Chapman's Peak Drive Re-opens

Great news for tourists – both local and foreign - Chapman’s Peak Drive was reopened on Friday 9 October 2009 after being closed for many months, following heavy rock falls. This is also good news for our beautiful Noordhoek valley as the tour buses bring local business, and guest accommodation business including our own http://www.horizoncottages.co.za/ can offer something special to tourists. Chappies is a popular scenic drive for our guests. We honestly share our guest’s disappointment when they arrive and find it to be closed.
The route starts at the picturesque fishing harbour of Hout Bay. You will have arrived here either by taking the coastal road from Cape Town city through Sea point, passing Clifton and Camps Bay with its beautiful beach and strip of restaurants favoured by the in-crowd, or by approaching it from the southern suburbs of Cape Town through the exclusive suburb of Constantia; via Constantia Nek. Either way you will be able to enjoy a wonderful scenic drive even before you get there. From Hout bay the road winds steeply up to Chapman's Point, offering breathtaking views of the Hout bay and the harbour until the road reaches lower levels again where it ends at Noordhoek. As you approach Noordhoek you will see Long Beach with its remarkable 8 km of white sand, stretching across to the neighbouring village of Kommetjie, and Slangkop lighthouse. (see our heading picture) Chapman’s peak drive is highly regarded as one of the most spectacular coastal drives in the world. There has been much controversy about the privatization of its management and the eradication of alien vegetation; blamed by some as the cause of frequent rock falls. Full credit, however must given to the operators and that is that they are highly conscious of maintaining a clean safety record.
Even those of us who have always lived in this beautiful part of the Western Cape never tire of this route- which is an alternative to those who live in the South Peninsula of getting to the cape Town city centre- driving along the winding road with its many twists and turns and wonderful panoramic views. Although the road is quite narrow, since it was rebuilt and reopened in 2003, quite a number of opportunities have been provided to pull off to the side of the road, marvel at the views and take advantage of wonderful photographic opportunities. You should not be in a hurry on this road, not just because it has many twists and corners, but because it is also favoured by cyclists who wish to add both challenge and enjoyment to their exercise.
You will also find a number of picnic spots equipped with concrete tables and benches where you could spend a happy couple of hours, as many of the locals do on the weekends. During the time that the whales migrate to the Cape in their mating season, Chapman’s peak drive also offers a great opportunity for whale watching.
Depending upon whether you commence or in your drive in Hout bay, you will find many opportunities to browse in quaint shops for handicrafts collectables, arts and antiques. There are a number of really good restaurants, although my favourite spot is Mariner’s wharf where you can enjoy the view from the excellent restaurant upstairs or join the locals eating fish and chips at outside benches , while enjoying watching the fishing fleet come and go.
On the Noordhoek end of the drive you will be sure to find many attractions to seduce you to tarry. Noordhoek farm village is a browser’s paradise of galleries, collectibles, and handicrafts, as well as wine shop and delicatessen in the food barn. You will find plenty of accommodation in Noordhoek, ranging from luxury to affordable, such as ours, and B ‘n B’s or self catering.



History of Chapman’s peak drive
Chapman's Peak Drive was the brain child of Sir Frederic de Waal, the first administrator of the Cape Province. Work on the road began in 1915, although may were of the opinion that it was an impossible task. The road was blasted into the mountain side and is a masterpiece of road construction It was formally opened in 1922. Rock falls were a constant threat and a series of unfortunate events lead to the closing of Chapman’s Peak Drive in January 2000.
Due to its sensitive location within the Cape Peninsula National Park and the provisions of Sections 23 and 24 of the National Environmental Management Act, No 107 of 1998, an integrated environmental approach to the rehabilitation and upgrading of Chapman's Peak Drive was required.
This turnkey project was carried out by the Chapman’s Peak Construction Joint Venture. This joint-venture R145 million project was overseen by Entilini Concessions, the special-purpose company established by the consortium of Concor Holdings, Haw & Inglis and Marib Holdings. The project has been undertaken with full participation of the local authorities and communities.
You can find more information at their website. http://www.chapmanspeakdrive.co.za/

