The Groot Winterhoek mountains are located in the
Western Cape province of
South Africa and are part of the
Cape Fold Belt comprising a watershed area of 552,606 hectares.
They rise to a maximum height of 2077 m just north of the town of
Tulbagh as Groot Winterhoek peak. The mountains are predominantly made up of
Table Mountain sandstone.
Up to 83% of the range is still classified as being in a natural state and up to 72% of the range is protected.
The towns of
Saron
SARON stands for Swiss Average Rate Overnight and represents the overnight interest rate of the secured funding market for the Swiss Franc (CHF). (Swiss Average Rate Overnight) is an overnight interest rates average referencing the Swiss Fra ...
and
Porterville are located at the foot the mountain range's western side.
A
plateau in the northern half of the mountains is accessible via the
Dasklip Pass
Dasklip Pass is situated in the Western Cape province of South Africa on an off-road near Porterville along the R365 highway. The road provides access to the plateau in the Groot Winterhoek mountains and the Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area; su ...
.
Mammals found in the range include
klipspringer, grey rhebok, grysbok,
Cape mountain leopard (''Felis leopardus'' var. ''melanotica'' ), caracal,
African wild cat
The African wildcat (''Felis lybica'') is a small wildcat species native to Africa, West and Central Asia up to Rajasthan in India and Xinjiang in China. It has been listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List in 2022.
In Cyprus, an African wi ...
, mongoose, and genets.
A wide range of indigenous plant species, such as
Agathosma,
Aspalathus linearis and various
proteas (all of which are harvested commercially), naturally grow in the area.
Common insects in the area include
Black Mound Termites.
Examples of
San rock art
The San, or Bushmen, are indigenous people in Southern Africa particularly in what is now South Africa and Botswana. Their ancient rock paintings and carvings (collectively called rock art) are found in caves and on rock shelters. The artwork depi ...
dating back 6000 years can be found throughout the mountains.
Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area
The Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area, operated by
CapeNature, comprises a conservation area of 30,608 ha, and contains waterfalls, swimming holes, pristine rivers and mountain wilderness.
fynbos
Fynbos (; meaning fine plants) is a small belt of natural shrubland or heathland vegetation located in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. This area is predominantly coastal and mountainous, with a Mediterranean clim ...
References
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Mountain ranges of the Western Cape