Clanwilliam

#Clanwilliam Clanwilliam is a town in the Western Cape situated in the Olifants River Valley. It is situated 240 km from Cape Town, right next to the national highway that links Cape Town with Namibia to the north. The town lies between the Cederberg Mountains to the east and the Clanwilliam Dam to the west. It is one of the ten oldest towns in South Africa. The town centre contains no less than 7 National Monuments. These include the old jail building, which is now a museum, and an 1820 Settlers house.

The endangered Clanwilliam cedar, after which the Cederberg Mountains range is named, is now under protection. Initiatives to restore it is under way at the Cederberg Wilderness Area, recently declared a UNESCO World Heritage site. The reserve has a mountainous terrain, popular with hikers and mountaineers.

The Living Landscape Project, a local empowerment venture, offers the opportunity of visiting different sites with Bushmen rock paintings and motifs.

One of the highlights on the Clanwilliam calendar is the annual Wild Flower Show in August/September. Other activities include water sports on the Clanwilliam Dam and 'Die Kunsthuis' (“the Art House”).