Think giant oaks and the burble of water in little streams; historical 19th century buildings and bright little houses in a ribbon along the roadside, yellow and purple shining in the sunlight. This is Suurbraak at the foot of the Tradouw Pass, only 10km off the N2 but 100 years away in time.
By Roxanne Reid
Think giant oaks and the burble of water in little streams; historical 19th century buildings and bright little houses in a ribbon along the roadside, yellow and purple shining in the sunlight. This is Suurbraak at the foot of the Tradouw Pass, only 10km off the N2 but 100 years away in time.
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By Roxanne Reid At first glance the town of Swellendam in the Western Cape is an elegant blend of museums, restaurants, boutiques, galleries and places to stay. Yet just over the railway line in the satellite township of Railton, things are very different. If you don’t take a township tour in Swellendam, you’re not seeing the full picture or all its colours. By Roxanne Reid We arrived at Bontebok National Park near Swellendam at the foot of the Langeberg in the grip of a heatwave. The veld was dry, the sun was on the boil and hundreds of miggies were elbowing each other to get up our noses. But the tiny park makes a good stopover between Cape Town and the Garden Route, offering a raft of activities. Here are 10 things to do at the Bontebok National Park. By Roxanne Reid When you visit the historic town of Swellendam, about a two-hour drive from Cape Town, don't miss a visit to JW Beekeeping, Honey & Equipment to taste the honey and see live bees. By Roxanne Reid Not everyone is madly enthusiastic about history. They’ll wave off philosopher George Santayana’s words: ‘Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.’ I’m not one of them. So when I went to the Overberg and found three museums within spitting distance of each other, I was hooked. Here’s why you should visit these museums in Swellendam. By Roxanne Reid We arrived at the Karoo Art Hotel when the afternoon sunlight was not kind. The hotel looked as though its glory days were long past, its present faded and faintly sad. But when we stepped inside and took time to look beyond the surface, its quirkiness crept into our hearts. By Roxanne Reid Fynbos, flamingos on the lagoon and a forest spa sounded so romantic. My kind of place. So when I was invited to stay at the Mosaic Private Sanctuary near Stanford in the Overberg while I researched an article about things to do and places to eat in Stanford, I was there boots and all. Through this photo essay you can get a taste too. By Roxanne Reid It was February and as hot as Hades. Yet the guided marine walk at De Hoop Nature Reserve that would see us poking about in rock pools was scheduled to start at 11am – because that was low tide – and continue under the noonday heat. We nearly chickened out. By Roxanne Reid February is the month of love. And to my mind there’s nothing more romantic than chocolate, wine or food. Except perhaps chocolate, wine and food. That’s why the wine and food pairing at Creation Wines in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley above Hermanus in the Overberg is such a romantic match. The intriguing wine and chocolate pairing is the cherry on top. By Roxanne Reid The N2 between Cape Town and the Garden Route is the unlikely venue for a great new place to stop for breakfast, lunch, or treats to take away as padkos. Even the architecture of Tredici in Swellendam give you a taste of Europe. |
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AboutI'm an independent travel writer and book editor with a passion for Africa - anything from African travel, people, safari and wildlife to adventure, heritage, road-tripping and slow travel. Categories
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