This drive explores one of the most romantic regions in southern Africa — the emerald- green landscape of Knysna, the old gold mines that can still be visited in the forests nearby, and the string of glittering lakes that stretches eastwards from Wilderness. More than half of the route is tarred, and the rest is good gravel.

The Eastern end of Knysna turn off the N2 onto George Rex Drive towards the Knysna Heads. As you approach the Heads, take the left fork, uphill, following the sign to the ‘view point’. This road climbs for 1 km to a car park on top of the eastern Head. There is a viewsite a few metres downhill from the car park, but young children must be held, as the cliff edge is only partially fenced.

Knysna Heads to Millwood

Return to the N2, turn left, and drive through Knysna. The road skirts the lagoon, then crosses a concrete bridge. At the far end of the bridge turn right, and take the road towards Brenton, which swings around and passes under the bridge. 1,6km after the bridge, turn left onto a narrow road that winds down to Belvidere Church.

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Return to the road for Brenton and turn left. Note your kms as you cross the railway line. After 1,5 km park in a small area on your left (not very visible from this direction). Beware of sticking in the soft sand. From here there is a splendid view over the whole Knysna region.

Drive on to Brenton-on-Sea. There is a hotel here, and you can walk down wooden steps for a short stroll along the beautiful beach.

Return to the N2, and turn right towards George. After 2 km on the N2, turn off right for Rheenendal. 1,1 km along this road, park on your left, and walk across the road for another fine view over the Knysna Lagoon.

Pass through the little settlement of Rheenendal, then turn right onto a gravel road for ‘Millwood/Goldfields’. Follow this road past the forestry offices on your right and later a ‘Big Tree’ picnic site on your left (braai places, water, toilets). Keep right here, following signs to Jubilee Creek. Where the road divides into three, keep left for ‘Millwood Hut via Jubilee Creek‘. At the next fork keep left again, and follow the road down into Jubilee Creek to the picnic area (toilets, braai places, water from the river).

Driving back from Jubilee Creek, turn left at the fork for Millwood. 3,7km along this road you pass a turn-off to the old town’s cemetery on your right. Just after this, the road forks. The left road used to be Millwood’s main street, but nothing of the town remains, except for a few fruit trees and flowers.

Unless you wish to explore the site, take the road to the right, then at the next fork go right again. Follow this road, fornierly ‘St Patrick Street’, until you see the boiler of an old steam engine in a clearing on your left. This was the site of the stamp battery of the Bendigo mine, worked by a party of Australians.

A sign points to a mine below the road. This is the main Bendigo Tunnel, which reaches 200 m into the hillside and now houses a large bat population. (It can be reached by car — retrace your route and take the first left turn.)