South Africa - Yzerfontein - Pearl of the West Coast

 Yzerfontein - Pearl of the West Coast

Yzerfontein West Coast South Africa

The first owner in this area was Cornelius Heufke - this farmer was granted permission to live and graze his livestock on the farm "Eijzerfontein" on 23rd April 1732. In 1915 the property was purchased by Nicolas Pienaar who then sold most of the land to Yzerfontein Seaside Estates in 1937.  The town was proclaimed on 22nd July 1937. The town now boasts many palatial homes - a far cry from its humble beginnings.

Yzerfontein is no longer a small fishing village - it sprawls over a large distance now but always within sound of the waves. With beautiful sunsets, a lovely beach for walking at low tide and unspoilt fynbos, this "village ,just 80 km from Cape Town, is indeed a peaceful week-end escape.

 
 Schaap Island is thought to have received it's name around 1657. Sheep would venture onto the island which then became separated from the mainland by high tide! It's not actually an island and the hiking trail now starts in town and ends on the "island" at low tide.

Schaap Island Yzerfontien West Coast South Africa

Schaap Island Yzerfontein West Coast South Africa

Yzerfontein has many interesting facts if one digs deep enough - the following courtesy of Wikipedia

"The West Africa Cable System (WACS) is a submarine communications cable linking South Africa with the United Kingdom along the west coast of Africa that was constructed by Alcatel-Lucent. The cable consists of four fibre pairs^[1] and is 14,530 km in length, linking from Yzerfontein in the Western Cape of South Africa to London in the United Kingdom. It has 14 landing points, 12 along the western coast of Africa (including Cape Verde and Canary Islands) and 2 in Europe (Portugal and England) completed on land by a cable termination station in London. The total cost for the cable system is $650 million.^[1] WACS was originally known as the Africa West Coast Cable (AWCC) and was planned to branch to South America but this was dropped and the system eventually became the West African Cable System"

The cable has landed in the following countries and locations:

1. South Africa, Western Cape, Yzerfontein
2. Namibia, Swakopmund^[3]
3. Angola, Sangano near Luanda
4. Democratic Republic of Congo, Muanda
5. Republic of Congo, Matombi near Pointe Noire
6. Cameroon, Limbe, near Douala
7. Nigeria, Lekki, near Lagos
8. Togo, Afidenyigba near Lomé
9. Ghana, Nungua near Accra
10. Ivory Coast, Abidjan
11. Cape Verde, Palmarejo near Praia
12. Canary Islands, Telde(el Goro) near Las Palmas
13. Portugal, Sesimbra near Seixal
14. United Kingdom, Brean near Highbridge (fiber link is extended by underground cable to London)

 

Jelly Fish on Main Beach Yzerfontein

16 mile beach for those avid beach hikers - this is the longest, uninterrupted beach on the South African coastline and it stretches as far as the |West Coast National Park. It boasts views of both Dassen Island and Table Mountain on a clear day.

Yzerfontien West Coast South Africa

We did not have enough time to view the Historic Lime Kilns which are on the R315 before you enter Yzerfontein. Their story is fascinating. When a refreshment station was established at the Cape of Good Hope, there was no cement for building. So the Dutch built lime kilns to burn mussel shells. The ash was raked out and had a triple use: mixed with water to make cement, with salt to make whitewash to paint buildings, and with animal fat to make walls waterproof. The Castle in Cape Town and many farm houses in the Sandveld were built with cement made from Yzerfontein mussel shells – how’s that for ingenious? The kilns were still in use as recently as 1976

Yzerfontein has a fascinating history - there is much more to discover such as the fact that
During World War II Yzerfontein had a radar station, erected in March 1943. It was run by women whose job was to track enemy ship and air traffic and especially to look out for enemy submarines threatening the Allied shipping and troopship convoys.

We thoroughly enjoyed our short stay and hope to return again one day.

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South Africa - Darling Craft Beer

Darling Brew Craft Beer

A great find in the village of Darling! 

