Walks in and around Bathurst, ranging from 5 to 10 km, Try our historic walk through the village. As a 1820 settler’s village, Bathurst still has many old buildings, some of which are privately owned. Afterwards you can relax in the centre of the Universe’s many establishments serving from coffee & snack to gourmet meals.
LOCAL BATHURST – 9,5KM
A stroll through the safe roads of Bathurst, enjoying country life. Locals greet you cheerfully. The mix of village vibe, historic buildings and large areas of untouched bush add up to a unique ambience in South Africa. Get acquainted with our rural village, where you might meet dog walkers and cows on the various dirt roads.
BATHURST HISTORIC WALK – 7KM
You can book a guided tour with Nick Cowley, cell no. 083 413 5050. He will walk with you and give you a narrative on our history. Or you can just follow the map. The trail winds along some of Bathurst’s 200+-year-old sand roads, passing several buildings of similar age. These include arguably the oldest school in South Africa, Bathurst Primary School, and the oldest continuously operating pub, the Historic Pig and Whistle Inn. It also passes the Methodist and Anglican churches where the 1820 Settlers worshipped (both still in use); the Old Drostdy and the Old Vicarage (now both private residences); and some private homes ever since Settler days, such as Stone Cottage, Wiggill House and Bleak House. An extra leg down into the bushy valley below the Pig leads to the Old Mill (Bradshaw’s Mill), where water can be released into the millrace to set the reconstructed water wheel turning ponderously round – a sight enjoyed by children and adults alike.
BATHURST PERIMETER WALK – 9.5KM
An appetizer of what Bathurst can offer. A little bit of local with a little bit of history thrown in the mix, going roughly around the village’s prerimeter. Not just the roads, but a couple of trails through thick indigenous bush offers a feel of Bathurst’s amazing flora.
MONKEY TOWN – 10KM
A hike on a long sand road that makes a circuit through the part of Bathurst furthest from the historic hub. Houses are like oases in the expanse of green bush. The area is famously, if unofficially, called Monkey Town, after the vervets that rustle in the trees and regularly pop out onto the road.
COMMONAGE WALK – 5KM
A great educational intro to Bathurst’s local trees takes you onto the village’s ‘Commonage’. A range of indigenous trees and plants jostle each other, some with traditional medical uses. Four of SA’s biomes come together in the unique Albany Thicket.
Mushroom Forage
Fascinating hands-on foraging for and identifying wild fungi in the Bathurst Commonage. Many are edible; some are poisonous. It takes an expert to teach hikers how to distinguish between them.
Rio Stud Farm – 8KM
A very nice and gentle walk from the Bathurst Co-op to Rio Stud Farm along Boundary Road and back.
Kew Gardens Walk – 2,6 KM
This walk will take you along the Bathurst stream. Enter from opposite the Bathurst Butchery or from Trappes street after the low level bridge. A 2.6 km walking trail has been cleared along the stream. It was originally a park space with lawn that was mowed by a local man called Wally Kew. Kew gardens are being cleared and maintained again by members of the Bathurst community, who are doing an absolutely wonderful job. The walk along the stream has been mapped out and is fast becoming a favorite among the Bathurst population.
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