Hermanus Wheels and Whales Festival

About an hour’s drive down the coast from Horizon holiday Cottages is Hermanus , arguably the whale watching capital of the Western Cape. For me; the coming of spring brings with it the Whales ‘n Wheels Festival, which is held in this charming coastal village, with the classic car display(named alongside the whales) to be held on Sunday 27 September. This gives me the incentive to clean and spruce up one of my classic British sports cars, and to join friends in this first motor show that follows the winter months. It is sheer pleasure to drive top down in a crisp Cape Town morning, through sleepy Fish Hoek, along the shores to Muizenberg , and then along the coast of False Bay, and over the mountain pass known as Sir Lowry’s pass to join the motoring throng, as well as the tourists, making their way to the festival at Hermanus. The classic car exhibition is held in the grounds of the primary school. Expect to see scores of classic yesteryear cars, even military vehicles and a spectacular display of model cars in the school hall. For a view of some of my classic cars, feel free to browse my facebook page
The Festival’s stars are, of course the Whales, themselves. I can assure you that, if you make your way down to the old harbour, you will find many easy vantage points on the rocks, where you will be able to see far into Walker Bay, and you are guaranteed to be treated to a wonderful aquatic ballet as the whales sound and flap their tails in the air to the enthusiastic clapping and cheering of the crowds.
The festival to be held from 25-27 September attracts thousands of visitors who flock from Cape Town to enjoy not only the whales and the scenic beauty, but to revel in the music and festival atmosphere of this 3 day event. Walk down to the Market square and you will be mesmerized by the array of African and other handicrafts, food and drink stalls, and vibrant African rhythms; you cannot help but being caught up in the excitement and good cheer given off by the crowds. Wander through tented stalls, stop at the beer tent to quench your thirst or sample traditional Cape cuisine. Explore the little town which has a wide variety of historic buildings, mostly now given over to Art galleries, antique and collectible shops. You cannot help but be caught up by the festival atmosphere.
If you do visit at this time don't hurry back on the highway; take the scenic coastal road through Betty’s bay, Rooi Els and Pringle Bay, and enjoy a slow drive on what must truly be one of the most beautiful coastal roads anywhere in the world. On a clear day you will be able to see right across the blue waters of False Bay to Fish Hoek and Simonstown. The winding coastal road will bring you out to the seaside village of Gordon's Bay from where you can pick up the highway again to Cape Town, but it will make a pleasant stop to enjoy a cup of tea or a refreshing drink. Be warned though, Gordon’s bay has an interesting and enormous second hand bookshop that can easily stall you for hours.
For best value Cape Town holidays do find your accommodation on our website http://www.horizoncottages.co.za/

Book on line for Table Mountain Cableway

Cape Town tourism advises that the Cable way on Table Mountain is introducing a new on line ticketing system, which will be effective from Monday, 17 August.
This is great news for our overseas and Gauteng visitors who have previously been unable to make a reservation, making it difficult for them to plan their holiday outings. The new system will allow visitors to buy tickets online for an additional R10 fee. Online tickets will be valid for seven days and, if not used within this period, a full refund can be claimed (excluding the administration fee). To show how customer focused this new approach is, a ticketholder may extend the ticket’s validity for a further three weeks, provide it is done within the 7 day validity period of the ticket- but then you forgo a refund. Tour operators and Guest houses will be able to benefit by being able to have tickets ready for guests so they bypass the ticket office, saving time. The cable cars depart every 10 to 15 minutes Be cautioned however that the cableway is concerned to maintain its excellent safety record and will not operate in bad weather , or in the high speed winds that are sometimes experienced in mid-summer.