South Africa's first carbon-neutral brewery.

A unplanned stop in Darling, took us to the Darling Brewery.

What an eye opener!

With 16 Craft Beers on tap and more only in bottles, this a a Craft Beer lovers dream

The brewery is visible from the dining/pub area and is a hive of activity

Spotlessly clean it operates week-days although the brew is most probably still brewing quietly over week-ends!

Darling Brewery

The pub area is large upstairs plus there is garden seating and a play area for the kids.

The furniture, bar counter, jungle gym and artwork is all made by local artisans as the focus is on keeping it local. 

The menu offers something for most tastes - we chose to share a cheese platter.

All food on the platter was from businesses in Darling with the excpetion of the Sourdough bread that comes from a bakery in Yzerfontein. All delicious! 

 

The beers have interesting names....

Blood Serpent (Pilsner)

Bone Crusher (Pilsner) and Pixie Dust ( Weiss) both Wheat Beers

Warlord (IPA)

Gypsy Mask (Red Ale) and Rogue Pony (Pale Ale) both Ales and inspired by the Roan Antelope and the Plains Zebra

Slow Beer and Sungazer -both Lagers 

My favourite - Slow Beer - however, the tastings were great - there would have been more favourites had we stayed longer!

See the info below from the owners themselves, an amazing story.

We wish them all the success in forging ahead

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"ican Adventure – October 2007

In October 2007 we left home on a trip into Africa, with the idea to see as much wildlife as possible, our return date undecided.

Unexpectedly 3 days into our trip we stumbled onto an idea that we thought we could bring back to Darling. We met Andre of Sneeuberg Brewery and were inspired by the concept of a microbrewery. Leaving South Africa we found ourselves talking about something we knew little about, beer.

Besides wildlife we now had another goal; exploring the different beers of each country we visited. We were expecting to be exposed to varied and interesting beer and branding but what we had not expected was the increase in the size of beer bottles. Having started with 340ml in Botswana, 630ml in Zimbabwe, 550ml in Mozambique, 500ml in Kenya and 750ml in Rwanda our beer drinking appetites had gradually grown the further north we travelled and the hotter it got.

Turning south into Zambia the dinky 340ml bottle reappeared, one bottle feeling like half of another and leaving us still wanting. The realisation of our beer in a big bottle was decided.

A Thing Called Beer

Returning home was daunting as all our thoughts and ideas had to be turned into a reality, a thing called beer. Our excitement had been shadowing the realisation of what lay ahead. We were prepared for hard work but the challenges of red tape, we didn’t see coming.

Our investment began to take shape in the form of a small turnkey brewery. After months of brewing, no hint of our liquor licence and faced with the challenges of a manual system we realised that with our current setup we would never reach our dreams for Darling Brew.

We were on the verge of throwing in the towel when we by chance met Chris Barnard, a chief brewer, who agreed to contract brew for us. Chris’ knowledge and passion for brewing beer has afforded Darling Brew the privilege of becoming part of the current craft beer movement.

The Exciting Part of Branding our Beer

When we got to the exciting part of branding our beer, we wanted to create a contemporary look. We scoured through the flora and fauna of the area, as well as the geographical features. We kept on coming back to the tortoise and on doing some research we learnt of the geometric tortoise which was not only endangered but it was endemic to the Western Cape too.

From there we started playing with words and ‘slow’ struck a chord with us. We knew we didn’t want to use premium beer, handmade or craft beer; we wanted something more meaningful than that. One night after far too much red wine ‘slow beer’ was mentioned and scrawled down amongst our many ideas.

Waking up to our notes we realised that ‘slow beer’ was it. ‘Slow Beer’ is not only the name of our first beer, it is our philosophy, encompassing all of our beers, highlighting their slow fermentation process and why people should choose it over mass produced beer. It has also got the minds wondering ‘what is slow beer?’

Cape Town, South Africa, Wins again!

