De Rust is located at the foot of the Swartberg at the southern entrance to Meiringspoort - the gate that connects the Koup and Die Vlak with the Klein Karoo. The town owes its origins as a resting place before travellers and train riders ventured across the difficult and sometimes dangerous gateway on their way to the north. The first farms in the area were laid out in 1765, but with its official founding day as a town on 19 April 1900, De Rust is the youngest town in the Klein Karoo. As with the first settlers, De Rust's surroundings remain an area that is extremely suitable for intensive farming and a large variety of fruits, nuts, vegetable seeds, lucerne, tobacco and livestock are cultivated. The economic driving force of the area is, as at the time when the town was founded, linked to farming activities, with agricultural tourism only a short distance behind. Today, De Rust is still a resting place for travellers and the town, with its large variety of shops, studios, and places to stay and eat, offers a welcome respite for any weary traveller. The well-maintained Meiringspoort is a major attraction for tourists with the waterfall, impressive natural surroundings and interesting names of fords over which the road winds 25 times, at the top of the list. De Rust's community, which includes the larger farming community, is a lively mix of South Africans and foreigners and gives the town an eclectic feel these days. The interesting…