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Bedford - The Hidden Treasure of
the Eastern Cape
 Cradled at the foot of the Bedford mountain, this
charming Settler village is fondly regarded as the
‘jewel’ of the Eastern Cape. Lying on the fringes of the
Karoo Heartland and Frontier Country, Bedford is just a
2-hour drive from Port Elizabeth, East London and
Graaf-Reinet and a mere 50 minutes from Grahamstown.
The Bedford district, rich in Settler History, consists
of a mixture of vegetation varying from Acacia thorn and
rolling grasslands to Karoo veld and mountain bushveld
and includes a magnificent indigenous and ancient
mountain forest near the town. The diverse vegetation
makes it a prime cattle and sheep farming area.
Many buck species still roam the plains and mountains -
Kudu, Bushbuck, Springbok, Blesbok, Vaal Reebok, black
Wildebeest are all popular species. The ubiquitous
‘Takbok’ or Fallow Deer, brought in to the area by the
early Settlers over 140 years ago, are often seen
patrolling the streets late at night and are sometimes
even to be found ‘camping’ on the steps of one of the
local banks.
With its majestic mountains, crystal clear air, green
valleys and abundant natural wildlife, Bedford is
ideally situated for a wide variety of tourist
activities.
For the sports enthusiast, Bedford has a wide range of
sporting opportunities available. These include horse
trails, photographic safaris, para-sailing, bird
watching, hiking, road & mountain biking, Bass fishing,
hunting – trophy, venison or sport, game viewing as well
as tennis, bowls, cricket, soccer, rugby, snooker,
bridge and a 9-hole golf course. The Mill Cricket Club,
which once was an old flour mill, is one of the oldest
cricket pitches in the Eastern Cape but arguably is the
most beautiful!
Protecting the Rare and Precious
Several persons within the district have formed the
Baviaans River Conservancy to protect the rare and
precious, such as the very scarce and prehistoric
Encephalartos Cycadifolias, only found in the areas of
the Winterberg range and which can be viewed in the
Baviaans River Valley. This voluntary group of
like-minded people share a common vision of safeguarding
this distinctive area for future generations. Rugged
mountains, crystal-clear air and breathtakingly blue
skies, soaring eagles of various species and other
wonderful birdlife, offer visitors to this area a truly
memorable experience!
Whatever your interests, Bedford has something to
offer. To get started, click on an interest category at
the top of the page, or search them all by using the
'Search' links above. |
Garden Festival
The Bedford Garden Festival
will take
place from 29 to 31 October 2010.
Click here for more information.
Morning Market
Date : Last
Saturday of every month
Where : Die Ou Waenhuis, cnr. Somerset & Hart
Streets, Bedford
Time : 9am
See you there!
Properties for sale
Visit our
website
for a wide range of properties in Bedford and Adelaide.
www.bedfordproperties.co.za
Andrea Ginn Properties
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