Views from Cape Point Nature Reserve

 Over 39,000 readers of the UK’s Telegraph newspaper have voted Cape Town, South Africa, the Best City in the World again… for the seventh year running!

V&A Waterfront Cape Town South Africa

The Telegraph joked that its readers are “nothing if not loyal”, adding “astute too… for the beauty of Cape Town… runs deep”.

Kirstenbosch Gardens - Cape Town South Africa

Describing Cape Town, the Telegraph said: “Set off in almost any direction and you are rewarded with undulating mountain peaks, slopes carpeted in the world’s richest floral kingdom, fertile valleys riven by amber streams, and wind-clipped plains producing unexpected culinary gems.”

Penguins - Simonstown Cape Town South Africa

 The newspaper said “the greatest city in the world is a coastal gem, lying in the shadow of a cloud-hugged mountain. Here wine flows, penguins waddle and – not too far away – majestic beasts roam.”

Just Nuisance overlooking Simonstown, Cape Town

Some of the highlights of holidaying in Cape Town, mentioned by the Telegraph, include Kogelbaai Nature Reserve and Clarence Drive, Boulders Beach Penguins, Kirstenbosch Gardens, the Winelands, Cape Point, the Bo-Kaap, Table Mountain and the V&A Waterfront (where Siya Kolisi will be switching on the Christmas lights soon!).

It's nearly Christmas time again! V&A Waterfront Cape Town

The Top 5 Cities in the World (according to Telegraph readers) are: Cape Town, Vancouver (Canada), Kyoto (Japan) which is a new listing in the Top 20, Sydney (Australia) and St Petersburg (Russia). See the Telegraph’s full list here.

Kalk Bay Harbour - this seal was checking the boats for fish! Cape Town South Africa

Sunset from Camps Bay Cape Town South Africa

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Cape Town - Chart Farm for Roses

      

Nothing says “summer” like the heavenly scent of roses.

A fragrant bunch of hand-picked wild roses is the acme of luxury. In our books, anyway. So, why not spoil a friend or loved one by arriving at their place with a beautiful bouquet? Of course, you’ll need to pick them first…

The power of flowers

Chart Farm, a peaceful farm in Wynberg, a mere 15-minute drive from the CBD, is home to a large garden filled with a variety of roses in almost every colour you can imagine. It also happens to be the only place in the Cape peninsula where you can pick your own, from mid-October right up until the end of May.

When you’re done picking roses…

Have a cup of tea and scones at The View coffee shop – it serves breakfast and lunch, and an array of cakes that you can enjoy while taking in the scent of roses and views of the Constantia Valley. There’s also a farm stall next door, where you can also stock up on tasty treats to take home.

ADDRESS

Chart Farm, Klaassens RoadWynberg Park, WynbergCape Town2090

CONTACT

021 761 0434
info@chartfarmview.co.za

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Cape Town - Walking Tours

Hawker Bo-Kaap Cape Town

City Sightseeing free walking tours

City Sightseeing South Africa

+27 21 511 6000

info@citysightseeing.co.za 

 No visitor to the Mother City should miss out on its beautiful historic buildings, museums and diverse history. See everything Cape Town has to offer with our walking tours:

Historic City Tour (Old Town)
The Historic City Walk departs daily at 10.30am, 12pm, 1.30pm, 3pm and 4pm from our Long Street ticket office (stop 5). As you explore the city in the 90-minute tour, your guide will highlight buildings and places of relevance and history along the route. Look out for the tour guide in their red uniforms with their red umbrellas to join the City Sightseeing Free Walking Tours. We recommend that guests first enjoy the full tour and soak up the history and stories from the guide and thereafter return to visit the museums and attractions on the route.

Vibrant Bo-Kaap Tour
The Bo-Kaap Walk departs daily at 10.30am, 1.30pm and 4pm from our Long Street ticket office (stop 5). The Bo-Kaap is situated at the top end of the CBD at the foot of Signal Hill. See the colourful houses, smell the spices and hear a call to prayers of the local mosque. This part of Cape Town is a unique, real gem and you will totally fall in love with it during our 90 minute walking tour.

