Bain's Passes

Robinson Pass

ThomasDocumented

Thomas Bain was put in charge in early 1867, after the Mossel Bay Divisional Council's attempt of 1866 made little progress. He used about 140 convicts.

R328Route
17.4 kmLength
860 mSummit
Rebuilt, re-routed and tarredSurface

See it on the mapLog your drive

Before you go

Tarred mountain pass on R328; heavy fog and mist occasionally reduce visibility.

Road conditions change with weather, floods, fires and roadworks. Check the latest conditions with the road authority or local tourism office before you leave, and carry offline maps.

About this pass

Connects Mossel Bay to Oudtshoorn across the Outeniqua Mountains. It was wanted to cut the Oudtshoorn–Mossel Bay distance from 135 to 90 km, and it was built near the old Ruyterbosch bridle path, which wagons could not use. Mossel Bay's Divisional Council began the job in 1866 with a government grant but made little progress, and in early 1867 Thomas Bain took over with about 140 convicts, finishing in June 1869 at a cost of roughly R60,000.

First hewn in 1869 as the Ruiterbosch Pass (also Ruiterbos, Brandwaghoogte), with Ruiterbos regarded as the start of the pass. The name honours Murrell Robinson, Chief Inspector of Public Works (another page calls him the commissioner of roads). It was tarred in the 1950s. Pull-offs give views to the snow-capped Swartberg in winter on the Oudtshoorn side, and the Koumashoek circuit (about six hours, fynbos, steep, often misty) starts at the summit. The road is sometimes closed in wet weather because parts subside. Do not confuse it with the Attakwaskloof (old ox-wagon route), documented from 1689, used by elephants and the main northern road until 1869, now CapeNature land and a national monument since 1995. Ross's chronology: a Parliamentary Commission looked at the Ruytersbosch footpath in 1860 (estimate R7,364); the Divisional Council abandoned the work in 1866 after spending R1,438.96. Convicts were drafted in and Bain began in February 1867, extending the road five miles beyond the northern base to join the Attaquas Kloof road at Safraan Kraal; opened 4 June 1869. Named for Chief Inspector of Public Works M.R. Robinson. Reconstructed and tarred in the 1950s and again in the early 1960s. Ross (2001): the pass cut the Oudtshoorn–Mossel Bay distance from 135 to 90 km. It followed the Ruyterbosch Pad, a bridle path about six kilometres east of Attaquas Kloof, which the Mossel Bay Divisional Council tried to build in 1866 with a government contribution. Bain took charge in early 1867 with about 140 convicts and finished in June 1869, rejoining the Attaquas Kloof track north of the mountain and improving the track toward Oudtshoorn. Attaquas Kloof traffic, the old route used since Schrijver widened an elephant track in 1689, dropped away once Robinson opened. Reconstructed and blacktopped in the early 1950s on a more direct line on the northern slopes.

History

Built by
Thomas Bain was put in charge in early 1867, after the Mossel Bay Divisional Council's attempt of 1866 made little progress. He used about 140 convicts.
Built
Early 1867 to June 1869 (Ross, 2001).
Location
R328, Mossel Bay to Oudtshoorn, Western Cape
Later work
Rebuilt.Reconstructed and given a blacktop surface in the early 1950s by the Divisional Council, with a more direct route on the northern slopes (Ross, 2001). One other account gives 1958–1963.
Notes
Reported cost about R60,000. Ross says the pass rejoined the Attaquas Kloof track north of the mountain, and Bain also improved the track towards Oudtshoorn. The rebuild date differs between sources: the paper by Ross, an authority on Cape passes, is used, with the other account shown. The Heritage Portal's Bain article gives 1867–69 for Robinson Pass, matching this card. Wikipedia's Attakwaskloof page gives nothing on Bain or Robinson beyond its disuse. Parliament voted £15,000 in 1863 (Goetze) with Mossel Bay promising the same. Bell-Cross gives a 1951 reconstruction, another source 1958–62. Ross (2001) puts the cost at about R60,000; earlier Ross entries give 140 or 300 convicts depending on the source.

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-33.87263, 22.03125
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