We all have these photos … throwback photos!
It’s described as ‘nostalgia-inducing pictures … from a different era of your life”.
Every Thursday we will throw a photo of ‘way back when’ on our blog. Why on a Thursday? Because it’s just a day away from the weekend … and we love weekends!
You are welcome to join in or just enjoy the photos (#TB Thursday).
January 2017 – Bainskloof Pass (Western Cape Province, South Africa)
Bainskloof Pass is on the R301 and 26.8km (16.6 miles) long … if you start your car’s odometer from the bridge over the Breede River (on Ceres’ side) to the outskirts of Wellington.
It’s difficult to take pictures of the beautiful Bainskloof Pass, because it’s a very narrow pass and there are only a few places where you can pull off the road. We usually hope there isn’t a car behind us in order for Berto to drive slowly while I try to get a decent photo.
And we were lucky to have little traffic on the second day of the new year, back in January 2017 when we took a scenic drive to the nearby mountains.
A narrow road on Bainskloof Pass
Road engineer Andrew Geddes Bain designed the pass and construction began in 1849. It was built with the help of convict labourers and opened in 1854. Bainskloof Pass was declared a national monument in 1980.
There are many points of interest on the pass, such as Dacre’s Pulpit, Bell Rocks, Bain’s Ruins and two low bridges.
Bell Rocks
With a height restriction of 3.86 meters on the pass, this road is not accessible for buses or trucks. You will have to drive under a precariously overhanging rock called Dacre’s Pulpit. There are overhead booms with chains at both ends of the pass that will indicate if your vehicle can go through or not.
Dacre’s Pulpit
Once we reached the flat part of the pass, we stopped next to the road to enjoy the scenic landscape.
Beautiful scenery at the foot of Bainskloof Pass
Single lane concrete bridge over the Breede River
With its 101 bends, curves and sharp corners, Bainskloof Pass is quite dramatic. If you ever get the opportunity to drive this pass, drive slowly and enjoy the incredible scenery.
Wet and Dusty Roads 
Do they ever plan to get rid of the Pulpit so large vehicles can go through? Or is not needed for them to drive over the pass?
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No, I doubt it will ever happen. Apart from the pulpit, the road is also very narrow – perhaps too narrow for large vehicles. There is another (longer) road used by buses and trucks to get to either town.
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Twee keer op een dag wat ek nou iets sien van die Bainskloofpas. Dit kan nie toeval wees nie – ons beter gaan kyk!
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Jaaa, niks is toevallig nie 😄. Julle sal maar weer ‘n tog na die Wes-Kaap moet beplan en hierlangs kom kry!
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Ons was in 2013 op daardie pas, toe was hulle besig om konstruksie werk op een van die brue te doen. Dis so mooi daar!
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Ek dink dit moet maar moeilik wees om konstruksie werk daar te doen – die paadjie is maar smal! Ons het al ‘n paar keer in die winter ook deur Bainskloofpas gery, dan loop daardie rivier in die kloof sterk en klein watervalletjies kom teen die hoe rotse af … dis verskriklik mooi!
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Dit was ‘n mistige oggend toe ons daar gery het,was werke maar nie baie werkers nie!
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😁 … ek hou van jou uitdrukking “werke, maar nie baie werkers nie”!
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🤣😅 Was presies net so!
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Altyd lekker om na julle fotos te kyk Aletta. Ek het verlede Sondag vir die heel eerste keer vanaf Strand/Gordonsbaai se kant af oor Sir Lowry’s pas gereis. Dis darm maar ongelooflik, onbeskryflik mooi. Dankie vir julle TB deel. Groete daar. xx
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My jinne kyk nou net hoe noem ek jou Aletta, Corna. Groot skies …. Ek is dan nog vas aan die slaap.
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😁 Alles reg Lolla! (Ek sal darem nie omgee om so nou en dan Aletta te wees nie … haar foto’s is darem baie mooi)!
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O ja, Sir Lowry’s pas is ook pragtig … moet net nie probeer om daarlangs te ry op ‘n langnaweek (of Paasnaweek) nie! Alhoewel, dan gaan jy BAIE tyd he om die uitsig te geniet terwyl mens teen ‘n slakkepas daar uit ry 😉. Ek is bly jy geniet ons TB fotos!
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OMW nee heng ek het nie eers gedink aan verkeer op die pas nie. Dit kan mos n nagmerrie word.
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Dit IS! Almal wat in die Kaap bly, wil Suidkus toe gaan vir die lang naweek en die wat aan die Suidkus bly, wil Kaap toe kom 😄!
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Heerlike chaos 😄
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Wonderful photos! I felt like I was there!
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Thank you! It is a really scenic drive through the mountains (especially during winter when the river is in flood and there are hundreds of small waterfalls coming down the mountain).
