The Southern Peninsula’s First Hemp House
Most of us know that hemp is one of the toughest, 
longest lasting and most eco-friendly materials on Earth. Studies have shown that houses made of hemp have a 600-800 year life span. Thanks to Hemporium’s Tony Budden, South Africa’s first hemp house has finally been built in an effort to raise awareness about the wide variety of uses of the hemp product.
Using hemp as a building material is nothing new, its use dates back millennia in Asia and the Middle East where the Cannabis plant originates from. The biggest challenges in using hemp as a building material in South Africa have been its cost and supply as hemp farming is still illegal in South Africa. All the materials used for Budden’s hemp home were imported from overseas, with the construction of the house taking about eight months in total.
The hemp house is not only environmentally-friendly, but modern and aesthetically pleasing as well. The house is built upon the foot of the mountain overlooking the wetlands and facing the stunning Noordhoek 8km shore line. Everything in this house, from the canvases of the paintings, to lampshades and bed-linen, to curtains and cosmetics, is made of hemp. In fact, this particular house is now considered as the “most sustainable building in Africa”. Way to go Budden!
The house is part of a handful of houses which have been built in America and the United Kingdom using eco-friendly and sustainable material. America’s first hemp house was built last year in Ashville, North Carolina. It was built by the company Push Design, and has received so much support from the community and local officials that they are planning to build many more.
Budden’s house was built using hemcrete, hemp insulation, hemp particle boards, hemp floors, hemp carpets, hemp furnishings, hemp textiles, hemp oil, etc. Not only that, but eco-friendly technology was a prime factor in the building of the house; double glazing, solar water heating, rainwater harvesting, grey water recycling, as well as a passive solar design.
The inner-walls are decorated in a rough, textured way which adds a vibrant natural feel to it, and which is in contrast to some of the painted walls which are finished with wood. There is even a small circular opening in one of the walls through which visitors can glimpse into the layers of hemcrete, hemp insulation and hemp plaster that the house is made of. The hemp walls, which contain hollow, organic fibres, provide anti-bacterial properties that purify the air. The house is also equipped with a thermostat which controls the climate in the house by automatically opening and closing the windows. The thermostat is an eco-friendly alternative to regular air conditioning.
Budden’s hemp home is a revolutionary move in green building and an eco-friendly lifestyle in South Africa, it serves as an example for all those skeptical about the benefits of hemp. For those worried about someone smoking their hemp house, don’t worry, it’s not possible. You’d have to smoke a whole bedroom of hemp!
(This is a guest post by our new intern Ivelina Dineva)
(Image from Hemporium website)
Caving in the Peninsula
With so many different sports activities out there, 
who would’ve guessed that caving is one of them. Caving is often referred to as an adventure sport due to sheer drops requiring rope or ladder techniques and awkward squeezes, which are impossible for those who are not relatively fit. Naturally, there are also plenty of caves which are easy to navigate on a fun day out. The Southern Peninsula has quite a few caves for those seeking a relatively easy caving adventure as there are over a hundred caves recorded, some of which have more than 1km underground passage.
Three easy-going caves to explore are Elephant’s Eye Cave, Peers Cave, and Smitswinkelbaai Cave. You can access Elephant’s Eye Cave through Tokai Forest or through the Silvermine Nature Reserve. The walk to the cave is not too strenuous and there are gravel roads which can be followed. Make sure to look out for the variety of unique plants and species, as well as the two stunning viewpoints en route. The cave itself reveals a breathtaking view of Table Mountain and surrounding areas, so be sure to have your camera in hand.
Peers Cave, situated above Fish Hoek valley, is a short climb up the dunes and offers an insight into the Stone Age history and scenic views across the valley. Fish Hoek gained its place in world history with the discovery of a fossilized skeleton. Peers Cave, which had been used as a shelter by a group of prehistoric people, was discovered by local amateur archaeologist Victor Peers and his son Bertie Peers in 1927. After excavating the cave they both discovered stone tools, and the fossilized remains of nine people, as well as the ‘Fish Hoek Man’, a 12 000-year old man in the ancient burial site of Peers Cave which had the largest brain area of any skull its age found up until that time. In 1941 Peers Cave was declared a National Monument.
