Things to Do in Swartland

Situated 125kms from Cape Town, Tulbagh has become a secret find for the avant-garde.  The wine farm, Twee Jonge Gezellen, is in the North-West corner of this intriguing valley, with the vineyards reaching up to the east-facing slopes of the Saron Peak mountain, while the cellar nestles expectantly at the foot of the mountains.

Saronsberg Theatre is the warm heart of theatre and music in the Tulbagh Winelands, offering a regular line-up of South African legends and some rising stars. Popular shows and musical favourites are hosted every week, with Blues and Jam sessions taking place on Wednesday evenings. Enjoy a simple meal or a glass of wine with the show. +27 (0) 23 230 1782 www.saronsberg-theatre.com

Bartholomeus Klip Reserve is teeming with herds of eland, springbuck, black wildebeest, zebra and bontebok. Many other animals, such as baboons, bat-eared foxes, lynxes, and smaller species of antelope, live here too, and it is known that leopards still occur in the mountains.Among the birdlife at Bartholomeus Klip is the world’s largest bird, the ostrich, once farmed here in large flocks at the height of the ostrich feather boom in the 1870s and today one of the leopard’s favourite foods. The magnificent black eagle (correctly known as Verreaux’s eagle) nests in the mountains, and the enormous dam near to the farmhouse has a spectacular array of water birds, some resident like the fish eagles and the kingfishers, and others such as the pelicans and the spoonbills less regular visitors. Flamingos have also been seen in some of Bartholomeus Klip’s smaller dams and there are a host of interesting large and small birds out in the reserve and on the wheatlands, including large flocks of the blue crane, South Africa’s national bird.

The West Coast village of Darling – only one hour’s drive from Cape Town – is home to artists, actors, retired financiers, farmers and other interesting people (Cloof proprietors count themselves amongst those).Even if the region geographically and demographically is more than a little off-centre, Darling’s annual wild flower show – showcasing a selection of the 1 200 flowering species to be found here – makes it the focal point of the Cape Floral Kingdom.Cloof Vineyards, situated on the eastern slopes of Dassenberg, 70 kilometres north of Cape Town, are surrounded by wheat fields. In winter the most brilliant of greens, these fields ripen in early summer to earthy golden when the vineyards have burst into vibrant green leaf.Late in 2006 Cloof were named Champions under the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative, in recognition of the steps they’ve taken to conserve pristine natural vegetation, and to rehabilitate previously cultivated areas. The programme also sets extremely strict standards in terms of the potential environmental impact of vineyard and cellar activities.Darling’s unique combination of soils and climate give rise to the trademark bold-flavoured richness of Cloof wines, which ultimately is the real reason for visiting Cloof.Their passion for bold, well-defined flavours is expressed also in various food events at Cloof. Celebrating the best of country produce and simplicity in preparation, their wines are considered as being the ideal complement.Afrikaans has a word, gesellig, which best describes the happy mood that settles on a group when hospitality, good company, wine and food are brought together. That is the Cloof life and you are invited to share it with them.Opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10am to 4pm

Duckitt Nurseries is the largest orchid nursery in South Africa, if not the southern hemisphere. They specialise in growing Cymbidium orchids as cut flowers, mainly for export to Europe and the USA while many other varieties and hybrids are sold as pot plants in South Africa.  The nursery is open to the public on the first Saturday of the month from May to November from 09:00 to 12:00, where visitors will experience a spectacle of incredible flowers. Entrance is free, and plants and flowers are for sale in the pack-shed. The green house with the most spectacular display of flowers is also opened to the public.  Don't miss the annual Orchid Show on Oude Post Farm on the third weekend in September (which takes place at the same time at the Darling Wild Flower Show). This is a fully landscaped show with a tea room and sales area. Many popular and interesting new varieties of orchids can be purchased.

Apart from Golf, the Club also offers a wide variety of sport such as Bowls, Netball, Tennis, Ghymkana and Cricket. The club hosts annual events such as the Darling Wild Flower Show, Nissan Rally, WP Ghymkana Championships and Boland Bowls Championships. It is also a popular venue for weddings, conferences and other social functions. This cute 9-hole Golf course is only 75km away from Cape Town. It is especially popular with residents from Melkbos and Bloubergstrand. It is 5877m long and the greens have cynoden grass. The course has been open for the past 20 years, but with the recently built dam and new irrigation system, has grown into an attractive and well-maintained golf course. Bar facilities and light meals are available. With the excellent catering facilities available on site, it is the perfect venue for corporate and social golfing events.

