Art and history in two museums
Somerset East brings together diverse cultural themes, mill architecture and landscapes. A DVD at the Walter Battiss Art Museum links Walter Battiss’s life and art with the idea of Fook Island. The KwaNojoli Museum shows the lives of the ministers who lived there and has further exhibitions devoted to the history of the area and its people. Glen Avon Water Mill provides an architectural highlight, while Glen Avon Waterfall offers a nature-focused destination nearby. When planning your visit, it is worth keeping the different themes and visiting conditions in mind.
At the Walter Battiss Art Museum, Walter Battiss talks about his life and art on a DVD and introduces Fook Island. This audiovisual offering provides insight through his own account: alongside art, it also explores the island he presents. The DVD’s availability may change. If you are planning your visit specifically to see it, check whether it is available before you go.
The KwaNojoli Museum offers a different focus. It is laid out mainly like a home and shows the lives of the ministers of the Dutch Reformed Church who lived there. Additional exhibitions explore the history of the area and its people; they were commissioned more recently. The themes therefore range from the portrayal of these ministers to regional history. Which exhibitions are currently on display may change. Check the latest exhibition details in advance if you are interested in a particular subject.
Another cultural landmark is the Delville Wood War Memorial, also called the Somerset East War Memorial. It stands on Njoli Street, near the western entrance to Somerset East. As a memorial, it differs from the museums’ exhibitions; visitors who want to include different forms of remembrance in their selection can consider it as a subject in its own right.
Glen Avon: mill, forest and waterfall
Glen Avon Waterfall lies in a remote valley near Somerset East. The waterfall and its associated gorge are designated as the Glen Avon Falls Natural Heritage Site (No. 71). The name therefore refers not only to the waterfall but also to the gorge as part of the designated natural heritage site.
The route to the waterfall runs for at least 10 km through indigenous forest into a valley characterised by riverine forest. Sneezewood and cabbage trees grow there. Access is only possible by prior arrangement, so plan your trip only once this has been arranged. The route is itself an essential part of the natural setting: the landscape around the waterfall also includes the forest, the river valley and the named tree species. This destination is therefore best suited to those interested in a longer walk through the landscape described, without assuming a particular walking time.
Glen Avon Water Mill offers a different focus. It is considered one of the best-preserved mills in southern Africa and has an 8.4-metre steel wheel. Its state of preservation and the wheel’s size offer two specific points of reference for describing the mill: one highlights its standing among the region’s mills, the other a distinctive component. For visitors interested in preserved structures and their construction, the steel wheel is a tangible detail. The attractions in Somerset East therefore have clearly different themes: the mill centres on the structure, while the route and river valley lead visitors to the landscape at the waterfall.
To decide whether Somerset East suits your interests, this selection offers several ways to explore the area: art and regional history, a memorial, a mill with a large steel wheel, or a natural attraction that requires prior arrangements for access. Weigh these themes according to your own priorities when planning your stay.
Discover more destinations: Grahamstown, St Francis Bay, Thornhill, Buyskloof, Addo, Weston, Quacha, Bathurst
For the overview of the wider travel region: Western District.