Smitswinkelbaai Cave is a sea cave on the eastern side of the Southern Peninsula. Excavations were conducted in 1981 and stone tools, as well as bone and shell tools were discovered. Access to the cave is only possible through the rocky and boulder-strewn shore from the north side. Don’t carry too many things on your back on your way to this cave, as you will be treading upon slippery rocks. Before going, also make sure that it isn’t high tide time.
Some safety tips for cave exploration:
- Make sure that someone outside your group knows where you are headed and how many hikers are present.
- Two torches per person, spare batteries, and a headlamp are essential.
- When exploring a dark cave it’s very easy to lose track of time, so make sure that you have sufficient time to get back before it gets too dark or cold.
Contact Cape Town Tourism on +27 (0)21 487 6800 or email info@capetown.travel for advice on accredited guides.
(This is a post from our new intern Ivelina Dineva)
(Image from stock.xchng)
Scarborough’s private treasures
Recently, I was blessed with the fortune of
settling into a breathtaking house overlooking the magnificent sparkle of the Atlantic Ocean in the wild and whimsical suburb of Scarborough. As if that wasn’t overwhelming enough, I soon came to found out that there was an even bigger treasure hidden within the wooden treasure box-like house, a guitar-maker!
You might ask how a guitar maker can be a treasure, but go and try to find someone in South Africa to carve you the perfect custom-made guitar, and you will understand why Marc Maingard is one of a kind. Not only has this eccentric character been making guitars since the 70s, but he also happens to be one of the very first settlers in Scarborough, and by very first, I mean way back when there was still neither water nor electricity reaching Scarborough.
Marc Maingard’s magical journey started as an apprentice for his parents’ friend Ron Stabbins, who lived in the countryside close to Durban. Growing up in Durban, Marc would visit Ron’s countryside house once or twice a year with his parents. Whilst the adults spoke of serious and jovial matters over tea, Marc would explore Ron Stabbins’ workshop in silent amazement, which was filled with stacks of wood, grandfather clocks, chairs, tables, chisels and wood shavings. Little did he know that 30 years later he would be Ron’s apprentice.
After gaining woodwork experience at Ron’s workshop, Marc decided to pursue a career in guitar making as he was unable to have his guitar repaired in the early 70s. Embarking on a lifelong journey, he was fortunate enough to come into contact with two sensational guitar makers who helped him to start his career, Richard Hoover and Jose Oribe. He soon moved to the evolving suburb of Scarborough and built his charming wooden house.
Marc is also a musician, composer and performer, and it took him ten years to make his first classical concert guitar, complete with the perfect resonance and sustain. His perseverance, perfectionism, and Scarborough’s inspiring and vibrant energy have made him not only South Africa’s, but one of the world’s most recognised guitar makers. If you’re in the Southern Peninsula and need to repair your guitar, Marc will not only fix just about any guitar, but he is also the authorised repair person for Martin, Gibson, and Ovation in South Africa.
In addition to making exquisite guitars, Marc also enjoys surfing, eating raw food, meditating, looking after his herb garden, and trying to discipline his two noise-loving dogs Muffin and Digit. I can honestly say that this is as awesome as a landlord can get. His son, Nate Maingard, also happens to be a brilliant and talented full-time musician, so if you’re looking for some new and exciting entertainment in the Southern Peninsula then make sure to check out one of Nate Maingard’s gigs and listen to his thought-provoking lyrics. Most importantly, if you think you can handle owning a custom-made guitar by Marc Maingard, then visit his website at www.guitarsafrica.co.za.
(This is a post by our new intern Ivelina Dineva.)
(Image from Guitars Africa website)
Life Under The Table
Cape Town is one of the world’s most easily 
recognisable cities, nestling as it does in the shadow of the distinctive shape of Table Mountain. It is South Africa’s second largest city, a multi-culturally diverse place that is packed with attractions, sights and history.
Whether you are there to explore the expanses of the veldt and wine-growing region to the north, Cape Town’s natural landscape also includes the City Bowl and Cape Point, which are both areas of outstanding beauty. Visitors can also enjoy one of the many sporting events that regularly take place or you can just take in its rich heritage, you’ll find lots of appeal in this city from the moment your flight to Cape Town touches down.
