Goedverwacht, Cape West Coast
The mission village of Goedverwacht lies off the R399 close to Piketberg. Its main road is lined with colourful fruit trees and gardens; a pretty little town with a history to match.
Goedverwacht was originally a farm called Burgershoek, owned by Hendrik Schalk Burger, who was cared for in his later years by his slave, Christiana Maniesa, and her five children. In gratitude he left her the farm. The will, which was very clear, held up in court despite his children's attempt to dispute its contents.
The farm was to remain hers until her death. In the meantime, the Moravian missionaries became interested in the farm and, whilst waiting to buy it, set up a little town just down the road from Goedverwacht in 1845, known as Wittewater.
In 1889 the mission acquired Goedverwacht and built the beautiful church still in evidence today. The village is lined with old-style and modern homes, many of them with thatched or tin roofs.
The town's annual Snoek and Pattat Fees, usually held in June, has helped place them on the map. Started 12 years ago, the festival includes a funfair, games, a classical concert in the stone church, an art exhibition, beer tent and food stalls.
The theme for the event is a throwback to the days when most of the village were subsistence farmers and had to rely on sweet potatoes to get them through winter. They would trade their patats (sweet potato) for snoek with the fishermen of Laaiplek and St Helena Bay.
As a result a major feature of the festival is a plate of braaied snoek, baked sweet potato and roosterbrood (roasted bread on the braai) with home-made jam.
Goedverwacht also offers a couple of hiking routes (Peerboom and Klok se Poort), a flower festival over Easter, a guided tour of the Mill Museum, and a visit to the local vegetable, fruit and flower gardens.
Simply head to the town's local coffee shop, down the end of Main Road, to find out more.
In the vicinity
Hotels & other accommodation options
Oyster Retreat
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Nieuview Cottage 1
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Thyme & Tide
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Waves Beach House
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Sensiri Orca
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Baviana Beach Lodge
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Grootvlei Flatlet
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Phoenix House
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Things to do in the area
Berg River Canooze
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Noteworthy attractions
Bird Island Nature Reserve
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Darling Wine Route
Although traditionally part of the Swartland, Darling is now a demarcated wine district and home to her own wine route, including five wine cella...
West Coast National Park
Just inland from the secluded harbour of Saldanha Bay one finds the azure waters of the Langebaan Lagoon, focal point of the West Coast National ...
Rocherpan Nature Reserve
Rocherpan enthusiasts who head off along the West Coast to visit this nature reserve near Velddrif will possibly mention to you that the bird lif...
Langebaan Golf Club
The Golf Course at Langebaan Country Club is a links-type course, designed as a figure 8 winding around residential stands. Located on the unspoi...
Verlorenvlei
Verlorenvlei is a long estuary stretching between the villages of Elands Bay and Redelinghuys, some 25 kilometres south of Lambert’s Bay. It is n...
West Coast Fossil Park
For the visitor, the highlight of the West Coast Fossil Park is the ‘live’ exhibit of an ongoing excavation of early Pliocene fossils (fossils fr...
Postberg Flower Reserve
The Postberg Flower Reserve is not always available for you to visit. Even though it forms part of the West Coast National Park, this part of it ...
Darling Wind Farm
On the hills just outside Darling, roughly 70 kilometres from Cape Town, stand four wind-generated mills. It's known as an Eskom demonstrator sit...
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