Located in the Karoo, in the valley of the Great Fish river in the Eastern Cape province, you will find the village of Cradock around the Dutch Reformed Church. This church is not built according to a Dutch but English design.
Cradock originated in 1812 because it was strategically located at the time of the wars and was named in 1818 after the Cape Governor John Cradock. In the early 1900s, more and more farmers came to this area due to the high demand for ostrich feathers. And in addition to the ostrich farms, Cradock has now become the center of the wool and mohair industry, but also produces dairy products, fruit and alfalfa. Cradock is pretty much the capital of the Cape Midlands and is a quiet and serene farming village with a rich history.
A real tourist attraction is the “home house”, the Victoria Manor Hotel and a number of other beautifully restored Victorian houses in Marktstraat. You can also visit the house and grave of the famous writer Olive Schreiner, she wrote; The Story of an African Farm, but also politically tinted books that caused a great deal of commotion. Also visit the Old Water Mill and the Great Fish River museum. And walk through Dundas Street under the Ilex Oak trees a piece of beautiful nature that has been declared a National Monument.
For spotting animals, visit the beautiful Mountain Zebra National Park, which is 15 kilometers from Cradock. Here you can see lions, buffalo, cheetahs, zebras, moose, wildebeests and a host of other goats.
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