Visitors to our beautiful City should not miss the opportunity to see the truly awesome panoramic views of Cape Town , clear across to iconic Robben Island, famed place of incarceration for our first democratically elected president; Nelson Mandela. The height of Table Mountain (at its highest point) is 1085m or 3560 ft . There is a self-service café (restaurant) at the top of the mountain serving both food and refreshments, which has developed innovative eco-friendly ways to conserve natural resources.
You do not have to take the cable car down, but can choose from several options to enjoy the scenery and undertake a walk. There are a number of short walks that you can take, including the Dassie Walk -with its stunning panoramic view. One could choose to spend the better part of a day hiking all the way along the top of the mountain and down to the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden, one of the world’s largest and most beautiful botanical gardens, or even further along, to the Silvermine Nature Reserve, situated just above our popular self catering accommodation. For more information about this Reserve, see our Blog post about the Silvermine Reserve.
Fees for Online tickets -valid until September 30, 2009
Adult return: R145 + R10 booking fee
Child return: R76 + R10 booking fee

Fees for Online tickets -valid from October 1, 2009 to September 30, 2010
Adult Return R 160 + R10 booking feeChild return: R80 + R10 booking fee

Both visitors and locals alike can purchase Wild Cards, which give admission to all the parks at a reduced fee, and Wild card holders will enjoy a discount on the rates for the Cableway, on presentation of the Wild Card.
Opening Hours: Opening hours vary from season to season. Generally the first car goes up at 8 am and the last car comes down at 9:30 pm in the summer, when our days are extra long to allow visitors to make the most of their holidays.During winter months, the last car returns at dusk; 6 pm.
Contact information for Table Mountain Aerial Cableway
Tel: +27 21 424 0015
Website: http://www.tablemountain.net/

Directions from Horizon Holiday cottages:
It is about a 30 minute drive (outside of peak hours) rom Noordhoek over Ou Kaapse weg; at the foot of the mountain turn right to the Blue Route freeway. Stay on the freeway until you reach Groote Schuur hospital (famous for the world’s first heart transplant) when the freeway splits – left to De Waal Drive and right to Eastern Boulevard; keep left on De Waal drive, and as the road descends to the City, take the left exit lane to Gardens, (where there is a huge signboard for the Cableway) ; the road becomes Kloof Nek Road. Follow Kloof Nek Road to a traffic circle, then turn left at Tafelberg Road and keep following the signs to the cableway. It may sound complex, but it is not, as it is so well signposted.

For those who rely upon their GPS to avoid complicated directions; the coordinates: are 33°57′11.89″S 18°24′11.7″E or 33.9533028°S 18.40325°E

Walking in the Silvermine Reserve

Our affordable self catering Cape Town holiday accommodation in Noordhoek is situated at the foot of the Silvermine nature reserve which forms part of the Table Mountain National park. It is an ideal area to explore if you want to enjoy some of the wild flora, known as Fynbos, for which the Western Cape is renowned, or just enjoy a bit of tranquil convening with nature.
There are many trails for walking or hiking and a detailed map of the trails can be purchased from the office of Noordhoek tourism at the Noordhoek Farm village for a nominal fee. The Silvermine Hiking trails allows one to see some of the world’s most spectacular coastal and mountain scenery which is rich with a variety of flora as well as bird and small animal life. There are a large number of different Proteas and other fynbos species, flowering throughout the different seasons; making this an enjoyable and interesting walk at any time of the year. We have just completed an Autumn day outing that we would like to share with you. When staying at
Horizons Holiday Cottages it is just a few minute’s drive to the top of Ou Kaapse Weg and then at the top of the mountain turn left toward the clearly marked Parks signboard with directions to the parking area. For those with GPS it is ; 34º 05' 135" South and 18º 25' 144" East. The entry fee is R 10 or production of a wildcard (limited to cape Town residents); at the parking are toilet facilities
Silvermine Reservoir Walk : One of the easiest and most accessible walks which your kids will enjoy, leads from the car park at the top of the mountain to the Silvermine reservoir. This is an easy walk with a duration of some 1- 1 ½ hours and a suitable for all members of the family. From the parking area the trailed is well marked and heads predominantly uphill though it is not particularly strenuous. The trail winds through remarkably different vegetation and you will enjoy a number of boardwalks over the streams. On a summer day you will find the wooded banks verdant with tree ferns a pleasantly cool and peaceful spot to linger. Surprisingly the trail heads through some small forest glades.
The path wends its way up well-maintained wooden walkways and the occasional rustic bridge until one reaches the dam wall itself. Stop along the way to admire the spectacular panoramic views across False Bay where on a clear day you can see clear across to Gordon’s Bay and the Strand.
Along the path are a number of quaint stone constructed benches and tables where one can picnic or also make use of the built braai (bbq) hearths. Depending upon the season however the lighting of fires may be prohibited so it would be best to check at the ticket office.
The trail leads to the large Silvermine reservoir which was built sometime in the 1890’s to supply water to Cape Town. During the warmer weather people make use of the opportunity for a cooling swim in the clean blue waters, but you may wish simply to stroll the path around the reservoir, a slow walk of some 30 minutes. At the far end will be found a rich growth of beautiful flowering water liilies under the bridge that crosses the entrance to the reservoir. During our hike in the early Autumn we were amazed at the variety of flowering plants including two different types of colourful Proteas.
On the opposite side of Ou Kaapse Weg, just after the apex can also be found another entrance manned by the Parks board where one can park and walk up Silvermine River Valley to a small waterfall, passing a number of old ruins. The waterfall offers the perfect spot to take in the sounds of nature. Like so many of the waterfalls on Table Mountain, this one is only seen in its full glory in winter, but it is also a great peaceful picnic spot.
Those with a more adventurous nature, and a good level of fitness, can hike across the mountains toward Kalk Bay where you will be treated to one of the most truly awesome views of our beautiful False Bay. make sure that you have arranged someon eto collect you or another way to return to our guest accomodation as it will be a long way back
To live in our beautiful Cape Town is to be truly blessed, but we love sharing it with our guests.

