The rivers that cascade over the Escarpment and down into the Lowveld rise amongst the gold-bearing rocks of the Highveld, and their alluvial deposits laid down in the Escarpment area were a rich source of this alluring metal. It was gold panning that drew the original settlers to Pilgrim’s Rest in the late 19th century; when the depsoits began to run thin, they turned to forestry or started to drift away; at that point it was decided to preserve Pilgrim’s Rest as a living museum. So the shops, hotels, restaurants and houses are faithful representations of what life was like during that gold rush period. As well as the historical element of a visit, it’s interesting to know that the alluvial deposits still turn up gold, and so you can turn your hand at panning for some yourself!