Ashton, Western Cape

Days of Wine and Roses

Situated at the foot of the Langeberg Mountains and amongst lush vineyards and verdant orchards, the central focus of Ashton is fruit and wine. The towns is also well-known among race horse breeders and rock climbers.

The town of Ashton serves as the residential area for employees of the Langeberg Ko-operasie, the largest producer in Southern Africa of canned fruit, jams and vegtables.

Their principle factory, built in 1940, the largest of its kind in Southern Hemisphere, is on the southern slopes of the Langeberg range near the entrance to Cogmanskloof. Before this, Ashton was little more than a loading-point for goods carried through Kogmanskloof to and from the Little Karoo.

Wine

Ashton is one of the main wine-producing towns on the Robertson Valley Wine Route with the following wine producers:

• Arabella Wine Estate
• Ashton Kelder Wine Estate
• Blue Cove Wines
• Bushmanspad Wine Estate
• Rietvallei Wine Estate
• Zandvliet Wine Estate

For some wine tasting visit the Wine Boutique on Main Street.

Roses

Ashton is also noted for its rose nurseries.