ARISTATA Traditional Cache
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We placed this cache while staying at Aristata guest farm in Seweweekspoort. This farm has been in the Nissen family since 1934 and half of ChaiThi has fond memories of spending holidays here as a child. This place is very special to us and has a certain kind of enchantment to it that you don't find often. The Seweweekspoort is part of Cape Nature Conservation and it is a World Heritage Site. "Aristata" is the only privately owned land in Seweweekspoort. The very rare Protea Aristata, was rediscovered here in the 1950’s, after it was believed to have become extinct. The Seweweekspoort turnoff is found on route 62 between Ladismith and Calitzdorp. A beautiful pass which takes you to Laingsburg, or the lesser travelled road to Gamkapoort Dam. These mountain ranges form part of the Klein Swartberge. The pass is approximately 17km long and and crosses the river no fewer than 23 times. The pass was completed in 1862 by Adam de Schmidt, brother-in-law of the renowned pass-builder Thomas Bain. The initial work was done by a team of Italian prisoners. The ruins of the original tollhouse can be seen on the northern entrance to the Poort and according to folklore, the ghost of one of the first toll-gate keepers can be seen on dark, stormy nights, with his lantern, stopping motorists, only to disappear mysteriously. The origin of the name is unclear but popular belief, if not accurate but certainly mystical, is that it took 7 weeks for mounted troops to escort a gang of highway robbers being banished from Barrydale, through the Poort. Another, is that it took 7 weeks for the authorities to catch a stock-thief who fled into the mountains, or it took 7 weeks for a gang of brandy smugglers to return through the Poort from Beaufort West. The most common one is that it was named after Reverend Zerwick, who was a Missionary in Amalienstein
Additional Hints
(Decrypt)
5z hc gur rzonaxzrag, jrqtrq haqre n syng ebpx
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