Sep
2014
Malmesbury, located in the Western Cape, is another typical rustic country village. Wine lands and farming of poultry, grain and sheep is in the order of the day. Tourism is the other industry that sustains the region.
Farming has always been a sustaining source of income for Malmesbury, and the farms date back to 1703 when the Dutch Reformed Church promoted the area specifically for the healing of the sulphur hot springs held for people with arthritis. The town was named after the Earl of Malmesbury.
The 5th Dutch Reformed Church settled here and the settlers named the church Swartlands Kerk. In 1829 it was renamed Malmesbury. The town became a municipality in 1860.
The entire region is known as the Swartland, and this is ascribed to a bush which turns black in summer. The bush is actually the Renosterbos which is indigenous to the region.
Malmesbury is only 40 minutes from Cape Town making it a great getaway from the busy city life, surrounded by some of the world’s most famous wine routes and farms. The sight that awaits travellers in winter is breath taking, with crops golden yellow with the greens from the vineyards.
When travelling from Darling to the Oliphants Mountains to Piketberg the scenery weaves a tapestry of colour and texture which is pleasing to the eye. But don't miss the wine farms Malmesbury itself has to offer.
Malmesbury is also the host to the 100 Miler mountain bike race. It is a race that covers 160km in one day starting at Malmesbury's Swartland Winery and ends back there in a circular race cover breath-taking scenery.
Malmesbury may be a small village but there are schools which cater for education which are:
· Christelike Privaatskool Malmesbury
· Swartland High School
· Anne Pienaar Gedenk NGK Primary School
Take the armchair tour through the MyRoof web pages to find your property in Malmesbury.
