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Blue Crane Route includes the towns of KwaNojoli (Somerset East), Cookhouse and Pearston in the Karoo

23/10/2026

This past Saturday, we had the Comrades Marathon legend and father of parkrun in South Africa, Bruce Fordyce, visit KwaNojoli for the Somerset East parkrun.

Set against the magnificent backdrop of the Boschberg Mountain, our beautiful parkrun route takes walkers and runners through a surprisingly lush landscape of dams, streams and indigenous forest. With the Boschberg rising above you and the sounds of flowing water and birdsong along the way, it's a refreshing escape into nature that challenges the usual idea of what the Karoo looks like.

Join locals and visitors every Saturday morning at 08:00 for some fresh air, exercise and spectacular scenery. The run is free and starts/finishes at the Somerset East Golf Club.

Planning a visit to the KwaNojoli (formerly Somerset East) area?
Visit the Blue Crane Tourism website at www.bluecranetourism.co.za for more information on accommodation, restaurants and activities

21/10/2026

Discover old-world charm and warm Karoo hospitality at the Angler and Antelope Guesthouse in KwaNojoli Somerset East. This distinctive four-star guesthouse combines comfortable accommodation, delicious country cooking and a fascinating heritage setting, with its dining and gathering space housed in the town's historic former Roman Catholic church.
For fishing enthusiasts, the guesthouse is home to the unique Wild Fly Fishing in the Karoo experience. Guided by Alan Hobson, an accredited fly-fishing guide with an intimate knowledge of the local waters, guests can explore the rivers and dams around the town and further afield. Alan has developed the area into a fly-fishing destination for several fish species and stocks these waters with trout himself.

As a guide, Alan has also developed a whole range of flies that work in the area. Fly tying is a passion, and he constantly changes and develops his flies. His fly shop (in the town) is arguably the best-stocked shop for fly-tying material in the Eastern Cape, with flies exported all over the world.

But there's more to discover than fishing! Through AA & A Adventures in South Africa guests can explore the remarkable landscapes, wildlife, heritage and hidden gems of the Karoo and beyond. From guided day trips around Somerset East to personalised tours throughout the Karoo heartland and further afield as far as the Orange River.

Angler & Antelope offers the perfect combination of comfortable accommodation and extraordinary experiences.

Planning a visit to the KwaNojoli (formerly Somerset East) area?
Visit the Blue Crane Tourism website at for more information on accommodation, restaurants and activities

19/10/2026

The Slagtersnek Monument on the N10 near Cookhouse commemorates the Slagtersnek Rebellion of 1815, when a group of frontier farmers rose against British colonial authority following disputes over land, livestock and relations with local officials.

Five rebels were sentenced to death, and they were hanged at Slagtersnek. Four of the ropes broke and the men were hanged again one by one.

The monument serves as a reminder of this turbulent period in South African history and the tensions that shaped life on the eastern frontier. It was unveiled in 1916, a century after the executions.

Planning a visit to the KwaNojoli (formerly Somerset East) area?
Visit the Blue Crane Tourism website at for more information on accommodation, restaurants and activities

16/10/2026

Wild Fly Fishing in the Karoo was recently featured on the KykNet magazine and lifestyle program Kwêla. It's fantastic coverage of one of the premier activities visitors can do when they visit the Somerset East / KwaNojoli area.

Planning a visit to the KwaNojoli (formerly Somerset East) area?
Visit the Blue Crane Tourism website at www.bluecranetourism.co.za for more information on accommodation, restaurants and activities

14/10/2026

Designed with modern comfort and four-star graded to ensure quality, 1 On-Scott offers the perfect solution for the corporate market requiring short-term self-catering stays and overnight leisure travellers.

Their Garden Suites are equipped with kitchenettes, the luxury of air conditioners and separate entrances to ensure privacy. Breakfasts and lunch packs can be provided by prior arrangement.

The sounds of birdsong in the park-like garden create a peaceful ambience, and you can spot a bird's nest or hear an owl in the stillness of night sitting in the surrounding trees where the falcons and eagles live.

Every season has its own glory: while autumn brings a purple haze of flowers, spring sees a bounty of new growth and lilies. The wild garden area has a fire pit where you can enjoy a quiet, relaxed evening and view as many stars in this urban night-sky than outside of town.

