The Garden Route is one of the most popular destinations in South Africa. It’s been named as one of the top Road Trip destinations in the world. You can drive anywhere in this area and its bound to be scenic. BUT! Tourists all flock to the main attractions. What about those hidden gems – the routes less travelled only the locals know about? Places devoid of crowds where you can take your time and drink in the scenery.
Friemersheim is a small agricultural community about 15 kilometres North of Groot-Brakrivier. The road to Friemersheim only goes there, so its a quiet corner of the Garden Route you are unlikely to happen upon.
This scenic route starts just North of Friemersheim looping through the forest and ends at the Southern end of the town, perfect for a ride through town at the end, witnessing Friemersheim’s second surprise – but more on that later.
The turn-off is on the right and onto gravel just before you reach Friemersheim. There are signboards directing you to Reuben Farm and to Wolkedans, a camping spot on this route.
If you ride into town and see the church on your left, you are just past the circular route’s turn-off.
If this happens turn around, just trust us on this.
This is a circular route of about 12km, running through the forest and mountains, that will take you 20 to 30 minutes on a leisurely drive.
The Friemersheim Loop starts with a ride / drive into the forest and some plantations.
The route dips down to cross the Beneke River and then rises again revealing magnificent views over the area, especially on a clear day. This is a short route, so take your time and really experience the area, the aromas, the scenery.
Riding or driving the route in this direction has the advantage of having the coastal plain and ocean in front of you most of the time.
And then the road dips down to cross the Beneke river once more, riding / driving through the cool forest before emerging and driving into Friemersheim a short while later.
Friemersheim was founded by German missionary Reverend Johann Kretzen in 1869. A school and church were built on the farm Gonnakraal, which Kretzen had bought for his sister. After her death in 1872, the farm was bequeathed to the Dutch Reformed Missionary Society, and it was later renamed Friemersheim, after Kretzen’s town of birth in Germany. It was sold to the state in the 1960’s.
What makes this town unique is the Murals!
Whether it is for historical purposes, or showing off your local heroes, or just making a statement, artists have left their mark by creating murals in the most unexpected places.
Friemersheim is literally littered with murals. This is also the reason why this route should be ridden or driven in the anti-clockwise direction we suggested. With the houses facing North, most of the murals are on the Southern sides (hence the murals on the photos being in the shadows) so driving into town from the other side you’ll miss most of the art, but driving in the Northerly direction reveals a treasure trove of murals everywhere you look!
Local artist Fourie Ackermann started this project in 2018 and it’s ongoing, so coming back every so often will reveal even more artworks.
And at the exit, the cherry on top. The beautiful church. The church is now part of the Uniting Reformed Church. It has a bell in a decorative horseshoe construction at the rear of the church. On the lip of the bell one reads John Warner & Sons London 1880.
The murals featured here are not even half of what is there. To see the rest you’ll have to go there. They unexpectedly start popping up along the route to Friemersheim and there are even some on the forest loop, so the excitement starts from the onset of the trip. Take some friends and see if you can spot them all! It’s like an afternoon adventure.
Article: Johann van Tonder