Cape Town Attractions
Central Cape Town also has some fascinating and well-liked attractions, the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, parliament buildings, the distinctive sights of Cape Dutch architecture, the Fort of Good Hope and Rhodes memorial. One of the most popular tourist attractions in the whole of Africa can be found here, Robben Island, the prison where for over 25 years Nelson Mandela and others of the ANC were held prisoner.
Robben Island
Now classed as a UNESCO World Heritage site, you can take daily trips out to the island and see the conditions in which the prisoners were kept, visit Mandela’s cell and the quarry where prisoners worked. It provides a unique insight into the hardships people endured during apartheid.
Table Mountain
Table Mountain stands 3,563’ above sea level and is linked to the lower slopes by a picturesque cable car ride. The landscape is a protected area and contains an incredible 2,200 rare and endangered native species. There are plenty of well marked trails across the mountain and breathtaking views from every angle. Lions and leopards have long since gone but you might spot porcupine, mongoose, tortoises and rare wildcats.
Victoria & Alfred Waterfront
This is the centrepiece to Cape Town’s entertainment; over looking the harbour with its bobbing boats and yachts the area has been massively gentrified since its days as a working docks. Now there are boardwalks to stroll along, boutiques, cafés and restaurants, the Two Oceans Aquarium and Chavonnes Battery Museum. The V&A is the focal point for many activities and events in Cape Town and always proves to be a lively place to visit.
Sport in the Cape
Sports fans can enjoy the thrill of hiking above Cape Town, scuba diving or deep sea fishing in the Atlantic. There are plenty of golf courses within the area and the fabulous beachfront is the ideal location for many watersports activities. Its beaches provide endless entertainment and are popular with locals and tourists alike. Cape Town’s unique location at the point where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet gives it varied and differing beaches some are strangely warmer, others peppered with great waves and penguin colonies.
Cape Town provides a great place to visit and for many is the gateway into exploring a wider South Africa. Starting from the provincial capital many tourists go on to explore the beauty of the Western Cape.
An avid blogger, Simon Grant continues to write on his site Time To Wander about all places wonderful on this planet of ours.
(Image by kimzee, stock. xchng)
Best Road Trips to See Whales
South Africa is an ideal destination for a road trip and netcars.com 
is here to help the process. Hire a jeep or four-wheel drive and check out the incredible landscape and coastline on offer. Cape Town is a great spot for whale watching, which is a massive draw for holidaymakers. There are a number of areas to see the whales from in this part of South Africa, including False Bay in Muizenberg and Hout Bay.
The most common species of whale here is the southern right, which tends to be seen at False Bay. The schools of whales usually use the further coastal waters along the southwest Cape coast to have their calves and raise them in nursery waters. For this reason, whales can often be seen very close to the shore, making it a hugely popular spot with whale watchers and animal enthusiasts. The best time of year to see them is from May until the end of November, with the peak month for spotting the whales around October. It’s prohibited to approach the whales in boats closer than 300 metres, as they’re heavily protected by the South African authorities. However, there are a great many land-based viewing points that give spectacular sights of the schools in action.
It’s also possible to see other whale species here including humpback whales, Bryde’s whales and even the infamous killer whales. There’s plenty of other interesting wildlife to view here too, including dusky and bottlenose dolphins that share the east and west sides of the coast between them and African penguins over at Boulder’s Beach in nearby Simon’s Town.
West False Bay is another good vantage point. Try the walkway from Muizenberg to Saint James, the Fish Hoek walkways and Kalk Bay Harbour wall. These were all sites for open boat whaling in South Africa’s history. If you head up to Stony Point, along the coastal road, south of Cape Hangklip, there’s also a historical former whaling site and the home now of a colony of Jackass penguins, a great favourite with kids. Drive along the coastal road between Scarborough and Sea Point too for excellent whale watching spots and a sea colony at Duikerklip. It’s possible to get boat trips to see the seals if you head to Hout Bay Harbour to board one.