1-on-Scott offers a comfortable stay in a quiet part of town, with backup solar power and water tanks, surrounded by greenery. Whether you're here for business, project maintenance, to attend events in and around the area, or just passing through, they have you covered.

https://www.somerset-east.co.za/accommodation/1-on-scott

Planning a visit to the KwaNojoli (formerly Somerset East) area?
Visit the Blue Crane Tourism website at for more information on accommodation, restaurants and activities

13/10/2026

Big news for parkrunners. Bruce Fordyce will be visiting the Somerset East parkrun this coming Saturday, 17 October. The 9-time winner of the Comrades Marathon is the President of parkrun South Africa and brought parkruns to the country from the UK. Come meet the legend and have a jog with him.

Planning a visit to the KwaNojoli (formerly Somerset East) area?
Visit the Blue Crane Tourism website at for more information on accommodation, restaurants and activities

12/10/2026

The KwaNojoli (Somerset East) Museum is nestled at the foot of the Boschberg Mountain and is one of the oldest buildings in town.

Wesleyan missionaries were given the site at the foot of the Boschberg for a chapel and graveyard. The chapel was consecrated in 1828. In July 1832, the property was transferred to the Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk of Somerset, which converted it into a parsonage. The museum has been housed in the building since 1975.

The sketch dates back to 1832, when the building still belonged to the Wesleyan missionaries.

Planning a visit to the KwaNojoli (formerly Somerset East) area?
Visit the Blue Crane Tourism website at www.bluecranetourism.co.za for more information on accommodation, restaurants and activities

09/10/2026

During the late 1940s and early 1950s, a notorious vagabond called John Kepe had the town of Somerset East up in arms with a series of petty burglaries, incidents of stock theft and mountainside muggings on the locals.

By the year 1950, local police were logging approximately one incident a week of stock theft and house burglaries from farmers in the Boschberg area.
In the meantime, Kepe had succeeded in keeping his true identity as the mysterious Boschberg outlaw a secret. He came into town from time to time to socialise at the community drinking hall and would even join search parties and go on the hunt for himself.

John Kepe had garnered a reputation among locals. He lived in a secret cave up in the Boschberg and stashed all his ill-gotten gains in another cave nearby.
In December 1951, Kepe killed a shepherd and the search for him was stepped up. On the night of 25 February 1952, he was arrested in an ambush and later found guilty by a court of law and executed by hanging in Pretoria.

The route up to Kepe's cave is currently being opened up again by Love Somerset East and visitors would hopefully be able to join guided walks up to it.

A film called "Sew the Winter to My Skin", based on the story of Kepe came out in 2018.

Planning a visit to the KwaNojoli (formerly Somerset East) area?
Visit the Blue Crane Tourism website at www.bluecranetourism.co.za for more information on accommodation, restaurants and activities

08/10/2026

If you enjoy a good old platteland basaar, then you shouldn't miss the annual Huis Silwerjare Kermis in Somerset East taking place this Friday. It starts at 9:00, so get there early, because it's so popular that they are often sold out of all the sought-after items by 11.

Planning a visit to the KwaNojoli (formerly Somerset East) area?
Visit the Blue Crane Tourism website at www.bluecranetourism.co.za for more information on accommodation, restaurants and activities

07/10/2026

A short distance off the N10 south of Somerset East, with a good dirt road for access, Wilton Guest Farm comes as a considerable surprise to the visitor. This baronial-style manor house was constructed during the wool boom of the 1950s and stands as a monument to the enterprise of those days.

With all its nooks and crannies, two staircases, long corridors and lots of rooms, one's first reaction is to wish that one had grown up in a house like this.

Space is evident everywhere. From the formal, wood-panelled dining room and lounge to the numerous bedrooms, it is the perfect venue for groups.

The kitchen is equipped with a large AGA stove, and the separate scullery has, in addition, a microwave oven and a Salton hot tray.

The garden has a braai area and a swimming pool, as well as a lovely view of part of the 13,000-ha estate. Although the farm consists mainly of grazing land, the Little Fish River running through it provides some lush, well-wooded areas that are rich in biodiversity.

https://www.somerset-east.co.za/accommodation/wilton-guest-farm

Planning a visit to the KwaNojoli (formerly Somerset East) area?
Visit the Blue Crane Tourism website at www.bluecranetourism.co.za for more information on accommodation, restaurants and activities

Address

Somerset East

Website

http://www.kwa-nojoli.co.za/

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