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Lovely roads and journey.
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Thank you Rupali 🌸. Yes, this is one of those scenic drives that you want to do more than just once!
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Another a beautiful place. You have such a variety of landscapes. When I have had to drive in the mountains I always got nervous about being near the edge. I once drove over the Canadian Rockies with my mother. When we stopped for the night I found that my muscles were stiff from being so tense. But it was beautiful!
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The mountain passes in SA are truly spectacular … and so are the flat plains! We have a variety of landscapes for sure! Oh, I never drive on these passes (I leave that in Berto’s capable hands) – my muscles are usually tight at the end of such a ride too – and then I’m the passenger! It’s much better to sit on the side of the mountain than on the side of the abyss. But as you say, the views are usually so beautiful that you soon forget how nerve-wracking the ride was 🙂.
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Looks like a place I would like to drive through and obviously take photos.
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After looking at some of your photos, I’m sure you’ll be able to take beautiful photos of Bainskloof Pass – it’s very scenic!
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Thank you 🙂 hopefully one day, so many places in my bucket list
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Bainskloof Pass looks dramatic and as long as it’s not me doing the driving, definitely worth the effort involved to enjoy the views.
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I agree Marion … I’m always the passenger! Bainskloof Pass is truly one of the most beautiful mountain passes in the Western Cape – we never get tired of driving along it!
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This looks like a beautiful drive – one that, to me, would be terrifying and thrilling all at the same time. Happy weekend!
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It’s certainly an adventurous ride (and probably a little scary if you’re the driver), but it’s absolutely worth it. Thanks for stopping by and a happy weekend to you guys too!
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One of the first places I was taken to when I first arrived in Cape Town, we went swimming in one of the pools in the river along there. It’s a fabulous drive too which I have done many times as the passenger, not the driver, but it wouldn’t bother me too much.
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Wow Jude, you have seen so many beautiful places in SA (almost more than I have seen myself 😉). We visited friends in Ceres one weekend (in the middle of summer) and then we also went swimming in one of the pools – great experience! I’ll drive (if I have to), but I’d rather be the passenger …
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It does look a beauty!
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For me, this is one of the most beautiful passes in the Western Cape … I never get tired of the scenery!
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Dacre’s Pulpit is unique, beautiful and I hope people will be talking about it for years to come!
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Yes, Dacre’s Pulpit is definitely the wow factor on this pass. It is a popular tourist drive, probably because one can get so close to nature (without walking).
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Baie indrukwekkend, ek het nie gweet dit het als name nie, die name is gepas.
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Bainskloofpas is regtig mooi … en jy’s reg, elke keer as ons daarlangs ry, dink ek ook hoe gepas die name is 🙂. Dankie vir die inloer, lekker naweek.
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This looks like such an incredibly scenic drive. Dacre’s Pulpit is pretty cool. I’m glad to hear the road wasn’t very busy and Berto was able to take it slow so you could take some pictures. That’s one of the reasons we enjoy getting an early start to the day as there aren’t many people around, so you can get away with stuff like that!
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Bainskloof Pass is one of the most beautiful passes in the Western Cape … and when we go there, we always make sure we go early in the morning (for exactly the same reason you mentioned). Thanks for stopping by, enjoy your weekend.
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These bring back memories of our visit there. These mountains were very high and such a scenic area. Anita
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Yes, the beauty of the mountains of South Africa is something to admire … especially when you drive through such a beautiful pass as the Bainskloof Pass! I’m glad it brought back good memories for you.
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That road looks hairier than Highway 1!
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I just had to google Highway 1 … Bainskloof Pass is certainly not as long as Highway 1, but I think it’s a slightly more challenging drive 😉. But the views are equally beautiful!
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Dramatic indeed Corna. I would be absolutely terrified having to drive that route. And a somewhat queasy passenger with all the turns. Dacre’s Pulpit looks hairy, thank god they have banned buses and trucks. Kinda wish that ban could extend to a lot of other roads and highways too 😉
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Maybe it looks worse than it really is … it’s actually very scenic and if you drive slowly, it’s a great ride. Maybe you can come and see for yourself one day …
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I’d love to. It’s yet another place on the list of our potential SA trip, courtesy of Wet and Dusty Roads.
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👏
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Wonderful Corna, thank you for taking pictures of the beautiful Bainskloof Pass and sharing it here 👏🏼💕🌸
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I’m glad you enjoyed the photos of Bainskloof Pass Henrietta – it’s always so beautiful for me to drive along it 🌸. The views are incredibly beautiful and those rock formations so unique.
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That is so beautiful it would be worth going just to drive the road!
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For me, this is probably one of the most beautiful passes here in South Africa. The nature and rock formations are amazing (and it’s close to Cape Town, so it’s only an hour’s drive to get there while staying in lovely Cape Town 😉).
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