If you’re going to watch the whales as part of your vacation, check out some of their typical behaviour that will frequently be on display. Southern right whales particularly tend to display similar characteristics, such as breaching (when they jump out of the water, arch into a back flip and fall back in, usually to communicate, play or signal aggression), blowing water through their blowholes when coming up to the surface, lobtailing (slapping their flukes on the water’s surface, which makes an incredible sound) and spyhopping, which is when they stand as vertically above the water’s surface as they can, to see as much of their surroundings as they can. Another interesting behaviour shown at night is grunting, when they make a loud roaring sound that carries for up to two km away.
(Image by Michaël CATANZARITI [GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons)
Argentine Tango in Cape Town
Since the mid-80s, Argentine Tango has quietly become one 
of the most popular partner dances worldwide. Difficult to learn, time consuming, but ultimately very rewarding, Argentine Tango requires a level of focus and commitment that has proven to be daunting for many. However, those people who do choose to put their time and energy into the study of the form have created a passionate worldwide community, with hubs all over the globe. Cape Town has emerged as one of these hubs, and it is possible to dance Tango almost every night of the week in the city. From very traditional to more “nouveau”-style venues, there is something for everyone in the Cape Town tango community.
Cape Tango
Cape Tango Studio is run by tango teachers Alexey Cherkaev and Sylvia Westcott. The studio offers drop-in classes on Sundays at the Swiss and Austrian Social Club, and also workshops and short-courses. They also host a milonga on Sunday evenings at the Social Club.
El Cacha Tango Company
The El Cacha Tango Company opened its doors in 2003, and is run by Nur “Latino” Dryer, Cherona Reisenhofer, and Jackie Borez. All three instructors of the studio began their movement training in other modalities and found their way to tango, studying with Mareli Schroter, considered by many to be the founder of the tango movement in South Africa, and with various well-respected instructors in Buenos Aires. They teach group classes Tuesday through Thursday, and also offer private instruction.
Tango Cape Town
Tango Cape Town was founded by Mark Hoeber, a dancer and actor originally from London He invited professional modern dancer Ina Wichterich formally of Pina Bausch Tanz Theatre Wuppertal, to join him in the mid-90s. The studio offers group classes in eight-week and four-week cycles at multiple levels, as well as private instruction and a Thursday evening practical.
Libertango
Libertango is run by tango dancer Rachael Glaser. Ms. Glaser began dancing tango in 2001 and studied in Buenos Aires for a number of years. Classes at the studio are run on an eight-week schedule and are offered at four levels. The studio also offers tango nuevo workshops and private lessons, and sponsors a practica on Thursday evenings.
In addition to classes and practices, there are also a number of milongas in Cape Town happening each week or month. Milongas take place every Wednesday at Rose Street, and every Sunday at Que Pasa Latin Lounge and at the Swiss and Austrian Social Club. Every 2nd Saturday, tangueros can dance the night away at 6 Spin Street and once a month on Friday, the city offers Milonga Africana at iKhaya Lodge. There are a number of tango performance ensembles based in Cape Town, and guest artists come to the area regularly. No matter if you are a tanguero or tanguera visiting South Africa by plane or via cruise on the Queen Mary 2, or local person new to tango, Cape Town offers a little something for everyone. Happy dancing!
Each studio has its own website where you can find more information.
This is a guest post by Dee.
(Image by delbonete, stock.xchng)
Help save the Western Leopard Toad
If you live in Cape Town’s Southern Peninsula 
you’ve probably seen the road signs asking you to look out for Western Leopard Toads. I’ve lived in the area for four years and I’ve never seen one, which is just as well because they’re small critters and I imagine that dodging them at night is rather difficult. And you would have to dodge them at night because that’s when they’re most likely to come out. And, you would have to dodge them because they’re endangered; so endangered that they’re on IUCN’s (International Union for Conservation of Nature) red list – the critically endangered list.
One of the reasons they are critically endangered is, of course, man and his encroachment on the toads’ territory. The toads live in the wetlands that are scattered around the peninsula. Well, that’s not entirely accurate. They live in the gardens close to the wetlands. They breed in the wetlands.
