- Eastern Cape
- Patensie
Patensie, Eastern Cape
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Patensie is a small citrus producing town approximately only an hours’ drive inland from Port Elizabeth. A branch of the Apple Express, the narrow-gauge railway from Port Elizabeth, ends at Patensie.
This little towns’ activities revolve around the citrus industry, however due to its location, literally the last stop before entering the Baviaanskloof Wilderness and surrounding game farms, Patensie is fast becoming a tourist destination. The town offers fuel stops, banks and small shops, visit the Tolbos Country Shop and Tea Garden for tourist information, and a modern citrus warehouse that is well worth a visit.
Lying a mere 25 km from Patensie is the life of the Gamtoos Valley, the Kouga Dam formally known as the Paul Sauer Dam, and a stop here is a must! The Dam was built in 1967 - the first double-arched dam engineered in South Africa.
When leaving the Dam be sure to stop and take a look back to see the Queen Victoria’s bust that is visible in the conglomerate of cliffs along the Gamtoos River. Another great view easily seen from Patensie are the Cockscomb Mountains – its five jagged crests that resemble a Roosters’ comb.
Patensie and the Gamtoos Valley region offers many B&B’s, self-catering units with a few game farms in the surrounding area.
Things to do and see
- Padlangs Shop & Restaurant
- Tolbos Shop & Tea Garden
- Hankey Sundial
- Baviaans MTB Trail
- Baviaans 4X4 Trail
- Baviaanskloof Mega Reserve
- Kouga Dam, 20 km
- Kabeljous Nature Reserve, 58 km
- Gamtoos River Mouth & Beach, 46 km
- Antoniesberg Pass
- Combrinks Pass
- Grasnek Pass
- Holgat Pass
Climate
Pantensie receives approximately 487 mm of rain annually with rainfall occurring throughout the year.
Summer months, November to March will have average temperatures of between 15˚C and 27˚C.
Winter months, May to August will have average temperatures of between 7˚C and 21˚C.
Transport
There are daily flights into Port Elizabeth International Airport approximately 99 Km’s away along the R331 and the N2. Car hire facilities are available at the Airport.
History
David Keyser Jnr. was awarded the farm Patentie in 1852 and in 1858 the farm was sub-divided and Patensie was declared a town. The name Patensie, said to be from a Hottentot word meaning 'lêplek van die beeste" (where the cattle lie).
Because, at first, all of Patensie was privately owned, it was difficult to grow and develop the town. The Citrus and Tobacco co-ops had to develop their own residential areas.
The first oranges were exported in 1907 by Mr Bean and in 1929 the Patensie Citrus Co-op. was founded. The first packing facility was built in 1937. The Co-op is today known as the PSB company and is the biggest citrus packing facility in the area. Exporting citrus is the main crop of the Patensie area and the season runs from April to October.
The Tobacco Co-op. was founded in 1936 and played a vital part in farming of tobacco in the area. It has since been sold to KaapAgri. Although tobacco is still planted the Tobacco Co-op no longer exists
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