Bethulie – I have a personal affinity for the town where my grandfather met and married my grandmother. Though such personal ties add dimension, Bethulie, about two hours south of Bloemfontein, is an interesting stopping off point under any circumstances.
On the Lake Gariep Tourism Route, it is rich in history – some of it of the darker sort. The town was the setting for the third-largest concentration camp of the Anglo Boer War, so a visit can be poignant.
It seems to have been a place of other conflicts.
At one stage the area was known as Groot Moordenaarspoort (big murderer’s pass) after a vicious clash between the Sotho and Griqua tribes.
The San Bushmen were, however, the first inhabitants and in 1828 the London Missionary Society established a mission in the hopes of converting them. They called it Bethulie (chosen by God).
In 1832 Jean Pierre Pellissier, of the Paris Mission Society, replaced the men from London. and renamed his station Bethulua (place of worship). Pellissier’s home – one of the oldest pioneer buildings north of the Orange River – houses a museum.
As a town sprang up around the mission, it was named Caledon, after the nearby river, but as there was a town in the Cape with the same name, another had to be found. Over the years it was called Bethulua, Verheullpolis, Heidelberg, then in 1872 it was changed back to Bethulie.
What is delightful about the town, is that it has not changed much with time. Many of the roads are not tarred. It is easy to walk around the centre armed with a map of places of interest.
A stop-over at the Royal Hotel offers a unique experience – it boasts racks and racks of books. You might want to extend your stay if you come across a book you have been eager to read, but not able to track down elsewhere.
The DH Steyn Bridge – a beautiful arched affair, which acts as a rail and a road bridge – is a stone’s throw away. At 1.15m long and 51.5m high, it is the longest bridge in the country, and claims to be the longest in the southern hemisphere.
The Bethulie Dam with the Tussen-die-Riviere Nature Reserve, lends itself to outdoor activities such as game viewing, hiking, angling, boating, and fishing. Locals say a night gazing at the stars in this reserve can be special.
The nearby Gariep Dam is one of South Africa’s top micro-light spots. The dam – more than 100km in length and 15km wide – is scenically beautiful with islands popping up out of the water. It is possible to do a fascinating tour of the 914m long and 88m high dam wall.
Sunday Tribune