Which brings us to the other reason why the toads are near to extinction: they have an incredibly short breeding season. Western Leopard Toads breed for between two and five days per year. That’s it. And they often have to travel vast distances (for toads that is) to do so. They breed in the wetlands but as some of them live in suburban areas up to 20km away, the journey can be fraught with danger.
This is where the Western Leopard Toad (WLT) Conservation Committee comes in. The committee is dedicated to the preservation of the toads through public awareness and participation, as well as research into the habits, habitats and toad populations.
You can help the committee in its mission by joining the group of volunteers that come together during the breeding season (between the end of July and early September every year). The ways in which you can help are varied and you can be as active or passive a volunteer as you desire.
Volunteer activities include:
- Breeding season night patrols for census and monitoring. Contact your nearest committee branch, join a group and spend a few nights of the year patrolling neighbourhoods for Western Leopard Toads. You’ll help the toads cross roads safely (without being pancaked, according to the website) and record essential data that includes GPS coordinates and photographic identification of every toad you come across.
Patrol areas include Muizenberg, Tokai, Grassy Park, Hour Bay, Fish Hoek and surrounds, and Noordhoek. Visit the website for contact people or call the WLT hotline: 082 516 3602.
- Toadlet emergence monitoring. This entails chaperoning the little toads from the wetlands to places of relative safety, which may or may not include gardens. It all depends on where the little chaps are determined to go. Toadlet migration takes place in the morning, so no late nights are required.
- Scouters. This is a relatively passive role as all you have to do is call the hotline or relevant contact person as soon as you see toad movement. You can scout on your everyday trips to and from your home or, if you’re feeling a little more proactive, you can take a couple of night drives to see if you can spot them.
- Popular article writing. Write articles about the toads for local and national magazines and newspapers to increase public awareness.
- Design and advertising. This includes creating images to accompany articles or creating posters and signs to be put up in neighbourhoods where the toads are likely to be.
- Sponsorship. Money is obviously needed to ensure the continuation of the preservation efforts. Call the hotline for more information.
- Contribute to the toad identification project. The WLT Conservation Committee needs to keep a record of as many toads as possible to determine population numbers and locations. This is necessary to ensure that patrols are assigned to the correct areas and to determine where conservation efforts need to be concentrated. All you have to do is snap a picture of any toad that you see and upload the picture to the website.
Visit the website for more information on the important work the committee does, or to find out what to do in a variety of toad-related incidents, including what happens if your dog swallows a toad.
(Image by Abu Shawka (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons)
The Muizenberg Battlefield: good for weddings, picnics and cannons
By Megan Diener
My parents and I recently attended a friend’s wedding at the Muizenberg Battlefield.
The wedding ceremony and reception were held in a clearing located halfway up the side of the mountain slope between Main Road and Boyes Drive.
The clearing is situated between the many Milkwood trees (strung with fairy lights) and indigenous fynbos, which provided a romantic and intimate atmosphere for the occasion. A stone table made up of large flat rock served as an altar.
Later during the proceedings a flag, decorated with messages from friends and family, was flown from the flagpole.
Guests had to swop their pretty party shoes and high heels for a pair of winter boots to hike a short way up the mountainside from the car park to get to the clearing. The car park is opposite the historical Bailey’s Cottage along the Main Road, about a 1km walk from Muizenberg Train Station.
The unusual venue for the wedding ceremony symbolised that ‘love is a battlefield‘ just like the chorus of the popular Jordin Sparks song.
The Battlefield site is a lasting tribute commerating the 1795 Battle of Muizenberg between the British and Dutch.
The Battle of Muizenberg began at noon on Sunday August 7 1795 when the 1600 strong British foot soldiers, marines, sailors and army personnel marched along a coastal track from Simon’s Town through Fish Hoek and Kalk Bay towards Cape Town.
Sailing alongside the infantry was a cavalcade of four Royal Navy warships; the America and the Stately, each with 64 guns aboard. The slightly smaller Echo and Rattlesnake each had 16 guns aboard.
According to Muizies history page, the cavalcade was part of a fleet of nine warships which had arrived in Simon’s Bay a month earlier in June 1795, under the command of Admiral G.K. Ehphinstone.
The Battle of Muizenberg took place during the time of the Napoleonic Wars in Europe. The ships were sent to secure an agreement with the Dutch to protect the Cape from their enemies. The mission, however, was unsuccessful.
