Kaapsche Hoop Mining Commissioners Cottage

Built in 1884.

Nests belonging to to the nearly exting Blue Swallow - hopefully they will return to this area...

Kaapsche Hoop - Intro

Kaapsche Hoop is famous for two things. The first is the endangered Blue Swallow and the second is the feral/wild horses roaming the countryside.

My visit to this small Mpumalanga town was far to short! Its a tiny town with nothing more than a pub, fantastic glass shop and a few tourist shops for those who are looking for keepsakes. The most impressive buildings in town is the Silver Mist Country Inn (originally the post office built in 1896) and derelict government buildings dated between 1884 and 1885.

Kaapsche Hoop was officially declared a town in 1891 and during the Anglo-Boer war British soldiers of the Corps of Royal Engineers were stationed there.

These 'older' buildings are all clad with corrugated iron and date between 1890 and 1940's with the current Kaapsche Hoop Guest House dating from the mid 70's

This building is just to beautiful - I have no idea what its current use is.

More home-fronts

The original Post Office has now made way for the Silver Mist Country Inn

Private home

Kaapsche Hoop - Those Crazy Horses

There are many romantic stories about the origin of these feral horses. Most untrue. First seen around the Kaapsche Hoop area as far back as 1910 it is believed these horses escaped from their gold mining owners and became wild. These horses live in small groups (natural horse behaviour) that includes one stallion with a harem of around five mares.

Kaapsche Hoop has around 160 permanent residents (the human kind) and about 150 wild horses.

Thought he would munch on my car seat!