Uniondale

Uniondale is a small town in the Little Karoo and is best known to me from the Dalene Matthee book “Fiela se Kind”.

Getting there: take the R62 through Oudtshoorn, turning onto the N9 105km later and then driving another 15 km to Uniondale, or continue on the R62 to Avontuur and take Queen Street (R339) north.
GPS Coordinates: -33.659167, 23.123889
Website: www.uniondale.co.za

The only time I have visited this tiny town is for the annual Karoo 2 Coast MTB Challenge which leaves Uniondale and travels through nearby Avontuur and on to the coast via the spectacular Prince Alfred’s Pass.

I am afraid there is very little to commend Uniondale; we scouted around when we arrived the Saturday afternoon of the annual Karoo 2 Coast MTB Challenge and saw “the sights” as it were.

The Watermill [-33.656125, 23.137368] is the second largest water-wheel in the southern hemisphere, but is not in working condition and is sorely in need of a coat of paint. It hosts a restaurant which we visited last year but not again this year. Compared to other National Monuments I have visited, this one is somewhat of a disgrace.

There is a rather imposing Dutch Reformed church [-33.65805, 23.12664], and nearby Nagmaal huisies (apartments to accommodate the farmers overnight when they travelled into town for services) [-33.65705, 23.12846] in Hood Street.

The Boer War Fort [-33.65971, 23.13319] (apparently there is a total of 5 around the town) commands an appropriate view of the Town and can be reached by driving up a winding dirt road. Unfortunately there is no info board and it not much more than a broken down wall which is a great pity.