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Spring flowers at Postberg on the West Coast

23/7/2015

9 Comments

 
Spring flowers, Postberg Nature Reserve
By Roxanne Reid
Once the spring flower season on the Cape’s West Coast starts to warm up, it’s time to think of visiting the Postberg Nature Reserve for a riot of colour and wonderful sea views. Here are some photos of spring flowers at Postberg to inspire you to make this the year you see them for yourself.

The Postberg Nature Reserve lies in the West Coast National Park near Langebaan, about an hour and a half’s drive from Cape Town. Closed for most of the year, the reserve opens to the public only in August and September when the spring flowers are at their beautiful best. 
Spring flowers, Postberg Nature Reserve
Clouds can ruin your flower experience, but even they are beautiful in their way
The day we visited started slowly, with cloud cover that kept most of the flowers closed. But by 11am the sun was out, the sky blue and the Strandveld spilling over with colour from white and yellow to orange, pink, purple and mauve, like threads in a tapestry.
Spring flowers, Postberg Nature Reserve
White rain daisy (Dimorphotheca pluvialis)
It was an added bonus to see birds, tortoises, and a herd of eland grazing and relaxing in a field of yellow and pink flowers against a backdrop of blue-blue sea. If we hadn’t been so focused on the flowers, perhaps we might even have spotted a passing whale or pod of dolphins, which also occur in the Atlantic Ocean off Postberg.
Spring flowers, Postberg Nature Reserve
No one does colour mixing better than nature
Tips
1. Download an entry/indemnity form here and fill it in beforehand to make your entry into the park smoother and faster.

2. Every year in mid September SA National Parks Week gives all SA citizens free entry into its national parks around the country, including West Coast National Park. It’s a great chance for those who otherwise can’t afford to see the spring flowers, but if you hate crowds you might want to avoid that week. Remember too that your Wild Card will also get you free entry on other days.
Spring flowers, Postberg Nature Reserve
Sand roads, sea views and a multitude of colourful flowers make Postberg special
Spring flowers, Postberg Nature Reserve
An expansive carpet of flowers dwarfs these eland, South Africa's largest antelope
3. If you can, go during the week to avoid the weekend crowds that flock to enjoy the spring spectacle at Postberg.

4. Be warned that if you enter through the park's main gate on the R27 there may be a long queue on busy days and weekends. To avoid a queue, rather go to Langebaan and use the entrance gate there, where the queue is always shorter, although it's a longer drive inside the park to Postberg.
Spring flowers, Postberg Nature Reserve
Hongerblom (Senecio arenarius)
Spring flowers, Postberg Nature Reserve
Sporrie (Heliophila coronopifolia) is the only blue flower in the West Coast National Park
5. The best time for seeing the flowers is on a sunny day between about 11:00 and 15:00. On rainy or cloudy days most of the flowers won’t open so the display will be disappointing.

6. While you enjoy the flowers, look out for animals like wildebeest, eland,
springbok, Cape grysbok, mountain zebra, bontebok, Cape fox and African wild cat, as well as birds and tortoises. You may even get a chance to do some whale watching.
Spring flowers, Postberg Nature Reserve
Spring flowers, Postberg Nature Reserve
7. You’re not allowed to get out of your car and especially to walk off the road into the fields to trample the flowers. It's selfish and destructive for people to waltz through fields of flowers just to get a selfie. And whatever you do, DO NOT pick them! 

8. Note that the timing of the flowers depends on whether the rains are early or late. To find out when is the best time for visiting Postberg phone the Flower Hotline on 072-9388186 or contact West Coast Tourism, tel 022-4338505 or www.capewestcoast.org.
Spring flowers, Postberg Nature Reserve
Angulate tortoise
Spring flowers, Postberg Nature Reserve
Gousblom (Arctotis hirsuta)
9. Postberg is open from 9:00 to 16:00 daily in August and September, with the last entry being allowed at 15:00 (but be aware that an hour is waa-a-ay too short for a proper visit!). The greater West Coast National Park gates are open from 7:00 till 18:00.

10. Picnic only at the designated spots; if you try to spread your picnic blanket among the flowers someone will find you, make you move and slap you with a fine for breaking the rules too.

Tip: You may also enjoy reading my guide to the rest of the West Coast National Park.

Like it? Pin this image!
Spring flowers at Postberg in the West Coast National Park #WestCoast #South Africa #travel
Spring flowers at Postberg in the West Coast National Park #WestCoast #South Africa
You may also enjoy
​12 things to do in West Coast National Park


Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission from roxannereid.co.za
9 Comments
Lizette Strauss
18/8/2015 01:48:51 pm

Are the flowers, including bulbs already in bloom?

Reply
Roxanne
19/8/2015 11:32:22 am

Lizette, Postberg flowers are a bit late this year. When I was there end July only the skilpadbessiebos was in bloom. Best is to phone the hotline mentioned above or West Coast National Park itself.

Reply
Ruth Jardine
21/9/2015 10:54:15 am

We saw what looked like a Qwagga at Postberg on Saturday,19th September 2015, are they breeding them there? we also saw donkeys besides all the buck, etc.

Reply
Roxanne link
21/9/2015 05:15:38 pm

??? That sounds weird, Ruth. I'm afraid I don't know but I'll try to find out for you.

Reply
Roxanne link
22/9/2015 01:24:16 pm

Ruth, I checked with the Section Ranger at Postberg and she said: "Those are not Qwaggas but Cape Mountain Zebra. And there are definitely not donkeys in the National Park. What she might have mistaken for donkeys must have also been the zebra. Because of the type of nutrients in the soil, the white stripes on the zebra in our park can at times appear more brown and I can understand that from a distance it could be confusing."

Hope that answers your questions!

ayne
15/9/2017 04:25:04 pm

Just did the walk in Postberg, flowers are not starting to finish, but still lots to see. Are there any places/books that can identify flowers specific to Postberg.I have all the usual books but am having problems!

Reply
Roxanne
15/9/2017 04:38:57 pm

Gosh, Ayne, I really don't know. Why not google the park for a telephone number and ask to speak to Postberg's section ranger, Ms Gagiano. She may know of more specific books to help you. Good luck.

Reply
Debbie Wall Smith link
25/8/2019 11:59:39 am

Hi Roxanne please could you direct me to a book/place to identify Postberg flowers

Reply
Roxanne
25/8/2019 02:53:45 pm

There is a book called Namaqualand and Clanwilliam, South African Wildflower Guide that was published by what was then Struik Publishers in the 1990s but I don't know if it's out of print. This might be of some help for West Coast flowers in general. The Nature division of Struik is now part of Random House Penguin Publishers in Cape Town, so you could google their number and ask if it's still in print. Failing that, SANParks' official info guide to the Namaqua National Park (available from reception in the park near Kamieskroon) has some info on about 30 of the plants you can commonly see in the area. If there is a similar guide to the West Coast Park (I'm not aware of one) this would probably also be helpful, but you'd have to ask the park directly. Sanparks.org, then 'explore parks' to find West Coast NP and a contact number. Hope this helps.

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    I'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.
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