The Groot Winterhoek mountains are located in the
Western Cape
The Western Cape ( ; , ) is a provinces of South Africa, province of South Africa, situated on the south-western coast of the country. It is the List of South African provinces by area, fourth largest of the nine provinces with an area of , an ...
province of
South Africa
South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
and are part of the
Cape Fold Belt
The Cape Fold Belt (CFB) is a long fold-and-thrust mountain belt along the western and southern coastlines of Western Cape, South Africa. The Cape Fold Belt formed during the Permian period (300 to 250million years ago) in the late Paleozoic ...
comprising a watershed area of 552,606 hectares.
They rise to a maximum height of 2077 m just north of the town of
Tulbagh
Tulbagh (), previously named Roodezand, then Land van Waveren later in 1804 named after Cape of Good Hope Governor Ryk Tulbagh, is a town located in the "Land van Waveren" mountain basin (also known as the Tulbagh basin), in the Cape Winelands ...
as Groot Winterhoek peak. The mountains are predominantly made up of
Table Mountain sandstone.
Up to 83% of the range is still classified as being in a natural state and up to 72% of the range is protected.
The towns of
Saron and
Porterville are located at the foot the mountain range's western side.
A
plateau
In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; : plateaus or plateaux), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. ...
in the northern half of the mountains is accessible via the
Dasklip Pass.
Mammals found in the range include
klipspringer
The klipspringer (; ''Oreotragus oreotragus'') is a small antelope found in eastern and southern Africa. The sole member of its genus and subfamily/tribe, the klipspringer was first described by German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zi ...
, grey rhebok, grysbok,
Cape mountain leopard (''Felis leopardus'' var. ''melanotica'' ), caracal,
African wild cat, mongoose, and genets.
A wide range of indigenous plant species, such as
Agathosma,
Aspalathus linearis
Rooibos ( ; , ), or , is a broom (shrub), broom-like member of the plant family Fabaceae that grows in South Africa's Fynbos biome. The leaves are used to make a caffeine-free herbal tea, herbal infusion that has been popular in Southern Afri ...
and various
protea
''Protea'' () is a genus of South African flowering plants, also called sugarbushes (Afrikaans: ''suikerbos''). It is the type genus of the Proteaceae family.
About 92% of the species occur only in the Cape Floristic Region, a narrow belt of mo ...
s (all of which are harvested commercially), naturally grow in the area.
Common insects in the area include
Black Mound Termites.
Examples of
San rock art dating back 6000 years can be found throughout the mountains.
Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area
The Groot Winterhoek Wilderness Area, operated by
CapeNature, comprises a conservation area of 30,608 ha, and contains waterfalls, swimming holes, pristine rivers and mountain wilderness.
Protea
''Protea'' () is a genus of South African flowering plants, also called sugarbushes (Afrikaans: ''suikerbos''). It is the type genus of the Proteaceae family.
About 92% of the species occur only in the Cape Floristic Region, a narrow belt of mo ...
trees and indigenous fynbos
Fynbos (; , ) is a small belt of natural shrubland or heathland vegetation located in the Western Cape and Eastern Cape provinces of South Africa. The area is predominantly coastal and mountainous, with a Mediterranean climate. The fynbos ...
References
{{reflist
Mountain ranges of the Western Cape