Montagu

Montagu was founded in 1851 on the farm Uitvlugt in the Keisie Valley, named after the Cape Colonial Secretary John Montagu who approved the town layout. It sits where the Langeberg Mountains meet the Little Karoo, in a valley that has been producing fruit, wine, and dried produce since the first settlers arrived. The hot springs have been known since those early years and have drawn visitors for most of the town's existence.

The mineral springs emerge at 43 degrees Celsius from a fissure estimated at 3 kilometres deep. The temperature is unaffected by drought. Avalon Springs, the main springs resort, has both indoor and outdoor pools and is open to day visitors. The combination of the springs, the mountain backdrop, and the warm dry climate has made Montagu a consistent weekend destination from Cape Town for most of the 20th century.

The rock climbing is serious. Over 450 routes on the sandstone faces above the town, from beginner slabs to multi-pitch lines on Cogman's Buttress, make Montagu the most developed sport climbing area in the Western Cape. De Bos Backpackers is the base for the climbing community. The routes are well-documented and the rock quality is generally excellent. This is not a novelty activity appended to a tourism town — climbers from across Southern Africa come specifically for the routes.

Route 62 runs through Montagu. The passes on either side — Cogman's Kloof to the west toward Robertson, and the Hex River direction to the northwest — are among the more memorable drives in the region. Dried fruit and rooibos tea are sold in farm stalls along the road. The apricot orchards turn white in early spring.