Pilgrim’s Rest was nowhere near as peaceful as its name suggests. The town played a pivotal role in Mpumalanga’s gold rush in the 1800s. Prospectors, merchants, and thieves once flocked here in the hopes of getting rich beyond their wildest dreams. With corrugated iron homes and relics still intact, the provincial heritage site is now a living museum that’s speckled with gold dust. Surrounded by lush greenery, bordered by the Blyde River and with Mount Sheba looking over it, Pilgrim’s Rest is a doorway into another epoch.
Declared a goldfield in 1873 shortly after alluvial metals were found, the land quickly transformed into a dream destination. As a result, Pilgrim’s Rest became one of the first towns in South Africa to have electricity – while streets in London were still running on gas lamps. Merchants arrived to set up businesses which flourished in the southern parts of town. Today, you can still explore the Dredzen Shop and House Museum for a glimpse of how people lived and toiled in the 19th century.
But not everyone here was willing to work for their fortune. Robbers Pass, the mountainous road leading to Pilgrim’s Rest, is named for the hijackings that occurred here. And in the cemetery, one grave notoriously stands out. While the rest lie horizontally, Robber’s Grave is perpendicular to them. This formation has spurred on many stories by locals. Regardless of the squabbles that occurred back then, prospectors and swindlers now rest in peace at a spot that holds a sublime view of the surrounding hills.
Follow the R533 just after Graskop to discover this town that’s two centuries behind us. The Royal Hotel offers you the experience of reliving a bygone era. After unwinding in a room filled with antiques, head out on a horse-drawn carriage to try your hand at panning for gold. There are glimmers of hope in every brook that trickles through Pilgrim’s Rest.
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