West Coast Way Culture Route
You can feel it in your bones. It’s time to go on a trip up the West Coast. Consider doing the West Coast Way Culture Route!
The West Coast Way Culture Route is part of the longest road trip of South Africa, with the most twists and turns. In fact, after you’ve explored the Culture Route – be sure to take the Foodie Route, Tractor -, Wild – or Berg Routes a try.
Culture Cats head up the West Coast Way Culture Route
The West Coast Way Culture Route starts a mere 25 minutes from Cape Town’s CBD at SANCCOB in Table View. They have been saving seabirds including happy-footed penguins since 1968. You can even adopt an egg or chick, but not to take home of course.
If you are the active type do some kitesurfing at Blaauwberg. Alternatively look at the unequaled view of Table Mountain, see the kitesurfers silhouetted against the mountain and try to guess the distance from Blouberg to Robben Island, a heritage site.
Not too far from here, Melkbosstrand is South Africa’s newest Blue Flag Beach. It is home to The Lodge at Atlantic Beach that invariably exceeds expectations.
Koeberg Nature Reserve is open seven days a week and is popular among mountain bikers.
Silwerstroomstrand is another Blue Flag Beach that is great for camping. Alternatively, chalets are available for rent.
Witzand Aquifer Nature Reserve with its powdery white dunes is popular for sandboarding.
Mamre, a Moravian Mission Station, is the home of one of South Africa’s oldest churches. You will also find Tori Oso ‘chat house’ Coffee Shop here. Listen and feel the stories of the West Coast as you go on a Heritage walk, self-guided or with a community guide.
The next stop is at Darling, where five nature reserves come together, with at its center: Darling Museum. Pieter-Dirk Uys’s Evita se Perron is so iconic that it needs no description; The Marmalade Cat is famous for its homemade food, and its ginger-and-white cat; and at Darling Sweet, you can see how old-fashioned toffees are made as well as taste all the different flavours.
If all this has made you thirsty – not that an excuse is needed – pop into Darling Brew, a craft beer microbrewery.
This section of the West Coast Way Culture Route has so much to offer it begs you to stay over. Disa Lodge has beautiful wooden floors and high ceilings and is one of the first houses built in Darling. Darling Lodge is housed in a beautifully restored Victorian home with a lovely garden.
Other wine farms include Groote Post – in the early 1800’s this farm served as a guard station – as well as Darling Cellars and Cloof Wines. All pairing perfectly with Darling’s Flying Pig – famous for its bacon jam.
Whatever you do, do not miss a wine tasting – or a bespoke chocolate and wine pairing – at the Ormonde Private Family Wine Cellar. They have three ranges of wines namely Ormonde, Ondine, and Alexanderfontein.
As a new day breaks head to the West Coast National Park – very popular amongst birders – which is home to famous Geelbek Restaurant.
Other options include a visit to Langebaan Lagoon and Yzerfontein – book a 1-5 day walk with Cape West Coast Biosphere Trails whilst here. If you haven’t done it yet you will be sorely tempted to extend your holiday at this stage.
The slogan at !Khwa ttu is ‘adventure, relaxation and education’ and they more than deliver on all three counts. From up on the hill, you have a spectacular view of Table Mountain; in the Bush House, Bush Lodge or Bush Camp you feel as if you could be anywhere in the bushveld, and not a few kilometers from the Mother City instead. !Kwha ttu also offer San-guided tours, walking, trail running and cycling. Once you have worked up a sweat the restaurant offers delicious meals in sizeable portions.
Visit westcoastway.co.za for information on their unique collection of themed routes, for a day or an extended stay, on the Cape West Coast or call 0861 321 777. Share your experience on @WestCoastWaySA.
Written by: Ilse Zietsman
I’m a freelance journalist – I love writing about travel, food, and people. Travel is my passion – I’ve traveled to 44 countries and I’m always planning my next trip.
I have a curious mind, I love learning new things and doing something different. And yes, I confess, I listen to Boney M over Christmas.
West Coast Way is a unique collection of themed routes that can be enjoyed by locals and visitors when they do an adventure-filled Cape West Coast self-drive trip for a day trip or a West Coast Holiday. The new West Coast Way “basket” of free routes on offer include the West Coast Way Tractor Route, the West Coast Way Berg Route, the West Coast Way Foodie Route, the West Coast Way Cultural Route – as well as the newly launched West Coast Way Wild Route, all of which are designed to showcase the many attractions and activities that are already on offer on the Cape West Coast and inland areas – but may be unknown to many.
For more information on West Coast Way, the other routes on offer, and the list of 101 Things to Do on the West Coast visit www.westcoastway.co.za or call West Coast Way on 0861 321 777. Connect with West Coast Way on Facebook and Twitter at WestCoastWaySA.