The rehabilitation the Cogmanskloof Pass trunk road between Ashton and Montague commenced in 2011. The landscape design brief by the Western Cape Provincial Administration called for the scenic, environmental and heritage aspects to be addressed as mitigation to the engineering works.
Cogmanskloof Pass, some 7km in length, passes over the Langeberg mountains between Ashton in the Boland and Montague in the Little Karroo
The Pass has considerable heritage and botanical qualities which were considered to be of conservation value, being built by the famous road engineer Thomas Bain, commenced in 1873 and completed in 1877, being one of the first routes inland through the mountain range.
The route was only paved in 1931 and famously features a 15m long 5m high tunnel through a rocky hill known as Kalkoenkrans (translated as ‘Turkey Cliff’ due to the knarled and twisted layers of rock) on top of which are the ruins of a fort from the Second Boer War.
Through a collaborative design approach with the client, engineering team, and using data received from the relevant specialist consultants, OvP were able to identify the design opportunities and constraints to enhance the natural and heritage landscape and maximise the visitor’s positive experience of the valley context.
The project included the botanical rehabilitation of disturbed areas achieved through a lengthy programme of seed collection (for later hydro-seeding) and endemic plant ‘search and rescue’ (for off-site propagation).
At identified scenic areas, road verges were upgraded to accommodate picnic and viewing areas, using only locally sourced natural materials for surfacing, minor walls and furniture. Disturbed rock faces were treated to blend-in with the natural context and new interpretive signage was provided.
The project was completed in 2018 after a lengthy construction progres which also included the upgrade of the pedestrian verges, pathways,trees and landscaping in Ashton as well as at the threshold to Montague.