Bainskloof

Explore Bainskloof - hidden jewel of the Cape Winelands
and the quintessence of natural tranquillity.

Discover the secret of the Winelands

Begin your journey of exploring Bainskloof here.

Taking a dive into one of Bains Kloof's fresh water pools.

Bainskloof is named after Andrew Geddes Bain who in 1849, with the help of several hundred convict laborers built an 18 kilometer pass through the Limietberg mountains of Wellington. The project were completed in September 1853. Bain, a Scotsman and self-taught engineer, held the position of Road Inspector for the Cape colony which were granted to him by the Central Road Council in 1845. Although the pass was originally a dirt road built essentially for horse drawn traffic, it received a tar coating in 1934.

The Bainskloof Pass is situated on the provincial road R303 which originates in Wellington and forks into the R43 (towards Wolseley & Ceres) and R46 (towards Worcester) respectively. It's easy to navigate your way to the pass. When in Wellington, position yourself at the Andrew Murray Dutch Reformed Church and drive down Church Street. This will take you on an eastward trip out of town. After about 2.6km you'll pass Bovlei Winery on your right and with another 400 meters worth of drive you will pass the Redemption leather factory on your left. Continue on this road and you will soon (1.4km later) drive past Kleinevalleij on your left and another 900 meters will bring you to Bakkies B&B on your right. By now the slope will gradually get steeper and another 10km uphill drive will take you to the heart of the Bainskloof Pass. On a clear day you you can be the owner of a breathtaking view. Wellington, Paarl, Stellenbosch and even Table Mountain are now within visual reach as the Cape Winelands unfolds below you.

Some quick Bainskloof facts:

Notes

Much of the historical literature on this site was originally researched and written in Afrikaans by various litterateurs and historians.

We'd love to hear from you if you happen to come across any historical or grammatical inaccuracies, or if you have additional information about Bainskloof that you wish to contribute - just use the contact form.

Project by Gideon Bibliography: A.P. van Zyl: Bainskloof, Departement Afrikaanse Kultuurgeskiedenis, Universiteit van Stellenbosch, 1995; Keith MacKenzie: The Story of Bain’s Kloof Pass, December 1993; N.S. Serfontein: Bain, Buskruit en Bandiete, Universiteit van Stellenbosch, 1992.