The phrase ‘Destination Durbanville†doesn’t exactly set one’s travel taste buds tingling — and a visit to Cape Town North hardly registers on the ‘must-do†list. But once the outrageous cost of accommodation in the Mother City has set your wallet shivering, the prospects for both look brighter.
‘What does it matter if it’s not actually in the CBD?†I muse, trawling through the lists of hotels, guest-houses, holiday homes and flats on the net. ‘Is it essential to be able to spit and have it hit the V&A Waterfront?â€
In fact, for this particular foray into the Western Cape, I don’t want to go near the Mother City’s hot spots. It’s new territory I’m after.
After an hour or so on the internet I am booked to go. Ruslamere Guest Hotel, Spa and Conference Centre in the heart of Durbanville will be my home from home for a few days. I’m spoiled for choice, finding it hard to choose between bed and breakfast in a luxury studio for R525 a night, a self-catering studio for R545 a night, an executive suite for R580 a night or a loft apartment for R595 a night. The four stars above the door translate into three-star prices for five-star service. So far so good.
But hang on. Where, exactly, is Cape Town North?
Apparently, it’s a vast area covering the geography to the north-east of the Mother City’s CBD. It’s flanked by the N2 highway between the city centre and Somerset West and, north of the airport, is known as Tygerberg. In fact Tygerberg encompasses the better-known northern suburbs of Goodwood, Parow, Bellville and Durbanville which, I have discovered, is the second-oldest municipal area in Cape Town. Yup. Durbanville cele-brated its bicentenary last year.
The oldest township in Cape Town — Langa — also falls within this area, as does Blaauwberg, comprising the area along the Atlantic coast from Milnerton to Mamre.
According to the website bumf, Cape Town North is an eclectic mix of high-density manufacturing warehousing (yikes, what have I let myself in for?) and transport logistic business activities centred on the airport (so, car-hire central?). But wait, as the saying goes, there’s more: shopping (yeah — my kind of place), beaches (cool — sun, sea and sand), nature reserves (fab — fauna and flora to boot) and vineyards (pass the bottle, please). Now that sounds more like it.
On further investigation I find out that Durbanville is kind of like Sandton with a wine route and country atmosphere. And no small amount of history. In fact, although the area is the Mother City’s youngest child in tourism terms, it’s far from young in historic ones.
Originally known as Pampoen-kraal, it was laid out in 1806, came under the administration of a village management board in 1897 and achieved municipal status in 1901. It was renamed D’Urban on September 2 1836, after Sir Benjamin D’Urban, governor of the Cape from 1834 to 1838. But to avoid confusion with the other D’Urban, the name was changed to Durbanville in 1886.
A small piece of the old town, Rust-en-Vrede, remains in the heart of the modern business district. Rust-en-Vrede dates back to 1850 and is one of the oldest buildings in the area, after the Dutch Reformed and Anglican churches. In its time Rust-en-Vrede served as a prison, a magistrate’s court, a school and a community meeting place. It was declared a national monument in 1984. Now a cultural centre, it’s home to an art gallery, clay museum, café and art studio.
Nature reserves in the area include the Tygerberg reserve — 280ha of protected land featuring the last remnants of the hugely threatened West Coast Renosterveld, one of the rarest and most threatened vegetation types in the world. Durbanville Nature Reserve might be tiny at only 6ha, but it was proclaimed to protect a rare flower — Aristea lugens — and in the process protects a transition zone of great importance between the Renosterveld and Sandveld fynbos. The Bracken Nature Reserve lies in the heart of the Brackenfell residential area and consists of 30ha of Renosterveld and fynbos.
And so to the wine route. In one of the earliest farming areas — the original estates were granted in 1698 — Durbanville’s wine route boasts traditional and modern vineyards, with estates including Altydgedacht (Barbera, Gewürztraminer and Chenin blanc cultivars); Durbanville Hills (everything from Sauvignon blanc to merlot) and Meerendal (Shiraz and pinotage specialists), which has a fine restaurant in the form of Wheatfields.
The wine route is home to some of the best restaurants and eateries in Cape Town North, as well as a range of locally produced olive products.
Nothing goes so well with eating and drinking as shopping and in this part of the world Canal Walk rules. More informal shopping can be had at the Milnerton fleamarket, which takes place every Saturday and Sunday.
Who needs a mountain? Cape Town North, here I come!
The lowdown
To find out more about Cape Town North, accommodation, things to do, places to go and sights to see, check out www.0860routes.co.za. For cheap flights and good deals on car-hire, go to www.kulula.com, www.flymango.com or www.1time.aero. Ruslamere can be seen at www.ruslamere.co.za or contact Scott Langley on 021 975 5677 or 082 805 8794. In fact, Langley is an infinite source of info on all things Cape Town North.