CLASSIC ROAD TRIP: OVERBERG
“On this 10-day road trip you’ll experience contrasting landscapes, from fynbos and canola fields to coastal vistas and rugged mountain ranges. You’ll also never be far from a perfectly brewed cup of coffee or a cold glass of wine.”
Some people say that the Overberg has become too busy and commercialised, but have those people ventured as far as Malgas and crossed the Breede River on a pont? Have they watched the wheat fields between Baardskeerdersbos and Elim give way to the stormy beauty of Agulhas? We’d wager not. The Overberg is one of those regions that gives us South Africans bragging rights. It has its obvious attractions, like Hermanus and the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, but if you follow the sedan-friendly dirt tracks off the N2, you might be surprised by what – and who – you’ll meet.
On this 10-day road trip you’ll experience contrasting landscapes, from fynbos and canola fields to coastal vistas and rugged mountain ranges. You’ll also never be far from a perfectly brewed cup of coffee or cold glass of wine.
Enjoy!
DAY 1 Hermanus
Get up early, fill a thermos with coffee, pack some rusks and head to the start of Clarence Drive outside Gordon’s Bay. Drive slowly along the slopes of the Kogelberg, with proteas and pincushions on one side and the deep blue sea on the other. Pull over at a viewpoint and drink your coffee while you wait for a whale or a dolphin to come up for air. In Hermanus, visit Burgundy for brunch. Have a croissant with scrambled eggs (R55) or two poached eggs with geelperske boerewors, hollandaise sauce and biltong powder (R135) while you look out over the Old Harbour. Stroll through town and pop in at Romantiques and Chilli Pepper for an enamel coffee pot, an Elvis record or a vintage school bench. Bookworms can look for special finds at Hemingway’s or Quirk & Leopard.
Whales visit Walker Bay from June to November.
Listen out for the call of the whale crier Bravo Thembinkosi. Gearings Point next to the Old Harbour is the best place to look for whales, but you can see them from anywhere along the cliff path.
In summer, have a swim in the sea at Grotto Beach or take the kids to the tidal pool in front of the Marine Hotel. Hermanus is sandwiched between the mountains and the sea, and there are hiking trails for all levels of fitness. The cliff path is an easy stroll – it runs along the sea for 7 km from the New Harbour to Grotto Beach. Another laid-back option is the 1,2 km path up Hoy’s Koppie behind
Hermanus Primary School. Fernkloof Nature Reserve (entrance is free) also has several hiking trails; dogs are even allowed on some of them.
Have dinner at Bientang’s Cave Restaurant in the Old Harbour – the sea is so close you won’t even have to add salt to your food! Note that Bientang’s Cave is only open for dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings during the off-peak season. If you’re here during the week, Rossi’s is a good option – they serve Italian food washed down with locally brewed Old Harbour beer.
DO THIS!
Bird alert! About 3 km from Kleinmond in the direction of Hermanus, turn off and visit Rooisand Nature Reserve (entrance is free). A wheelchair-friendly boardwalk runs to a bird hide overlooking the Bot River lagoon. Also see if you can spot the wild horses that sometimes graze in the vicinity.
Go paddling. Walker Bay Adventures offers activities year-round, including kayaking with whales and seals, and paddling outings on the Hermanus lagoon. From R450 for a two-hour guided tour.
082 739 0159; walkerbayadventures.co.za
Best fish and chips? Whale Coast Seafoods in Adam Street – turn off at the CTM next to the R43, travelling in the direction of Sandbaai. This is also where you’ll find the best fresh fish to braai. And try their pickled fish! 028 313 1501; whalecoastseafoods.co.za
STAY HERE
Visit hermanusholidays.co.za if you’re looking to hire a house. Rates start at R600 per night for two people – it depends on how far the house is from the beach and how many people it can accommodate.
For a three-star establishment, the Windsor Hotel might have the best view in the country. There are more affordable rooms, but a double room with a sea view costs R1 820 per night. Treat yourself!
028 312 3727, windsorhotel.co.za
DAY 2 Stanford
Plan your day so you arrive in Stanford in time for breakfast. Graze is the best place to eat in town – almost everything on the menu is home-made and organic, from the duck egg omelette (R90) to the salmon-andsweetcorn waffle (R85). The restaurant isn’t open every day (see sidebar). If it’s closed, turn around and drive back to Ou Meul at the entrance to town. Their breakfast menu is two pages long! (Banana bread toast, beetroot hummus on sourdough, breakfast wrap…) Ou Meul also has a playground for the kids.
Visit Phillipskop Mountain Reserve outside town and hike the Waterfall Trail (4 km), which follows a jeep track to a big mountain maytenus tree. The kids can climb in the branches while you catch your breath at the picnic table. A footpath runs up the valley to a small waterfall. Just before you reach the waterfall, a path turns off to the right to the Phillipskop Cave – it’s the only place in the area where you can see rock art. Sit in the cave and look out over the valley – it’s easy to see why people chose to shelter here thousands of years ago.
Walk back the way you came, or via the Rock Stacks Trail – download a map at phillipskop.co.za.
You probably noticed the farm down below when you were walking – it’s the Klein River Cheese farm, where you can have lunch (open Monday to Saturday 9 am to 4 pm). Pop into the Picnic Shed and order a cheese platter (R250 for two) and a bottle of wine from the Overberg, or taste cheese (smoked Stanford, parmesan, havarti, gruberg) and assemble your own picnic – they have baskets, blankets and cutlery. Parents can relax while the kids jump on the trampoline and race around on scooters. Afternoon nap or a walk next to the Klein River? Up to you. The Walking Trail (3 km) runs along the course of the river on the outskirts of town. The trail is clearly marked and there are boards with information about the creatures you might encounter, like African clawless otter and malachite kingfisher. You can start the trail at various points, including in Sannie Badenhorst Street. You can also combine the Walking Trail with a historical walk through town. Buy a brochure at the tourism office in Queen Victoria Street for R10.
The lazy option? Take your towel down to the riverbank at the end of King Street and relax in the sun.
Drive out to Springfontein late in the afternoon, where the wines are richly influenced by the local terroir of limestone soil and calcified seashells. Taste wine (R45 – R60) and order simple but delicious tapas-style dishes at the Ulumbaza Wine Bar(n). Try the baked potato with olive crumble (R45), spring rolls with bobotie (R50) or dry-aged ribeye (R45/100 g on the bone), with a glass of Jonathan’s Ridge pinotage (R95).