Please be aware of your surroundings - there have been muggings in this area
The Elsieskraal River which rises in the Tygerberg Hills beyond Bellville near Durbanville.
In 1688 Simon van der Stel the Governor of the Cape gave instructions to build a large sheep pen in the Tygerberg area. Elsje van Suurwarden and Andries de Man, who later married,were in charge of this construction. Simon van der Stel visited the pen and gave it the name Elsjes Corael (later to become Elsieskraal). The pen was later sold to Pieter van der Westhuizen and became part of the farm called Elsieskraal.
In 1698 Simon van der Stel awarded the farm De Tijgerbergen to the couple, but it was put in Elsje’s name as he husband had died – it is this farm that is now known as Altydgedacht
So Elsje van Suurwaarde gave her name to the river and the suburb Elsies River - in the early days the spelling of the river name was different - Elsjeskraal River.
The river flows all the way from there through Bellville, Parow, Elsies River, Goodwood, Thornton and Pinelands and discharges into the Black River near the Mowbray Golf Course.
In the old days before the river was canalized it was a favourite playing area for the children of Pinelands and fish and terrapins were found in it. It also used to flood and sometimes the houses along the river had their backyards totally flooded during wet weather, which then encouraged the Municipality to canalize it. It still overflows its banks during long rainy periods, but fortunately does not cause any more damage to property.
The cache is micro - so please bring your own pen to log it and place it back as you found it please.
