Somerset East: Art, Mills and Glen Avon

You can discover Somerset East through a range of very different experiences: Walter Battiss talks about his life and art on a DVD, a mill impresses with an 8.4-metre steel wheel, and a waterfall lies in a remote valley near the town. The museums and a memorial also offer their own distinctive perspectives. Which of these interests you most can help guide your choice of where to stay and which holiday apartment to book.

Art and everyday history in two museums

At the Walter Battiss Art Museum, a DVD gives Walter Battiss himself the floor: he talks about his life and art and introduces Fook Island. If you are interested in this insight, check whether the DVD is available before your visit, as availability may change. This lets you combine an interest in art with a personal introduction to the artist.

The KwaNojoli Museum has a different focus. Its design is based primarily on a residence and depicts the lives of the Dutch Reformed Church ministers who lived there. Additional exhibitions explore the history of the area and its population; they were commissioned in recent years. Current exhibition details may change. Together, the two museums offer different perspectives: one centres on an artist telling his own story, while the other explores the lives of ministers and the history of the area and its population.

Forest trail, valley and waterfall

Glen Avon Waterfall lies in a remote, hidden valley near Somerset East. The route to the waterfall covers at least 10 km through indigenous forest into a valley characterised by riverine forest. Sneezewood and cabbage trees grow there. Access is by prior arrangement only. Make the necessary arrangements before adding the trail to your plans.

Glen Avon Waterfall and its associated gorge are designated the Glen Avon Falls Natural Heritage Site, number 71. This gives the excursion a clearly defined natural heritage connection, alongside the waterfall and vegetation. If you would prefer to focus your trip on scenery and a longer trail, this offers a different kind of experience from visiting the museums or memorial. Prior arrangements are still essential.

Milling and remembrance

Glen Avon Water Mill is considered one of the best-preserved mills in southern Africa. Its steel wheel measures 8.4 metres. Its preservation and 8.4-metre steel wheel make the mill a striking example of milling engineering.

The Delville Wood War Memorial stands on Njoli Street near the western entrance to Somerset East. It is also known as the Somerset East War Memorial. Its named location helps you distinguish it from the museums and the mill when including cultural and commemorative sites in your travel plans.

Which focus suits your trip?

These places appeal to different interests, but you do not have to choose just one: the museums offer ways to explore art, local history and the lives of the ministers; the mill and the memorial represent engineering and remembrance, respectively. The trail to Glen Avon Waterfall combines a valley, indigenous forest and a designated natural heritage site, but requires prior arrangements. These differences can help you plan your days around the subjects that interest you most.

This personal focus is also a useful starting point when choosing a holiday apartment: first consider which of the aspects of Somerset East described here you would most like to discover.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: The Haven, Sanddrif, Stormsrivier, Humansdorp, Quacha, Sidbury, Addo, Paterson.

For the broader travel overview: Western District.