Firlane House, Bredasdorp

Bird Watching Fishing Golf Caving Health & Fitness Horse Riding on Beach Hiking / Backpacking Agulhas Lighthouse ¿ 48km Southern Most Tip of Africa ¿ 50km De Hoop Nature Reserve and Whale Hiking Trail ¿ 40km Elim Mission Station & Wine Route ¿ 40km Gansbaai and Shark Cage Diving ¿ 65km Arniston & Kassiesbaai Fishermans Village ¿ 25km Malgas Pont ¿ 60km The southernmost region of Africa is part of the Overberg and stretches from Gansbaai in the west, to the mouth of the Breede River in the east. It includes the De Hoop Nature and Marine Reserves. This undulating landscape, north of Bredasdorp, has the Riviersonderend and Langeberg mountain ranges as background and is known as the Ruggens, whereas the southern coastal region beyond the Bredasdorp-Napier mountain range is familiar as the Strandveld. An alternative routing down to the southern tip is from Swellendam or Heidelberg on the N2, via the small riverside settlement of Malgas. Although roads are not paved in this area, however, crossing the Breede River at this point is an interesting experience, since Malgas houses the last remaining operational pontoon in South Africa. In addition to farming, fishing has been an important industry since the early days. Both Waenhuiskrans also known as Arniston, and Struisbaai were originally fishing villages. Today both towns are popular holiday resorts. The unique architecture of the remaining fishers¿ cottage is typical of this region, and many are proclaimed national heritage sites. Bredasdorp, economic capital of the Cape Agulhas Region, was established by Michiel van Breda, leading farmer in the area, in 1838. This town with its population of 22 000 is the centre of the Region¿s wheat producing area; Bredasdorp serves largely the local agricultural community. The maritime museum commemorates the many hundred of ships wrecked along this treacherous coastline.