There really is no adjective apt enough to describe the beauty of the Breede River Valley. This incredibly picturesque fruit and wine producing vale has become extremely popular with Capetonians and visitors, not only because it is close enough to the mother city to reach easily within a couple of hours, but also because little towns like Robertson, McGregor, Ashton, Bonnievale, Tulbagh and Montagu that litter the valley are particularly appealing to visitors.
Together with outlying farms, provide a space that gives city dwellers instant reprieve from the grind of city living. Mountain ranges abound in the valley and it follows that there are roughly 10 alternative scenic routes that lead one here, depending from where one comes.
The valley stretches from McGregor in the south and Gouda in the west, to Montagu in the east and the Karoo in the north with the N1 passing virtually through its centre in a north easterly direction. It derives its name from the Breede River that rises in the mountains near Ceres and flows through the valley en route to the Indian Ocean and serves as the main water source for the Breede River Valley.
The valley is littered with wine producing vines due in no small part to the hot climate that is perfect for fortified desert wines like Hanepoot and Muscadel in particular. More than 50 wine estates are incorporated into various wine routes within the valley as well as a Brandy route as a result, and the relatively new and extremely popular Route 62, marketed as the longest wine route in the world, makes its way through the valley to the Klein Karoo too.
The towering Du Toit Kloof Mountains in particular offer incredible views over the valley as one comes across the pass.