Get in your karretjie and head to Darling's Evita se Perron, a cabaret theatre started by Evita Bezuidenhout aka Pieter Dirk Uys, South Africa's famous satirist. Perron means 'station platform' in Afrikaans and here you will find Voortrekker Monument kitsch rivaling apartheid signs – it's a place where everyone has a chance to laugh and/or cry, then remember and celebrate that we are no longer there. Tannie believes that by acknowledging where we come from, we will understand where we are going. "In the bad old days when very few people had the vote, passenger trains steamed into Darling Station from Cape Town on a daily basis. Now everyone has the vote and there are no more passenger trains but the station has survived, thanks to a small group of darlings who did all they could to prevent the little pink blikgebou from being demolished. Darling Station is now an international port of call. The gravy train does not stop here anymore, but every tourist bus and visitors' Merc does. Our kitchen serves Tannie's legendary braai en slaai, roast lamb or bobotie, flanked by koeksisters en melktert. The droewors and biltong snack-platter, washed down with our excellent local wines makes for a special experience."

Groote Post is a beautiful historic wine farm dating back to 1706, situated in the Darling area on the West Coast. Many of the buildings (including the Manor House and cellar) are National Monuments. Part of a family owned, 4 000 hectare working farm the winery produces award winning wines (Double Gold Veritas for Shiraz 2004 and Gold for Sauvignon Blanc 2007).The farm incorporates a game camp, offering game drives and a bird hide. The views of the Atlantic Coast and Table Mountain are spectacular. The restaurant (housed in the Manor House) is very popular preparing modern country cuisine daily.In Spring the farm is covered in wild flowers. Along with these attractions the compelling feature of the farm is its membership of the Biodiversity Wine Initiative with a commitment made to preserving thousands of hectares of endangered fynbos.Need to know? Opening Hours Monday to Friday: 09h00 - 17h00, Saturday to Sunday: 10h00 - 14h30, Public Holidays: 10h00 - 16h00. Closed: Easter Friday, Christmas and New Years Day. Tasting fee: R15 per person for groups of 10 or more people.

Doolhof Wine Estate lies in a beautiful valley below the Bainskloof Pass and is surrounded by three dramatic mountain ranges. The award winning wines are available for tasting in the "old wagon house" which has been stylishly restored and captures the essence of understated elegance. Several well marked walks leading past the river, the vineyards, orange groves and fynbos rich areas allow visitors to enjoy magnificent views over the Estate. Light lunches and picnics are available.

Go zip sliding away above the Ceres Valley on a unique mountain adventure. This new ‘foefie’ slide experience is situated in the lovely mountains surrounding the Ceres Valley. It’s only a one-and-a-half-hour drive from Cape Town, the perfect breakaway from frenetic city life. The Ceres Zip Slide Tour is the longest tour in Africa, offering eight slides, totalling a length of 1.4 km! Amazing rock formations and a river form a stunning backdrop to a fun-adrenaline-filled adventure. Participants are kitted up in full body harnesses with state-of-the-art equipment. Accompanied by two fully-trained guides, they then depart on silent, battery operated carts up into the mountain. A short walk to the departure point at the first slide reveals the breath-taking view of the town of Ceres and the Ceres Valley. This is where the fun begins! Slides vary in length between 110 – 290 m. The highest point above the ground is 40 m. You’ve got to try it! Tours depart every half hour; the last departure is at 17:00. Rate: R400 per person. Price includes beverages during and after the tour. The Ceres Zip Slide operates in most weather conditions. Children from three years can participate. Open daily 08:00 – 17:00. 079 245 0354 info@ceresadventures.co.za

Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve overlooks the attractive Boland town of Paarl and neighbours the Taal Monument. It is known for its lovely walking trails, mountain biking, fishing in the dams and stunning view of Table Mountain and False Bay across the Cape Winelands. Of special interest is the many species of Proteas, the enormous granite boulder called Paarl Rock, prolific birdlife and the Wild Flower Garden. Most visitors climb Bretagne Rock to see the best view of Table Mountain. The reserve can be accessed from various places, the easiest of which is from the main road in Paarl. Open daily from 07:00 – 19:00 in summer and 07:00 – 18:00 during winter. Entrance is free except weekends and public holidays. +27 (0) 21 872 3658

Paarl's multi-purpose stadium, Boland Park, is mostly utilized for cricket. Formerly called Boland Bank Park, the 10 000-seat stadium hosted three 2003 Cricket World Cup matches. The Cape Cobras and Boland cricket team often stage home matches at Boland Park.

