers just outside Vanrhynsdorp, gave way to orange and yellow at the base of Vanrhyn's pass. The pass road winds up from the Knersvlakte to the top of Bokkeveld mountains. The start of the pass can be seen in the top left of the picture. Many of the orange flowers were the “beetle” daisy, shown at the bottom of the page.  |
Vanrhyn's Pass, which carries much traffic from Cape Town up to the Bokkeveld mountains and Calvina, was built in 1962. A traveller passing through the Knersvlakte when not in the flowering season, would find the stretch of road between Vanrhynsdorp and the pass very flat and uninteresting. After reaching the top, that same flat plain contributes to a magnificent view from the top of the Bokkeveld plateau. From the look-out site some 800m above sea level, there is a sweeping view of the Knersvlakte, the Hardeveld and the Maskam region. The Bokkeveld Mountains themselves contribute to the greater-than-180 degree panoramic view. At the top of the Vanhrhyn's Pass, having passed through the low bush and scrub of the pebbled Knersvlakte, suddenly tall trees, Protea bushes, and Cape fynbos filled the landscape. |
|
The white daisy,Arctotis stoechadifolia, was growing amongst the Knersvlakte pebbles, as was the Beetle daisy Gorteria diffusa. |
|
