Porterville and the Dasklip Pass: where people fly
North of the valley, a mountain road climbs to a launch site for hang-gliders and the Groot Winterhoek wilderness.
Porterville is a farming town about 45 km north of Riebeek Kasteel, at the foot of the Olifantsrivier mountains. Few visitors know it, which is part of its appeal.
Above the town, the Dasklip Pass climbs to a plateau in the Groot Winterhoek mountains at about 702 m. The road was built privately by the farmers on the plateau and was tarred in the early 2000s. From the top the view stretches over the Swartland's wheat fields, and on good days you will see hang-gliders and paragliders launching from the mountain; the town hosts paragliding competitions such as the Porterville Open.
Beyond the plateau lies the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area, with rugged sandstone, fynbos and hiking routes for which you need a permit from CapeNature.
Porterville makes a good half-day trip, or a full day if you hike. Take water and a picnic; facilities on the mountain are few.
