Scenic Splendours of the Cape
Camps Bay is a beautiful small town, ideally situated just outside of the mother city of Cape Town and within easy reach of a number of exciting activities and attractions.Camps Bay received its name from a sailor by the name of Frederick von Kamptz who landed in the Cape in the year 1778. He romanced and married the widow of the farm Ravensteyn and together they made a life in the original farmhouse on the property.
Scenic drives from Camps Bay up the slope of the mountain take the driver around Lion's Head which provides superb views of Camps Bay itself. The entire coastline is simply made for long, leisurely drives, as the scenery is truly spectacular. The natural beauty and fauna of the Western Cape has earned it UNESCO World Heritage Site status. One can also make the drive up to Chapman's Peak where there are magnificent views of False Bay on the one side and tremendous heights on the other side! This is a particularly spectacular drive as the road cuts into the cliffs winding around Chapman's Peak, which is 650 metres in height. The first administrator of the Cape Province, Sir Frederick de Waal, conceived of the road and this great engineering achievement was designed and built from 1915 through to 1922.
An easy forty-kilometre drive will bring you to the southernmost point of Africa: Cape Point. The drive takes you through a nature reserve that is at the tip of the Cape Peninsula. Keep your eyes peeled as game has been reintroduced to the area and you may spot rhebok, grysbok or baboons not to mention the marine life in the area. It was here at Cape Point, in the year 1488, that Bartholomew Dias, a Portuguese seafarer, made the first documented expedition around the Cape. It is a particularly turbulent sea and is known as the Cape of Storms for good reason! There can still be seen many shipwrecks and stone crosses as testimony to the sea's tumultuous nature. Here, at the bottom of the continent, you can order and enjoy a tasty meal before making the drive back to the glitz and glamour of Cape Town.
Wine routes abound and for those keen on learning the finer points of wine tasting, there are a great many excellent vineyards to explore. The inland wine lands are rich in culture and many have magnificent Cape Dutch architecture to compliment centuries of dedicated winemaking. There are numerous award-wining wines to choose from amongst the many vineyards along your routes. Purchase a few cases to enjoy back home!
The Victoria and Alfred, V&A, Waterfront is a short distance away from Camps Bay and offers the enthusiastic visitor a great shopping experience! There are boutiques, restaurants as well as a crafts section. Boat cruises can be arranged from the quays and the aquarium is within walking distance and houses a grand seaweed forest.
The Mother City provides entertainment to keep your days filled with shopping, sightseeing, history and culture and your nights buzzing with jazz music, theatre and sampling the exquisite fare on offer at the trendy restaurants.
Local Tips:
* Relax and appreciate the beauty of the Cape by packing an exciting picnic basket to take along on your journeys. There are a variety of exciting snacks, cheeses and biscuits available from the local delicatessens. Pack in fresh fruit juices and drinks or enjoy with a bottle of wine from a vineyard on your route.
* There are beautiful picnic spots with sweeping views at many of the attractions: Chapman's Peak, Camps Bay beach, Tale Mountain, Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens.
* Pack in hats and sunscreen to prevent burning in the African sun!
