I’ve said it before and will say it again:  the Eastern Cape has harnessed its tourism angel and is surfing the clouds of visitor heaven.   And – mark this – the small towns are doing it without any official support from the municipalities who are given money to promote tourism but don’t.

The latest in the bewildering display of tourism attractions is the Escape Route, a meander that takes in the towns of Stutterheim, Keiskammahoek, Kei Road and Cathcart.   You wouldn’t think there’s much going on here, but you would be wrong.  I stumbled across a newsletter sent out by Amahlathi Tourism Association, which oversees the Escape Route, and decided to find out more.  This led me to a wonderful conversation with farmer’s wife/tourism officer Chandre Mammel, who once again left me stunned by what the ordinary person can do.  Amahlathi started as a group of farmers’ wives (Chandre among them) who decided to roll up their sleeves and prevent their town sinking into depression and decay – something that is happening all too depressingly frequently in the platteland these days. Firstly they started a tourism route, using as attractions their wonderful outdoors and a few different tourism projects – complete labours of love – run by their neighbours.  The objective was to create jobs and empowerment through tourism. Local government turned up their noses at them, so they applied to the EU for funding – and got it.  The money was enough to start a tourism office, establish a website and fund a monthly e-mail newsletter. According to Chandre, their marketing has had undreamed-of results.  The entire area has seen an explosion in economic activity related to tourism, and a growth in a sense of community. “We have such wonderful heritage here,” says Chandre.  “The countryside is so beautiful, our history is so interesting, the people are so friendly.  All we needed to do was tell people about us, and we are now so busy.” The core of tourism here is the Old Thomas River Historical Village, which is an entire village owned and restored by the Sansome family.  There is a wide range of accommodation, a little stone church popular for weddings, a dining hall for conferences and functions.  It is kiddie heaven with a swimming pool, games room and playground, and holds a special Sunday buffet that attracts families from across the region.  The encompassing Conservancy is being restocked with endemic species, so there is hiking and mountain-biking, fishing and bird-watching. Just outside Stutterheim is Gubu Dam, a beauty spot that has become an adventure playground for a company that rents out equipment and gives lessons on things like kayaking, paddle polo and archery.  It’s the local picnic and braai spot, but also an adventure destination for visitors.  In the conversation with Chandre, she dropped intriguing tit-bits about visits from Prince Harry, negotiations with the Disney corporation about filming in the area, and a whole smorgasbord of activities, which seem to indicate that the Escape Route is putting the area firmly on the map. The history here is sprinkled with famous Xhosa kings and leaders, German and British settlers.  But it is also home to the first inhabitants of Southern Africa, the little men who left their rock art behind them on the walls of caves.  This is the cue for Victor Biggs, who has been fascinated by Bushman rock art since he was a small boy scrambling around the hills on his grandfather’s farm.  What started as a passionate hobby has become yet another tourism attraction in this astonishing region:  the Rock Art Centre at the Old Thomas River Historical Village.   The entrance to the Centre is taken up by a painting that looks as if it was done recently instead of thousands of years ago.  Well, actually – it was done recently.  It is an exact replica of an original painting. The rest of the exhibition is a series of photographs of rock art taken from famous rock art sites around the country, along with artefacts from the Stone Age. The most valuable aspect of Victor’s exhibition (which is now his all-consuming passion) is to show how rock art evolved, from paintings done 27 000 years ago, when the subjects were hunters of game, to the more modern era with cattle and sheep and then men with spears and finally with guns.  Another feather in this tourism cap is the Amathole Berry Farm, a ‘really big blueberry project’.  It’s the first part of a ‘berry corridor’ that will stretch from East London to Barkley East, likely to become the largest berry producer in the Southern hemisphere with the potential to create 5 000 jobs in an area where employment is quite hard to come by.  The farm is organic – farm waste is either turned into worm compost or used to produce electricity and gas.  The berries themselves are hydroponic.  The first crop is due for local and international markets this December and, once under way, will also produce berry juice and vinegars.  Not to mention that it will become a tourist attraction with tours around the farm and factory and berry-picking festivals. To have a look at what a group of enthusiastic individuals can do, visit the website at www.escaperoute.co.za or put yourself on the mailing list at chandre@escaperoute.co.za  And tell her I sent you.