Voice Map: Historic Tour of Matjiesfontein

VoiceMap: All you need is our mobile app for iPhones and Android devices. It uses your location to play audio automatically and includes offline maps. Just put on your headphones and you’re ready to explore.

 “Tour the perfectly preserved Victorian town of Matjiesfontein with Dean Allen, author of Empire, War & Cricket in South Africa. Starting at the majestic Lord Milner Hotel, you'll be guided down the high street, through the immaculate gardens, and along the train station, ending up at The Laird's Arms for a well-deserved pint.

Over the course of the walk, Dean will tell the tale of the village's creation by the 'ideal colonialist', James Logan, in the late 1800s. You will follow Logan's transformation from a penniless 19-year-old Scottish immigrant to the man who built a model town in the middle of nowhere, influenced trade and politics, and toured Britain with his very own South African cricket team.

The tour begins outside The Lord Milner Hotel on Matjiesfontein's main road, in the picturesque front courtyard.”

Places to stop along the way:
The Old Post Office, Travellers Chapel, The Transport Museum, The Marie Rawdon Museum, Railway Museum, Coffee House, The Laird's Arms

Best time to walk:
The walk can be done at any time, but the gardens are particularly beautiful in the morning. You might like to start this tour around 4:30pm, to arrive at the Laird's Arms in time to take "the world's shortest bus tour", which leaves from right in front of the pub.