V&A Waterfront Tour
This Walk departs daily at 10.30am and 3pm from our V&A ticket office located just outside the Two Oceans Aquarium. Hear the tales of Table Bay, more of the nautical history and explore this fascinating working harbour whilst joining this 90 minute walking tour.
** Please Note: All tours are conducted on a Tip-Only basis

Top spots to visit on the Historic City Walk

81 Long Street (stop 5) is home to one of our ticket offices, where you can buy tickets for all our red bus tours and cruises.
This all-stop shop is home to one of our ticket offices, where you can buy tickets for all our red bus tours and cruises. You can also enjoy a cup of coffee and a snack at the in-house café and visit our Travel Depot, an information and booking hub showcasing the best travel experiences the Cape has to offer, as well as local products and designs.
The City Sightseeing Free Walking Tours start here, look out for the tour guide in their red uniforms with their red umbrellas.

St George’s Cathedral

St George’s Cathedral is the oldest and one of the grandest cathedrals in Southern Africa. (Image: City Sightseeing) St George’s Cathedral is the oldest and one of the grandest cathedrals in Southern Africa and the mother church of the Anglican Diocese of Cape Town.
Affectionately known as “the People’s Cathedral” for its role in the struggle against apartheid, the church kept its doors open to people of all races throughout the apartheid era. Here, after Archbishop Desmond Tutu led a mass demonstration of 30 000 people in 1989, he coined the term the “rainbow nation” to describe South Africa’s diverse population.
Learn more about the cathedral’s interesting history – for example, the foundation stone was laid in 1901 by the future King George V and can be seen from the bottom of Government Avenue leading into the Company’s Garden.

South African Museum

Visit the Planetarium adjoining the South African Museum for an enriched experience.Step back into history and see more than 1.5-million items of cultural and scientific importance at the South African Museum. The museum houses a wide range – from specimens and fossils dating back over 700-million years to contemporary T-shirts.
Also visit the Planetarium adjoining the museum to learn more about the planets and stars with a virtual exhibition.

South African Jewish Museum

The South African Jewish Museum offers engaging accounts of South African Jewish history.
The South African Jewish Museum is a moving tribute to and detailed account of one of the great Jewish communities of the diaspora. The building offers visitors a poignant and moving experience with bold architectural design, interactive multimedia displays and engaging accounts of South African Jewish history.
The late former President Nelson Mandela officially opened the museum in December 2000, and you can watch the award-winning documentary Nelson Mandela: A Righteous Man screened daily. The venue also has exhibitions, including works by celebrated South African artists such as Irma Stern and William Kentridge, and by Marc Chagall.

District Six Museum

Explore the  District Six Museum by yourself, or choose to be guided by a former resident.
In 1966, the South African government of the time swooped on District Six as part of its efforts to enforce apartheid, forcibly removing its occupants and declaring the area a “whites-only” zone.
Decades later, the District Six Museum is a reminder of these tragic events, but also a symbol of return and restitution to former residents and the people affected.
See an impressive collection of historical photographs, paintings, artefacts, physical remains such as street signs, books and studies, as well as audio-visual recordings from District Six, most of which were donated by former residents.
Either explore the museum by yourself, or choose to be guided by a former resident. We recommend the latter to enrich your experience at this heritage site.

Castle of Good Hope

The Castle of Good Hope was built between 1666 and 1679 by Dutch administrator Jan van Riebeeck of the Dutch East India Company. The oldest surviving colonial building in South Africa, the Castle of Good Hope is located in the heart of Cape Town, opposite the Grand Parade and near the magnificent City Hall.
The Castle of Good Hope was built between 1666 and 1679 by Dutch administrator Jan van Riebeeck of the Dutch East India Company, mainly as a defensive fort. In its long history, it has served as military stronghold, prison and now museum, heritage site and public gathering space.
Wander the grounds on your own or join a guided tour to learn more about how the castle was built, its history and its former occupants.




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