The eWine Shop offers a wide selection of wines available for purchase by the bottle. Here you will be able to select Rubicon '96, Fusion V, Magna Carta, Columella and many other rare and intriguing boutique wines. 19 Concordia Street, Paarl Open Monday to Friday 08:00 – 17:00

Visit one of the most picturesque tasting rooms in the heart of the Cape Winelands. Situated in the incredibly scenic Paarl Valley, the Laborie Wine Estate is part of a small group of estate brandy producers. The location of the original 18th century pot still was traced through wide-ranging exploration. Today its modern equal is one of the many attractions of the tasting room. Along with pot still brandy, Laborie produces quality white, red, sparkling and fortified wines. Laborie is one of the first members of the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative, an independent nature conservation initiative that promotes awareness of the Cape's unique fynbos floral kingdom. Conservation initiatives focus on preserving eco-sensitive vineyard areas and aid the re-establishment of fynbos. Laborie has set aside 10% of the total farm and has reclaimed certain mountainside vineyards for fynbos regeneration. Bordering Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve, Laborie’s new fynbos areas attract many species of flora and fauna. Taillefer Street, Main Road, Paarl April to September opening hours: Monday to Saturday 09:00 – 17:00 Sundays 11:00 – 15:00 October to March opening hours: Monday to Sunday 09:00 – 17:00 For more information please contact 021 807 3390 or email peinaaf@kwv.co.za.

Scenically situated in the heart of the Cape Winelands, Paarl Golf Club offers a superb golfing experience in a perfect setting. The original course has been developed into the first and only 27-hole championship golf course in the Western Cape. This spectacular course with tree-lined fairways, water hazards and bunkers challenges more proficient golfers, yet less experienced amateurs will be encouraged to return. Facilities include a Pro Shop with caddies, carts and clubs available for hire. Full practice and teaching golf professional facilities are also available.

Experience the vibrant colours and fascinating flight of numerous butterflies in a lush, tropical garden.Butterfly World, one of the more unique attractions of the Cape Winelands, consists of a tropical garden in a 1000 m2 green house where free flying exotic butterflies feel right at home.The butterfly park is located at the cross roads of the Paarl, Stellenbosch and Wellington Wine Routes, near the small Boland town of Klapmuts. Just off the N1 at Exit 47 on the Route 44 (300m to the south), it is very accessible to the many tourists visiting the area.In a separate enclosures visitors walk in between birds, common marmosets, green iguanas and a couple of blue duiker, all free to roam the garden where they want. The Spider Room displays indigenous and exotic spiders and scorpions in locked glass terraria and teaches the public to respect and appreciate these animals. A new wing to the tropical garden is the Reptile Bay where Madagascan chameleons and lizards, tortoises, Australian skinks and bearded dragons and a couple of noisy parrots are housed.The gift shop has butterfly related items for sale and the Jungle Leaf Café provides light meals and refreshments for those taking a break from butterfly watching.The beautiful outdoor garden hosts a lapa for children’s activities, a meerkat enclosure and lots of free range ducks and chickens, waiting for children to feed them with packets of seeds and fodder bought from the gift shop.Opening hours:09:00 – 17:00Monday to SundayOpen all public holidays except 25 December and 1 JanuaryEntrance fee from 1 December 2009:R39.00 per adultR22.00 for children over threeR100.00 per family (two adults, two children)R33.00 for pensioners/college students.Discount for groups (conditions apply)Children under three enter free.Entrance fee from 1 December 2010:R43.00 per adultR25.00 for children over threeR111.00 per family (two adults, two children)R37.00

The tale of Meerendal's wine started in 1702 in the fertile slopes of the Tygerberg Hills. Today the legend continues with visiting families and friends enjoying superb wine and food. Meerendal’s award-winning wines are lovingly created by cellar-master Liza Goodwin. Hand-tended vineyards are planted with Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinotage, Shiraz, Merlot and Pinot Noir. Gorgeous panoramic views over the vineyards and Boland Mountains provide the perfect backdrop for special occasions and Meerendal has become a favourite venue for weddings, launches, private functions, meetings and events. +27 (0) 21 975 1655 Vissershok Road, Durbanville, Cape Town. Cellar Tastings and Sales: Tuesday to Sunday 09:00 to 18:00 (Sun until 17:00).

