Wine and Witches in South Africa's Hex Valley

When the moon glitters on the first snow of winter, a bewitching young woman is said to walk the Hex River Valley tragically searching for her lost love. Some say Eliza is South Africa's most famous witch, whilst others know her as the daughter of a lowly farmhand who became mentally ill after causing her only love to fall to his death:

Eliza was a beautiful young woman whose stunning looks ensured that she had numerous suitors. However, she was also a spoilt and self-centred girl, and when she fell in love with Frans she was determined that he worked hard for her affections. In order to marry her he must pick her a red disa in the kloofs of the Matroosberg; the highest peak in South Africa's Hex Valley.

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The red disa is a stunning bright red orchid, which is still spotted by lucky walkers in the Matroosberg. Spottings are rare though and the plant has a predilection for growing in inaccessible places, such as ravines and steep mossy gorges. To pick a disa is near impossible without mountaineering equipment, and Frans, unprepared for the task, slipped and fell with a brilliant red disa in his hand.

On hearing that her young lover had died, Eliza was beside herself and became mentally unstable. Her parents kept her locked her in her bedroom and if you had visited the old farmstead a couple of years ago, before it was demolished, you would have spotted "Eliza 1868" scratched into the old windowsill.

One night, wearing just a nightgown, Eliza broke out of her prison and wandered to the foothills of the mountains, where Frans had walked previously. There she sat and sobbed, but the outcrop crumbled beneath her and she also fell to her death. Some say that her ghost wanders the Matroosberg on moonlit lights, crying and wringing her hands. In Afrikaans, they call her the Heks van Hex Rivier, or the witch of the Hex River.

Witches and disas may be one reason to visit the Hex River Valley, but there is a far better one ¬- wine! The wine-producing region is located just a 1.5 hour drive from Cape Town and the small town of De Dooms boasts South Africa's longest harvest season. Autumn here is magnificent as the vines change into rich reds and golds providing a stunning backdrop against the blue-hued mountains. Wine tasting is a must, and many of the local vineyards provide tours of the chateau, followed by brisk lessons in how to sample the goods.

One of South Africa's most friendly game reserves is located in the Hex River Valley. The Aquila Reserve, named after a rare black eagle that thrives in the area. Aquila is known for its cheetahs and it highlights the plight of this cat and its rapidly diminishing numbers. Aquila's cheetahs were born in captivity and therefore don't form part of Aquila's game drive, but a safari around the reserve lets you spot all of South Africa's big five from lion to rhinoceros. From lion and cheetah to witches and wine, a trip to the Hex River Valley is certain to leave you bewitched.

Wine and Witches in South Africa's Hex Valley

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