Sunday trip to the abandoned Belvedere Hydropower plant - a photo report

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Noneking

Noneking

SKOOTHOND
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Location
Slowveld
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KTM 890 Adventure R Rally
@Just Blip It! Had a plan for a Sunday ride. It would be his first ride in over a month since recovering from Covid 19.

I was due for a ride on my 990 and was looking forward to getting back on the old girl….

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We met up at a filling station in White River. We head towards Hazyview on some fast forestry roads.

Vincent joined us on his T7

Coming up on Da Gama dam

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We head for Hazyview via Kiepersol and stop for a quick breakfast at Perry’s Bridge

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Just outside Hazyview, we get onto a signature Just Blip It! track and spend a bit of time getting our heart rates up



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M




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Bridge over the Treur River has been washed away. This used to be the only access road to  the Boskombuis

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We drop down into the valley towards the confluence of the Blyde River and Treur River




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Some history…..

- the plant was completed in 1911. Project completed in 1 year
- Turbines were imported from California. Shipped to Lorenzo Marques. Via rail to Machadodorp and then ox wagons to Belvedere
- it provided electricity to gold crushers at Pilgrims Rest
- this meant that Pilgrims had electric street lighting before London!



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About 25 years ago I stayed at the "abandoned guesthouse" , the views were amazing.

For those that hasn't been there, it is seriously steep down to the power station, typically old school heavy machinery - I was in awe of the endeavors by  the builders, they got everything down there by donkey and cart.

It is also one of the places with the most snakes I've ever seen, they were literally all over.

Interesting ride  :thumleft:
 
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