The Dutch soon retreated to their Fort in Muysenberg after the HMS America fired a cannon towards the Dutch cannon in near to Kalk Bay.
About 800 Dutch soldiers and a few lightly-armed cannons, pointing downwards in the direction of the road, lay in wait at the Fort for the advancing British troops.
According to Totally Stoned, because the Dutch Fort was built so close to the sea, it was within range of the ships’ guns. At about 14:00 the four warships were anchored adjacent to the rocks alongside the Dutch Fort. The ships soon began firing broadsides at the Dutch, about 800 cannon balls in a half hour.
Before the British infantry arrived the Dutch were forced to abandon their position at the Fort, after which the British foot soldiers took control of the Fort.
According to SA History, there was a brave defence by Lieutenant P.W. Marnitz and Capt. C. Kemper after De Lille vacated his post.
Within an hour the Dutch retreated to Zandvlei, situated on the other side of the mountain, around the corner from the Fort at Muysenberg. The Battle was finished by that evening.
Craig Strachan states on his blog that the Battle of Muizenberg was the beginning of a five week campaign by the British to gain occupation of the Cape.
Muizies elaborates by stating that the campaign resulted in the Dutch slowly being forced towards Wynberg Hill. A stalemate surrendering the Cape was subsequently reached on 16 September 1795.
This led to the First British Occupation of the Cape. Muysenburg became an English stronghold and the name was later anglicised to become Muizenberg.
The Muizenberg Battlefield open-air museum and heritage site was officially opened on 6 August 2006 and is a great venue for a relaxed afternoon picnic or whale watching.
There is a lovely fynbos garden at the top of the site, with a coastal forest below surrounding the ruins and a Milkwood forest below that at the entrance.
Please contact Chris Taylor from the Muizenberg Historical Conservation Society to arrange a tour or for permission to visit the site. Send him an email or call him on +27 (0)21 788 1069 or +27 (0)82 908 3456.
(Image by Hilton1949 at en.wikipedia, licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported license.)
Visit Noordhoek Farm Village
Noordhoek Farm Village is located down a long 
leafy lane on a charming country estate, surrounded by farmland and shady oaks at the southern end of Chapman’s Peak Drive.
The quaint Village’s slow-paced, relaxed atmosphere is perfect for dining al fresco style under the shade of old leafy oaks.
Children will especially love the many horses, pigs, cows, hens, ducks and rabbits freely roaming around the farm. Kids will also enjoy playing outdoors on the big lawn, using the play facilities and participating in the various activities on offer.
From shopping, pampering, regular live events, fine dining and fresh food to art, crafts, an organic nursery and four-star accommodation in the 21-bedroomed boutique De Noordhoek Hotel at the old Manor House, Noordhoek Farm Village has it all.
Sit down and relax with a glass of wine at one of Café Roux’s outside tables. The Café is in a quaint sheltered courtyard surrounded by low white-washed wall making it the ideal spot for intimate al fresco dining.
“We wanted to create a special place where we could sit outside in the sun with our family and friends, eating great food, drinking our favourite wine. Simply enjoying life…,” say Café Roux hosts Lindi, Paul and Bern Le Roux.
The Café offers first-class service in a relaxed country-style setting, bordering on the farm village playground with its own toys, toddlers’ corner and a supervising child minder.
Café Roux also caters for functions and events such as weddings, private breakfasts or lunches and kids’ parties.
Visit The Food Barn Restaurant for a fine dining experience. Be inspired by French chef Franck Dangereux’s sensual cooking skills. Taste his best dishes inspired by flavorful Caribbean, French, Greek, Northern Carican, Thai and Indian cuisine. Or buy the ingredients yourself to cook the dishes at home.
The Food Barn Restaurant is open daily for lunch. Dinner is served at the Restaurant from Tuesday to Saturday (November 1 to April 30), and from Wednesday to Saturday (May 1 to October 31). Booking is essential. Call the restaurant on +27 (0)21 789 1390 to book.
