Springtime splendour as the West Coast blooms

Take a trip to see the breathtaking flora and fauna on the West Coast

SPRING is almost upon us and the West Coast National Park is welcoming locals and tourists to witness the natural phenomenon of a blooming floral landscape of yellow, white, orange and purple flowers, against a background of fields of green.

According to Pierre Nel, the senior section ranger at West Coast National Park, the flower season is a week early this year. Though the drought did not affect the presence of flowers the previous year, Nel said it did affect the length of the season. The abundance of greenery around the flowers this year, as opposed to last year, is also the result of this year’s rain.

“The flowers looked more dominant last year because of the lack of grass around them,” said Nel.

The Spring Flower Season runs every year from mid-August until September. On sunny days, the flowers can be seen blossoming and opening up their petals to the sun’s rays before they close up again at around 2.30pm.

Peak hours for bloom hunting are between 11am and 3pm.

Visitors are advised not to step deep into the fields of flowers for the sake of preserving the plants and minimising their impact on the environment by not accidentally crushing the flowers with their footsteps.

Sara Tekavec and Tiaan Calitz, a young couple who recently returned to South Africa from their studies abroad, raved about the beauty of the flower fields.

The couple took an hour-long trip from Cape Town along the scenic route of the West Coast.

Tekavec, who is from Slovenia, said: “It was nice and sunny today so we figured we could drive up and see the flowers and go on a game drive.”

This is possible because the park is also home to a range of animals including turtles, zebras, ostriches, antelopes and cape cobras.

So, one’s flower-viewing experience is heightened by the clear view of one of the wild animals behind hills of flowers, or by the side of the road leading up to the flower fields.

Visitors are also encouraged to enjoy a meal at the Geelbek restaurant prepared by the Park’s accommodating staff.

FLOWER VIEWING IS HEIGHTENED BY THE SIGHT OF ONE OF THE PARK’S WILD ANIMALS IN THE FIELDS

PICTURES: ARMAND HOUGH/AFRICAN NEWS AGENCY (ANA) BACK TO NATURE: Tiaan Calitz, his girlfriend Sara Tekavec from Slovenia, and Jacques Naude from George (above right) admire the natural blooming phenomenon. Tourists and local nature enthusiasts have been flocking to the West Coast National Park for this year’s annual Spring Flower Season. It runs until September 30.

KEEP A LOW FOOTPRINT: Visitors are advised not to step deep into the fields of flowers for the sake of preserving the plants, as they can get easily crushed.

DAZZLED BY DAISIES: Flowers open up to the sun’s rays.