Uniondale is a small Karoo town on the northern side of the Outeniqua mountains, a place of whitewashed houses, tin roofs and a long, wide main street that has seen little change in decades. It lies in a dry valley at the foot of the pass, on the road between the coast and the Little Karoo, and it serves as the gateway to Prince Alfred's Pass, one of the most beautiful gravel roads in South Africa. The surrounding country is open and rolling, with sheep and goats grazing among rocky hills.
The pass is the heart of the story. It was built in the 1860s by the road engineer Thomas Bain, the son of the famous Andrew Geddes Bain, and it runs from Avontuur, near Uniondale, south through the mountains to Knysna. Its builders used convict labor and hand tools to carve a road over the Outeniqua range, with dry-stone retaining walls that still stand today. The distance is about seventy kilometers, much of it gravel, and it takes several hours at a gentle pace. The route winds through fynbos and then indigenous forest as it drops toward the coast, with river crossings, deep valleys and old farms along the way.
For riders, this is a proper adventure ride, and conditions matter. The surface can be corrugated or muddy after rain, and in winter fog and cold can settle on the heights. Tyres should be suitable for gravel, and a reserve of fuel is wise. The road is narrow with drops on one side, and passing vehicles require care. Summer brings heat and dust, while spring brings wildflowers.
Uniondale is also known in local legend. A story of a ghostly hitchhiker on the road outside town, the Phantom Hitchhiker of Uniondale, has circulated since the 1960s and is told with relish in the pub. The town's historic railway at Avontuur once marked the end of the narrow-gauge line, a reminder of how remote the region is.
Services are modest but reliable for a small town. There is a fuel station, a few small shops and guesthouses, and places to eat a simple meal, but supplies are limited, so fill the tank and carry water before heading into the mountains. The nearest bigger towns, such as George and Knysna, lie on the other side of the range.