Barkly West, Diamond Fields
Barkly West lies just off the N12, north west of Kimberley, in the Northern Cape. Its counterpart Barkly East, on the other hand, lies in the Eastern Cape closer to Lady Grey than Kimberley - the only link between the two that they are both named after Sir Henry Barkly, Governor of the Cape for seven years from 1870.
The village itself is essentially rural with barely a supermarket, called Oppi Draai, and liquor store at which to replenish supplies.
Despite this, the 'dorp' has quite a history. The first major diamond rush of the 1870s happened here, and the town was initially called Klip Drift (as in the famous brandy), which is Dutch for 'stony ford' or stony place on a river - it lies on the Vaal. It has had many names - Parkerton briefly, and even Nieuw Boshof when the Boers moved in during the Anglo-Boer War. And to make it even more confusing, most signs on the road spell the town 'Barkley-West'.
Do not drive too quickly through the village though as there are a couple of stops worth making, other than modern needs for replenishment. St Mary, the first Anglican Church of the diamond fields, stands here built in 1871, whilst the Barkly West Museum in the Toll House at the Barkly Bridge is another. This bridge is the first every built over the Vaal River and was transported here in sections from the United Kingdom. There are also 1 500 year-old rock engravings known as the Nooitgedacht Glacial Pavings.
Today there is a farming community that farms mostly dairy in the vicinity, whilst some of the homes in the village have been lovingly restored and function as guest houses and B&Bs touting Barkly West as a stop en route to the Kalahari.
Travellers' Reviews
1 Review from SA-Venues.com travellers. All reviews are verified.
Verified review
Truly an amazing history of adventure, greed and determination! Barkly West Museum and St. Mary's Anglican Church are the best bet in the town for history. There are also adventure activites available by booking at Vaal River Adventures (at Barkly West Museum)
Ashley (Kimberley)
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
Mattanu Private Game Reserve
Mattanu Private Game Reserve is located just 50km from the diamond city of Kimberley and 17kms from Barkly West. Accommodation is offered on a Di...
Die Olyfhuis
Die Olyfhuis offers farm style accommodation in Barkly West. Choose from the seven luxurious double en-suite rooms with double beds or two single...
B my Guest at Riverwood Grace
Situated in Barkley West, a small town on the banks of the Vaal River, the B&B provides accommodation in a choice of rooms. The solid log cabins ...
Things to do in the area
Diamond Pavilion Shopping Mall
Kimberley, in the Northern Cape, has been home to some of the world's biggest and best diamond mines. But, there is another treasure trove here –...
McGregor Museum
The McGregor Museum was officially founded on the 24th September 1907 when the title deeds were handed over to the Management Committee. Prior to...
Hartswater Wine Cellar
The Hartswater Wine Cellar is a 120km drive from Kimberley in the Northern Cape.The cellar first produced wine in 1977, this was when the first g...
Magersfontein Battlefield Museum
Due to the abundance of riches discovered in and around modern-day Kimberley in the 19th century, this part of South Africa was subject to a numb...
Horseback Safaris at Mattanu
Horseback Safaris are some of the most amazing trips you can ever take in a wildlife environment at Mattanu Private Game Reserve only 55km from K...
Noteworthy attractions
Kimberley Golf Club
With its famous 'Big Hole' where adventurous prospectors dug for diamonds, the town of Kimberley is steeped in history - and so too is the Kimber...
The Big Hole
Kimberley developed around this huge hole in the ground, formerly a small hill known as Colesberg Koppie, where diamonds were discovered early in...
Mokala National Park
Mokala is one of South Africa's newest National Parks, situated approximately 80km south-southwest of Kimberley, and west of the N12 freeway to C...
Diggers' Memorial
The Diggers' Memorial depicts five life-sized miners holding up a diamond sieve, high above their heads. Their strength and power is seen as they...
Kimberley Mine Museum
Situated next to The Big Hole, this open-air museum (one of the finest in the world) depicts Kimberley in its Victorian heyday during the diamond...
Benfontein Nature Reserve
Benfontein Nature Reserve, which lies near Kimberley in the Northern Cape, roughly 430km from Johannesburg, is the one place in the country where...
Dronfield Nature Reserve
Lying just off the N12, a mere 10km north of Kimberley, Dronfield Nature Reserve is on the De Beers Diamond Route. The game farm is a favourite w...
Kamfers Dam
Kamfers Dam is particularly significant for its being one of the very few breeding sites for the Lesser Flamingo, which is smaller and paler than...
St Cyprian's Anglican Cathedral
This understated old parish dates back to 1871 when the congregation met in diggers' camps in the nearby New Rush on the Diamond Fields, later ca...
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