General Details:

Caching is not about adding numbers but to bring people to interesting sites and locations. The focus of this cache is to bring cachers to a location not widely known. This listing forms part of a group of 4 unique and protected locations that was made available to cachers with the kindness and permission of the Ermelo Tourism Agency. Visitors do not have open and free access to this location. It is a sensitive heritage site and situated on private property. Private rights weigh more than your right to visit a heritage site. The owners of this private location, Sagrys and Anlie van der Merwe, will only allow visits to the site via a tour guide or historical specialist.

You will have to arrange for a visit to Bonnefoi via Info Junction at Ermelo. This is needed to protect the historical site and to protect the cacher and his family. If you are accompanied by the tour guide you can not be held responsible for damages that someone has caused to the site prior to your visit. The tour guide will escort you and will inform you about the history, importance and the role Bonnefoi played about 150 years ago.  Without the tour guide the site will have no importance to you and will only resemble old buildings with no significance whatsoever.

However, you can access the site via a gravel road, if you do please park in the public road and you can view Bonnefoi from a distance but you are not allowed to enter the property unless escorted as stated above. We live in a society where idiots get a high and kicks when he causes destruction to historical sites. Many of these sites are now isolated from the public and are behind fences, chains, locks and are now controlled and managed - which we pay for.  The owners are about 10 minutes away from the site and they do have black guards at the site.

Cache details:

The waypoint given in this listing is pointing to the cache. The cache is a regular Tupperware container and well sealed. It is hidden between rocks and covered by rocks and leaves. It is situated about 1 km away from Bonnefoi and it is a road side cache inside a public area. It will give you a view of where Bonnefoi is situated and it will provide a view over the valley. The cacher does have the option to visit Bonnefoi or he has the choice to drive pass the site and to have a glimpse of Bonnefoi. There is thus no obligation to make use of the tourism agency in order to find the cache. If you find the site interesting please use the contact telephone numbers and e-mail to arrange for a visit.

Bonnefoi, the location itself:

This is a place where you could even meet fairies if you wait long enough. This is a magic place; it also contains an element of sadness. This little trading village existed before the town of Carolina was established. Bonnefoi was established during 1872. During these years Chrissiesmeer consisted of two houses and a trading post. This is not an ordinary cache/site but a unique site that will give you great joy and pleasure. This is stepping back into time to a place different from today. This was the time when post was still conveyed via the ZAR post riders.

But you need to discover the answers to the questions behind it, such as why was it lost, what happened to the people, what role it fulfilled in the Anglo Boer Wars, etc. Who were the Everard painters and their relationship with this lost village? However, this little village was caught in the ever cycle of change. This village was lost and forgotten for a long time. It is rare but it is true. Today it is situated in the middle of a dense forest and forgotten. Many years ago it was rediscovered by accident with all the furniture still inside the buildings. The furniture is now stored at a safe location. Luckily for us, the buildings are available for viewing and you can share in this interesting historical site.

This village also played a role in the ANC when Joe Slovo and Braam Fischer was hiding close to this place waiting for the right time to enter Swaziland. This little hamlet played a vital role in the history of this country.

I don’t want to spoil your fun. This is your journey and challenge for learning something new so I will only guide you to do the research and for you to discover. Please feel free to share your experience with me via e-mail.

There are various options available to visit Bonnefoi all depending on your circumstances.

1.    You can hire a tourism representative which will be able to inform you about the history of this place. This must be arranged by you personally. The cost of such at the time of publishing this listing was R250 for 2.5 hours. This does add a lot of value and this is highly recommended. This is personal and the most enjoyable and adds the most value. This option is the most suitable and comes highly recommended. It is worth the money and effort. Arrange with other cachers to form a team to visit the site, which will reduce the cost. The cache owner did use this option and it was worth every cent.

2.      You can also join in for free on certain Sunday afternoons, please contact the Tourism Bureau at the contact telephone numbers published below. This is also very informative and is also recommended.

Access to Bonnefoi is subjected and approved on the following conditions via the owners and the tourism agents.

1. You may only visit the historical site between the hours 08h00 and 16h00 with an escort present.
2. Armed guards do occasionally patrol the area. You are responsible for your own actions. They can confiscate your vehicle, laptop, and gps in extreme cases where you are caught in the act of causing permanent damages to the site without an escort.
3. If you enter the premises without authorization you will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Please take it seriously. The word is will and not can. There are various countermeasures in place to protect the place and they will catch you.
4. Nothing must be removed from the site. The only exception is the removal of litter and garbage, please act responsible and show our commitment as cachers to the CITO (cache in trash out) principles. Let us be pro-active and let us keep the site clean.
5. No fires are allowed at the historical site.
6. No camping is allowed at the site.
7. If the GPS is pointing to a waypoint inside the historical site then you are hopelessly lost. Please abandon the cache, you will never find it.
8. No caches are allowed to be placed at or on the historical site.
9. Please do not disturb anything on or at the site.
10. No quad bikes are allowed at the historical site, please park in the gravel road next to the site.
11. You are not allowed to enter any buildings or vehicles on or at the site. Please do not climb into trees or on top of buildings or any other monkey business.
12. Before you visit the site please make use of the e-mail address provided to inform the Tourism agents that you are a cacher and arrange for a visit.
13. Please respect all signage and warning notices at the site.
14. The adult will be held responsible for the actions of his children, please supervise them.

Contact telephone numbers, e-mail correspondence and physical address:

1. 082 786 7959 (Athol Stark)
2. 082 445 9994 (Dirk Snyman)
3. e-mail address tourism@webafrica.org.za

Further research on the historical site is as follows:

1. Refer to book called “Woman of Bonnefoi” written by Frieda Harmsen, published by JL van Schaik; please try your local library.

    

   First person to find the cache - Sailingkatryn, Happy Caching!!!!

   First person to visit the location -------------------------------------