Geography The small, yet charming village of De Rust nestles in the Swartberg Mountain Range and is situated on the N12 at the southern entrance to Meiringspoort.History The village was established on the farm De Rust in 1900, owned by P.J. Meiring. An excellent farmer, he was also an intrepid explorer and discovered many of the routes through the Swartberg Mountains, with the paths later becoming known as Meiringspoort. Arts and Culture De Rust has been home to numerous famous sculptors, artists and authors. Moses Kottler, a sculptor of repute lived in the village in the early 1900s, while artists like James Yates and Tinus de Jongh have found inspiration from the town. CJ Langenhoven, well known Afrikaans author and poet wrote much of his work while in the village. Today, De Rust still attracts artists and a variety of paintings, pottery, sculpture and handcraft can be seen in gift shops, as well as at Artcraft in the Park, held every last Saturday of the month.ScienceThe Stompdrift Dam is the is the biggest dam in the Little Karoo, and with its African Eagles and 50 bird species is a birdwatcher's paradise. The Swartberg Mountains are home to a wide variety of wildlife, while the wild flowers are absolutely gorgeous in spring. Entertainment There are two very good restaurants in the village, while the wine tasting centres about 10km from the village are always popular. Make sure you try the local "wit blits"!Did You KnowA painting by Herman Niebuhr, a De Rust local, was presented to Charlize Theron on her return visit to South Africa after wining her Oscar in 2003. |
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