Villiersdorp is a small fruit town in a valley that remains out of most travellers' plans, which is part of the point. It lies in the Overberg region beyond the mountains from Franschhoek, near the large Theewaterskloof dam, with orchards of apples, pears and stone fruit stretching along the road, and a main street of low buildings and gardens. The town was laid out in the mid-nineteenth century and named for Pieter de Villiers, a local landowner, and it has kept the quiet, orderly air of a farming centre.
The valley is walled in by mountains on both sides, and in spring the orchards are in blossom, with a haze of white and pink against dark rock. In summer, the fruit is harvested and packed, and the roadside stalls sell peaches, plums and nectarines at prices a city dweller will envy. The dam nearby, one of the main water sources for Cape Town, provides a focal point for fishing, birdwatching and sailing, though its level drops in dry years, leaving a wide ring of pale shoreline.
For riders, the town is the eastern end of the Franschhoek Pass run, and a pleasant destination in itself. The road drops from the pass through farmland and pine plantations, with views over the water and the hills, then flattens into rolling country. It is a quiet, rural road, with little traffic, a few long bends and a surface that is good for the most part, though farm vehicles and animals on the road deserve attention. Winds can be strong in the open, and cold fronts bring rain from the west in winter.
The town has a few fuel stations and a couple of simple cafés and bakeries, and Grabouw, about thirty kilometres to the west, is the larger centre with more services, while Caledon, a small town to the south-east, is another option. Tea rooms and farm stalls offer pies, pancakes and jam, and the country markets are a good place to buy local produce. Plan a leisurely lunch before heading back over the mountain, and keep an eye on the weather, since afternoon cloud can gather over the pass.