Patensie, Baviaanskloof

The little town of Patensie lies virtually at the mouth of the Baviaanskloof Wilderness area, hidden away in the south western corner of the Eastern Cape only an hour’s drive from Port Elizabeth - it’s the last stop before entering the wilderness. A largely citrus producing community, the name Patensie is something of a corruption of the Hottentot expression ‘lêplek van die beeste’ or ‘where the cattle lie’, and because of its easy access to Baviaanskloof and nearby game farms, the area is fast becoming a place of note.

Patensie, from where one can easily see the Cockscomb Mountain - its five jagged crests resembling a rooster’s comb - is a thriving town with a modern citrus warehouse that plays a large role in the Gamtoos citrus industry that is well worth a visit. Just 25 kilometres outside of Patensie lies the Kouga Dam - the lifeblood of the valley, which irrigates most of the farmland here. Initially called the Paul Sauer Dam, it also supplies Port Elizabeth with most of its water.

Follow a visit to the dam and a viewing of Queen Victoria’s bust in the conglomerate cliffs along the Gamtoos River - you can only see it from the west, so you need to stop and look back - with a stop at the quaint little home industries tea room of Tolbos in Patensie, before setting off on one of many rambles through the area.