This beautiful little eastern Free State town is a hugely popular destination for visitors and buyers of second homes.
Surrounded by the sandstone cli¬ffs of the Rooiberg mountain range, o¬ffering spectacular views of the majestic Maluti Mountains and the purple-blue slopes of the Drakensberg mountains in the distance, the little town of Clarens in the eastern Free State has become one of South Africa’s most adored destinations for a getaway or a second home.
Mid-winter, when light snowfall turns the village and surrounding mountains into a fantasy wonderland, the town is reminiscent of the beautiful hamlet of Clarens in Switzerland, where President Paul Kruger spent the last six months of his life in voluntary exile before he died of heart failure in 1904. When the South African town of Clarens was established in 1912, it was named after the Swiss town.
The town, with its untarred streets lined with Poplar and Willow trees, beautiful sandstone buildings, open spaces and fresh country air, o¬ffers an idyllic escape for urbanites from places such as KwaZulu-Natal, Gauteng and the Free State.
Clarens lies between the town of Bethlehem (40km north) and the Caledonspoort Border Post shared with Lesotho (42km south) and is 300km from Johannesburg, 360km from Pretoria, 285km from Bloemfontein and 380km from Durban.
The town’s village square, with its many art galleries, co¬ffee shops, pubs and craft shops (a knife maker’s shop and a craft brewery), is a huge tourist attraction and can get really busy over weekends and holidays. However, the surrounding residential areas are barely a¬ffected by the bustle in the square and remain tranquil.
Weekend residents and visitors preferring an undisturbed environment can still enjoy some quiet time in the privacy of their homes or guest accommodation. Clarens is renowned for its trout fishing opportunities and the district has numerous guest farms where myriad outdoor activities are o¬ffered, including horse riding, hiking, mountain biking, abseiling, quad-biking, 4×4 activities, cave picnicking, fossil hunting and much more.
Even though winter nights in this region can be nippy, residents' hearts remain warm and welcoming. The majority of community members are actively involved in local organisations such as the Clarens Community Forum, the Clarens Ratepayers Association, the Clarens Sector Police Forum, the Clarens Tourism Forum and the Clarens Village Conservancy, among others.
Clarens provides basic daily shopping, business and medical facilities, while more extensive amenities are available in the neighbouring town of Bethlehem.
A mixture of properties, generally in good to superb condition, are available in and around Clarens. These range from sectional title townhouse units to beautifully renovated freestanding homes and luxurious upmarket family dwellings in the Clarens Golf and Leisure Estate or the Clarens Mountain Estate. Farms and commercial properties are also available.
When you pass through the “neck” of Clarens and the magnificent unruffled beauty unfolds in front of you, feelings of calmness and warmth pour over your soul. It feels safe here between the mountains, and the kind people of Clarens make everybody feel like family.
-Annali Bossert, Clarens resident.
Nature nearby:
- The Mallen Walk: a moderate trail ascending to a contour path with amazing views (1,5 hours).
- The Spruit Walk: an easy route along a stream passing through part of indigenous Oldwood forest (30 minutes).
- The Scilla Walk: moderate route best to walk in spring when masses of blue Scilla flowers cover the sandstone cliffs (1 hour).
- The Maluti Viewpoint: an easy walk best done late afternoon to view the sunset over the mountains (30 minutes).
Things to do in Clarens:
Driving through Golden Gate Highlands National Park (20km away)
Visit the Basotho Cultural Village (45km away)
Hot air ballooning with magnificent views over the region
Book a one-day river rafting trip on the Ash River outside Clarens
More attractions in Clarens:
Clarens House of Beauty Day Spa
Clarens Golf and Leisure Estate
Clarens Museum
Clarens Dinosaur Tours
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.