Bourke’s Luck Potholes: Where the Treur Meets the Blyde

Bourke’s Luck Potholes: Where the Treur Meets the Blyde: History & Culture

Discover Bourke’s Luck Potholes: Where the Treur Meets the Blyde

Bourke’s Luck Potholes is a stop on the Panorama Route (R532) in Mpumalanga. Here the Treur River plunges into the Blyde River, and over a very long time the water has drilled deep, round potholes into the bedrock. The site marks the start of the Blyde River Canyon. You view it from footbridges over the gorge, and most people see it in 30 to 45 minutes. It is also where the Belvedere Day Walk begins, a much longer and harder hike.

Where Bourke’s Luck Potholes is and how to get there

The potholes are on the R532, about 35 km north of Graskop and about 9 km south of Lowveld View. They sit roughly halfway between Graskop and the Three Rondavels, which makes them an easy break on a Panorama Route day trip. You can turn around here or carry on north.

• From Graskop: about 35 km north on the R532
• To the Three Rondavels: about 15 minutes’ drive north
• To God’s Window and the Graskop waterfalls: each about 30 minutes away
• Coordinates: 24°40’27″S, 30°48’40″E (-24.674167, 30.811111)

The site is inside the Blyde River Canyon Nature Reserve, which Mpumalanga’s parks authority runs. For the wider canyon, including the Three Rondavels, God’s Window and places to stay around Graskop, see our Blyde River Canyon guide.

The story behind the name

Sorrow meets joy: the Treur and the Blyde

The two rivers that meet here are named after an event in 1844. Voortrekkers camped in the area believed that Hendrik Potgieter’s party had died on its journey to Delagoa Bay. In their grief they named the river by their camp the Treur, meaning “mourning river”. When Potgieter came back safely, the other river was named the Blyde, meaning “joyful river”. At Bourke’s Luck, sorrow runs into joy, and the potholes are the result.

Tom Bourke’s luck

The site is named after Tom Bourke (full name Bernard Thomas Bourke), a gold digger who staked a claim in the area. He predicted there was gold here, but his own claim produced none. That is the wry “luck” in the name.

How the potholes formed

Where the Treur drops into the Blyde, the water swirls into whirlpools. The whirlpools carry sand and pebbles, which grind against the riverbed like a drill. Over a very long time they have cut deep cylindrical potholes into the bedrock. The rock around them is streaked yellow and white and coated in lichen, so the gorge looks sculpted and colourful rather than plain grey stone.

What to see at the site

• The potholes and the confluence: seen from pedestrian footbridges over the gorge. This is the main reason to come.
• The path: a winding path of about 700 m leads down to waterfalls and bridges over the canyon. It is partly wheelchair accessible. The circuit is mostly flat, with railings along the main walkways.
• The visitor centre: has a model of the canyon and displays on the area’s culture, history, animals and plants. It’s worth a few minutes before you walk down, so you know what you’re looking at.
• The curio market: traders sell crafts and curios in the car park every day.

Things to do at Bourke’s Luck

Belvedere Day Walk

If you want more than a short stroll, the Belvedere Day Walk starts at the Bourke’s Luck information centre. It goes down to the Belvedere hydro-electric power station. In 1911 it was the largest of its kind in the southern hemisphere, and it powered the gold operations at Pilgrim’s Rest. An optional side trail leads to Dientjie Falls.

• Difficulty: difficult. Allow about 2 hours down and 3 hours back up.
• Before you go: you must register and sign an indemnity form.
• Timing: start by 12:00 and be back by 17:00.
• Cost: the entry fee plus a day-walk permit. Confirm the current permit price when you register.

Photography

Go around midday, when there are no shadows on the gorge walls and you can see down into the potholes more clearly.

Combine it with the Three Rondavels

The Three Rondavels viewpoint is about 15 minutes’ drive north. Most visitors see both on the same trip.

Practical information

• Opening hours: daylight hours only
• Phone: +27 (0)73 774 3617
• Entry: a conservation levy is charged per person per day, not per vehicle. Rates are different for South African residents, SADC nationals and foreign nationals, with lower rates for children. An all-access pass for the whole reserve is also available. Tariffs are being revised, so check current rates before you go.
• Time needed: 30 to 45 minutes for the potholes circuit, or a full day if you do the Belvedere walk
• Food: there is only a small kiosk and some picnic tables on site. For restaurants, plan to eat in Graskop.

Best time to visit

Winter, the dry season, is the best time to visit because the water is clearer and the pothole shapes are easier to see. Whenever you go, the rock gets slippery when wet and the gorge is deep. Stay on the paths and keep a close eye on children.

Where to stay nearby

The closest large place to stay is Blyde Canyon, A Forever Resort, at Matibidi, off the R532 near the Three Rondavels. It has self-catering chalets, guest houses, glamping tents, a youth hostel and caravan and camping stands with electricity. Rates are charged per unit. Not every chalet looks out over the canyon, so ask about the view when you book. For more options in Graskop and around the canyon, see our Blyde River Canyon guide.

Photo: Dietmar Rabich, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.