Situated only twenty minutes from Cape Town's V&A Waterfront, the Westcoast Ostrich Show Ranch is a popular tourist destination offering informative tours with a high quality, great value leather and curio shops and an ostrich meat orientated restaurant. The business is family owned and run, with Gavin and his son, Pawel, on hand to greet visitors. The farm lies on the sea facing slopes of the Durbanville Hills, which offer magnificent views of Table Mountain and the Hottentots Holland Mountains, an area steeped in local history.History reveals that ostrich chicks were traded by the original Khoi inhabitants with the Dutch Settlers in 1652 and exported from Cape Town to Batavia (now Indonesia) in 1656. Ostriches were also exported to India and the Emperor of Japan in 1658.The first documented ostrich farm was established in the centre of Cape Town in 1679. The Westcoast Ostrich Ranch has pioneered the revival of ostrich farming in the shadow of Table Mountain (Hoerikwagga). Guided tours in English, Afrikaans, German and Frenchare on offer. The tour comprises a forty-five minute informative trail that includes a visit to the display room, the leather factory and the cactus garden. The tour travels through the ostrich breeding enclosures and it is not uncommon to see a newly hatched chick or to witness an egg being laid. The ranch has over 220 birds ranging from one day old chicks to 20 year old breeding couples.The ranch stocks a variety of ostrich species and other birds, which include, the Westcoast white ostrich, dwarf ostriches, black-neck ostriches, emus, rheas and peacocks. The highlight of the trail is the ostrich show, where each member of the tour has the opportunity to sit on a live ostrich, stand on an ostrich egg and feed an ostrich. Tea and coffee is included.

Bugz Family Playpark is one of the top things to do for kids in Cape Town. If you need to entertain 2- to 10-year-old kids, march them straight here. This fun family attraction is the largest play park in the Western Cape, offering an enormous outdoor playground and a wonderful indoor play area. The colourful variety of pedal cars, jumping castles, rowing boats, swing horses, mini-tractor rides and a choo-choo train is certain to tire out little pipsqueaks in no time. Older and more adventurous scamps can giddy up on the ponies or zoom up the tracks on quad bikes. On sunny days they can even go slip sliding down the inflatable waterslide. Most of the rides are kid-powered – giving small folk plenty of exercise in a fun and natural way. Bugz has two large sandpits with colourful jungle gyms, slides, swings and numerous play apparatus to crawl under or climb over. There are also delightful playhouses, a tree house and even a castle, and if there are no parties in progress, kids are free to romp around here to their heart’s content. (Bugz is also a popular birthday party venue.) Need to know? Open every day except on Christmas Day. Ticket sales close at 16:30, but rides stay open until 17:00. Token rides are only open on weekends, school holidays and public holidays. From May until mid-September, limited or no-token rides will be available. In the event of rainy weather in summer, limited or no-token rides may be available. If it happens to rain, rides will not operate for the day, but there is a great indoor section where the fun continues. www.bugzplaypark.co.za +27 (0) 21 988 8836 party@bugz.co.za

Currently ranked the ‘5th best course in South Africa’ by Golf Digest, Pearl Valley Golf Estates was masterminded by golf legend Jack Nicklaus and his unique touch is evident throughout the stunning course.Having hosted in 2008 what many believed to be the most successful South African Open in history, Pearl Valley is again hosting the 2009 Open. During the 2008 SA Open, 2007 US Masters Champion Trevor Immelman was full of praise saying, “The course is in incredible condition, it really is. That’s the way I expected the course to be, to a high standard, and they have always turned out a fantastic course, for the members day-in day-out. I really feel like these fairways; they are some of the best, if not the best, that I’ve ever played on”.Pearl Valley is truly in a league of its own - the course design and aesthetic beauty, the combination of the deep, lush green on the fairways and greens, together with the brilliant white river sand lining the bunkers was carefully planned to make Pearl Valley the most visually spectacular golf course in the country. The total length of the course is 6801 meters from the Championship tees and the members’ length ranges from 4685 to 5876 meters. Bunkers on Nicklaus’s signature courses are renowned for being shallow, long and fairly undaunting.Every hole is played against the spectacular backdrop of the mountains surrounding the estate and all are challenging due to the strategically set bunkers and fast greens.