Barkly East Attractions

Barkly East lies 120km/75mi southeast of Aliwal North, with which it is connected by rail, in the Witteberg, a mountainous region often dubbed the South African Switzerland. At this altitude temperatures fall below freezing point on an average of 81 nights in the year. In winter it is a popular skiing area, in summer a paradise for walkers and trout-fishers. This is also a sheep-farming area, and Barkly East is an important center of the woolen industry.

The town, named after Sir Henry Barkly, was founded in 1874. Its high altitude presented the railroad engineers with considerable problems: the line between Lady Gray and Barkly East has an average gradient of 2.8% and eight hairpin bends.