The Food Barn serves the best coffee and the bakery sells the freshest bread to be found in the Noordhoek Valley. The bakery, run by Pete and Ashleigh, is well worth a visit for lovely fresh bread and yummy home-baked goodies. Visit the new delicatessen and Keith’s second-hand bookshop. Call the deli on +27 (0)21 789 1966 to place your order.
The Toad in the Village, formerly known as The Nag’s Head, is a country pub and restaurant opened in December 2008.
The Toad offers authentic pub fare such as smoked eisbein, rack of ribs, gourmet pizzas, smoked chicken salads and French onion soup, as well as various beer draughts and other alcoholic beverages.
The family-friendly restaurant is heated in winter by large wood-burning fireplaces. In summer you can sit outside in the beer garden on the grass or on the upper-deck above the leafy oak trees. Call +27 (0)21 789 2973 to book.
The Toad regularly hosts live entertainment such as a weekly quiz night or outdoor music concerts and sport viewings.
Café Roux, The Food Barn and The Toad in the Village have all been listed in South Africa’s top 800 restaurants.
After a delicious meal at Café Roux, The Food Barn or The Toad browse through the many specialty stores or watch artists at work. For clothing and gifts visit Lizette at The Pompous Fly, an old-fashioned trading post selling jewellery, silver, collectables, porcelain, antiques and sweets.
Then, visit Namaste Trading in the old Milking Shed, selling unique African curios, crafts, gifts and jewellery. Next, visit Zimbabalooba to see the range of multicoloured hand-dyed clothing folowed by the African Experience which sells eclectic hand-made African crafts.
Ndoro sells a collection of hand-made African craft and home décor items, as well as a range of Kudinda textiles from Zimbabwe.
Noordhoek Art is well worth a visit for fine art, photographic art, collectable prints, object de art, ancient and contemporary collectables and a custom picture framing service.
Finally, The Tack & Leather Shop in the Old Post House Building sells local leatherware, gifts and horse riding gear.
For some pampering visit Caroline’s Health & Beauty Store for a facial, massage, manicure or pedicure. If you have green fingers, pay Arlo a visit at the Greencube Nursery for some landscaping advice and wide range of garden plants.
Noordhoek Farm Village is open weekdays from 8:30 till 17:30 in summer and 9:00 till 17:00 in winter offering something for everyone in a unique country setting.
(Image by Hilton1949 at en.wikipedia [CC-BY-SA-3.0 (www.creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], from Wikimedia Commons)
Visit historical Rhodes Cottage Museum in Muizenberg
Another historical cottage besides the famous 
Bailey’s Cottage overlooking Surfer’s Corner and Muizenberg Beach is Rhodes Cottage.
Rhodes Cottage was once the private retreat of British mining magnate Sir Cecil John Rhodes. He bought the cottage in 1899 and spent his holidays there until his death on 26 March 1902. His final days were spent staying at the seaside cottage.
After his death the rights to the cottage were scrutinized and administered by the Rhodes Trustees who later decreed that the property be handed over to the Northern Rhodesian government in 1932.
In 1937, the property rights were handed over to the Cape Town City Council.
Rhodes Cottage still stands today. The Rhodes Cottage Museum, situated on Muizenberg’s ‘historical mile’ on the Main Road, pays tribute to Rhodes’ lasting legacy by commemorating his life, achievements and his death. His personal memorabilia can still be seen at the museum.
The museum in a definite must for tourists interested in the early history of the Cape colony, Cecil John Rhodes and Muizenberg.
The museum is run by a dedicated group of knowledgeable volunteers from the Muizenberg Historical Conservation Society.
It is open to the public on weekdays from 10:00 till 16:00 during the summer months but with shorter opening hours during winter. The entry fee is only by donation.
After an informative tour of the historical building, have a cup of tea and then go for a walk in the lovely mountainside garden; a lasting testament to Rhodes’ love of plants. See vegetation from the English countryside growing side by side with indigenous Cape fynbos. If time allows take a leisurely stroll along Muizenberg’s scenic seafront.
Call the Rhodes Cottage Museum on +27 (0)21 788 1816 or +27 (0)21 787 9140 and +27 (0)72 482 6131 or send an email to Cape Town Tourism.
(Image by DanieVDM [Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)], via Flickr)
