Storms River Village is being discovered. Every day people turn off the N2 with no idea how far into the unknown they’ll have to go to reach the little village nestled in the heart of the forest, and in the foothills of the majestic Tsitsikamma mountain range.
Not even 500m down the road, however, the fynbos around you opens as the road makes a turn, and reveals to you the little village that is a big tourism attraction.
Many people who regularly travel along the Garden Route are unaware of the exact location and charms of Storms River, even though it is a popular destination for foreign tourists.
“The very name conjures up images of mystery and suspense, adventure drama and romance; of primal forests where the ghosts of woodcutters and long-gone elephants roam,” suggests local artist and gallery owner, Johan Brink.
The temperate indigenous rainforest around Storms River Village makes it the centre of adventure experiences in the Tsitsikamma, and the place where dreams of being inspired, entertained, enchanted, and pampered, come true – all the action in one village in the heart of the Tsitsikamma.
Visitors can experience village pampering at its best at the local spas, or participate in the many adventure activities that operate from the village. Around here everything happens against the backdrop of trees, under the watchful eyes of the imposing Storms River Peak.
The adventurous can choose from tree-top canopy tours, segway forest tours, cycle and bike trails, and fynbos and forest trails. All are accessible from the village.
Birders, keep your eyes peeled for the elusive Knysna Loerie and Narina Trogon, or marvel at the gregarious Hadedas that roam the village.
For relaxation and enchantment, opt for the beautiful hiking trails through forests or fynbos that are accessible on foot from the village, or explore the forest from the comfort of an all-terrain vehicle that takes you on the woodcutters’ journey. For inspiration, take a walk around the village along tree-lined streets to view local arts and crafts.
Storms River has a strong community of fine artists, musicians, and crafters, and is therefore also a destination for artists and art lovers. Art-for-All Gallery offers a wide spectrum of art by a diverse group of local artists, and also curates exhibitions at two local restaurants. You can be part of the action, too, by attending one of a variety of art courses offered by experienced local artists.
The wide selection of fine places to eat, bistros, pizzerias, diners, restaurants, and a microbrewery, offers great food, friendly service, log fires and village ambiance for everybody.
Most of the restaurants are open from 08:00 until 22:00, are licensed to sell wine, beer, and spirits, and offer a full range of dishes, from traditional South African to Italian, and much in-between.
Accommodation ranges from backpackers to lodges and caters for all tastes and budgets. All establishments offer WiFi.
Further afield, visitors can explore the wonders of nature at the Storms River Mouth in the Tsitsikamma National Park, go bungee-jumping at the Bloukrantz Bridge, visit the Tsitsikamma Wolf Sanctuary or the must-see Big Tree, to name but a few attractions.
Brink, who is also a poet, waxes lyrical about the romantic history of the village.
“Centuries ago, long before the village was ever dreamt of, herds of elephant traversed the land on which it now stands. Every year, for thousands of years, they would migrate across this area en route to the drier lands north-east of the now Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha) to return at the turn of the following season to the cool tranquillity of the coastal forests. Living in total harmony with these gentle giants were the San, hunter-gatherers who periodically lived in this area and at the coast, migrating, like the elephants, back and forth as the seasons dictated.
“Until strange new sounds were heard in the forests – the ringing of an axe on hardwood and the thunder of the shot of hunters – the modern era had begun.”
He relates how, in 1879, the now famous pass-builder, Thomas Bain, first surveyed the area now known as Tsitsikamma and found it to consist of almost impenetrable forests eastwards of Plettenberg Bay.
By 1884 the pass through the Storms River gorge was completed and the village of Storms River was surveyed and laid out.
Labour for this arduous task was provided by convicts. The graves of some may still be seen on the outskirts of the village.
Brink points out a little-known fact, that to easily traverse the imposing gorge, Thomas Bain followed, in many places, the trail of those ancient elephants that had centuries earlier navigated a way across the abyss.
As the years went by, and the forests of Storms River began to take a heavy toll via the axe of woodcutters, the state decided that the time had come to step in and begin the preservation of these beautiful trees. The woodcutters were pensioned off and at last the axes fell silent, and the few remaining forest giants could breathe a sigh of relief that they had been spared.
The coastal area south of Storms River Village was proclaimed a national park, and so a new era in Storms River’s history was ushered in, “The time of the tourist”.
Gradually travellers began to discover Storms River Village, which led to the development of tourist facilities, adventure experiences and further growth of the Village as more people succumbed to the unique character of the town and decided to call it home.
“Although the village is a bit more modern now, with electric light, internet, paved roads and the like, somewhere the spirits of the San, the elephant, Thomas Bain, and the long-gone convicts would look down and quietly nod in approval.”
For more information contact Storms River Info on 042 281 1098 or 079 554 9663.
Also, visit their websites, www.stormsrivervillage.co.za, www.artforallgallery.co.za and www.tsitsikamma.info.
ISSUED BY SUSAN KEMP
