The Daily Telegraph - Saturday - Travel
The Cape crusaders who go the extra mile
Pippa de Bruyn enjoys the fabulous food, wine and flowers in the valleys and mountains close to Cape Town
Telegraph readers are nothing if not loyal; astute, too. For the beauty of Cape Town – voted best city in the world ahead of Vancouver and Kyoto – runs deep. 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 windclipped plains producing unexpected culinary gems. Here are some of the city’s best day trips.
KOGELBAAI NATURE RESERVE
This falls within the Kogelberg Biosphere, a 247,000-acre reserve that is home to more than 1,880 plant species. Take Clarence Drive (R44), a cliff-hugging coastal road that is in parts as spectacular as the more famous Chapman’s Peak Drive, and stop for a swim on Kogel Bay beach, a mile-long undeveloped stretch of sand with a campsite, public barbecue spots and beautiful tidal pool. Twenty minutes south of here is the Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens: a predominantly wild, 494-acre garden overlooking the sea. Pop over to Stony Point Nature Reserve to visit one of only two land-based colonies of endangered African penguins (again, less busy than the Boulders colony), or keep on the R44 to take the turn off to the CapeNature Kogelberg office for the Palmiet river walk. This most delightful riverside amble offers plenty of opportunities to take a dip and culminates at “The Beach”, a sandy bank three miles upstream, and perfect for a picnic.
ELGIN VALLEY
“Valley of 1,000 views,” is the unofficial slogan of this Alpine enclave, and it’s apt. At an altitude of 892ft and fewer than 20 miles (32km) from the sea, this cool-climate terroir produces superb sauvignons and corker pinot noirs – a labour of love, as farmers here make a great deal more from their export-quality deciduous fruit. On weekends you can take a vintage steam train from the waterfront to the Elgin Railway Market, and spend a few hours meeting enthusiastic locals flogging food, drinks and crafts. A really fun day out, but to explore further afield the valley is best reached by car, ascending the mountains via Sir Lowry’s Pass. A pie at Peregrine Farm Stall is de rigueur, followed by a spot of wine tasting (not necessarily in that order) – personal favourites include Oak Valley and Iona, South Hill and Almenkerk. Adventurists shouldn’t miss the Cape Canopy Tour – ziplining between 13 platforms, this is the most unique way to explore unreachable parts of the Hottentots Holland
Nature Reserve.
RIEBEEK, TULBAGH AND BREEDE VALLEYS
Just under four hours with no stops, so either leave early, prune the programme, or stay overnight. Fit it all in and you’ve seen some of the most spectacular and varied scenery the
Cape has to offer. Take the N7 north, cutting through the
Cape’s wheat lands to the pretty village of Riebeek Kasteel. Stop for breakfast at Beans About Coffee (or, if you do the trip in reverse, sip on Tears of the Hipster beer in The Alchemist), then onwards to Tulbagh. Tucked into a tiny horseshoe created by the Obiqua, Witzenberg and Winterhoek Mountains, the Tulbagh Valley has plenty of picturesque farm stays (well worth it; this is excellent shiraz terroir) but for many the highlight is wandering along Church Street, admiring the beautifully restored Cape Dutch, Edwardian and Victorian buildings. Press on to Bosjes, where the visionary Bothas have built a modern Corbusier-style chapel and Murcutt-inspired restaurant called Bosjes Kombuis. There’s a fabulous five-suite guesthouse, but needs must when the devil drives – just tell him to take the scenic route through Slanghoek Valley, before barrelling back through the Du Toitskloof tunnel.
PATERNOSTER
In 2015, I tried to make a booking at Oep ve Koep, a tiny restaurant in the coastal village of Paternoster, where Kobus van der Merwe offered an entirely foraged menu. The concept was still relatively novel, so I was surprised to be told that the requested date – three months away – was unavailable; in fact, there were only five possibilities for the entire month. Intrigued, I changed my date. This was not the last time the edible artistry of Van der Merwe lured me to Paternoster – in 2018, at his new beachfront venue Wolfgat, I realised that his endeavour was beyond foraging but an earnest and endearing pride in rediscovering the archeological roots of Strandveld cuisine. Wolfgat was announced restaurant of the year 2019, sealing Paternoster’s position as chief lure of the west coast. With strict architectural guidelines – every house whitewashed; most thatched – Paternoster has a quaint, village-like charm (somewhat belied by the Porsche Cayennes and Land Rovers) with several beachfront restaurants – Leeto, Gaaitjie, Voorstrandt – serving great grub, along with the bay’s mesmerising views.
FRANSCHHOEK VALLEY
The tiniest and prettiest of the winelands valleys, virtually encircled by mountains, a day trip to view Franschhoek is both obvious and essential. Time it so that you catch the 10am guided tour of Babylonstoren gardens: inspired by the 17th-century Company’s Garden planted by the Dutch East India Company to supply their sailing ships, this eight-acre kitchen garden is an extraordinary achievement. You could spend three hours exploring the estate (and should), but unless you’re overnighting in Franschhoek you’ll want to visit a few more wine estates en route – I like La Motte, as much for its very quaffable sauvignon and millennium as the collection of Pierneef paintings, or Glenwood for its remote location and delicious chardonnay. Lined with restaurants and bars, the village high street is atmospheric albeit touristic. To view the valley like a leopard in its lair, head up the Franschhoek Pass for a late lunch at Le Petite Ferme, where your gaze is drawn by braided slopes and staggered peaks.