Table Mountain – finalist in the New 7 Wonders of Nature contest

The top 28 wonders of Nature from around the world have been announced by the New7Wonders Foundation in Zurich, Switzerland. The finalists include renowned sites such as the Great Barrier Reef, the Grand Canyon and the Amazon rain forests and Galapagos Islands in Ecuador. Only one other African site – Tanzania's Mount Kilimanjaro – made finals, which include some of the world's most beautiful attractions. Not surprisingly for we who live and love the mother City, Table Mountain has made it through to become one of 28 finalists in the New 7 Wonders of Nature competition, in which the world's top natural sites will be narrowed down to a final 7 in an exercise in global outreach which is expected to be supported by hundreds of millions of voters. In 2007, the New7Wonders Foundation, a Zurich-based non-profit organisation, announced the New 7 Man-made Wonders of the World after more than 100-million votes were cast via the internet in "the first-ever worldwide election". Now its follow-up campaign, to choose the "Big Seven" of the natural world, has entered its final stage, after a panel of experts led by former Unesco director-general Federico Mayor announced the 28 finalists in Zurich, Switzerland on 21 July. The panel made its selection from a list of 77 nominees that were chosen, from a list of 261 national and cross-national representative sites, by people around the world in internet voting. The final, two-year round of voting to choose the New 7 Wonders of Nature, running through 2010 and into 2011, is now open. Table Mountain will compete for a final place among the top 7 wonders to be announced in 2011. To cast your vote visit www.new7wonders.com South Africans can also cast their votes at http://www.votefortablemountain.com Some reasons to vote for Table Mountain 1. Table Mountain is simply stunningly beautiful. Just take a look at the 20 000-plus photos on Flickr: Table Mountain. 2. Table Mountain forms part of Table Mountain National Park, one of few conservation areas in the world that is entirely surrounded by a city, and offers hundreds of recreation opportunities for residents and visitors alike. 3. Table Mountain forms part of the Cape Floral Region, a Unesco World Heritage Site that is one of the richest areas for plants in the world. Table Mountain National Park has more plant species within its 25 000 hectares than the whole British Isles or New Zealand. 4. The trip up the Table Mountain Cableway to the plateau one kilometre above Cape Town is not to be missed; enjoy breath taking views of the City, Table Bay and Robben Island. 5. It is an ever-present part of the lives of all of us who live in Cape Town Acknowledgments to www.southafrica.info Do remember that if you are looking for affordable self catering Cape Town accommodation it is just a click away.

A Guide to World Cup 2010 Accommodation in Cape Town

With the World Cup just less than a year away, we note many Internet visits to our affordable self catering accommodation from both local and overseas visitors for accommodation, but it is obvious that people are shopping around to see what is available. It has been said that there will be a shortage of accommodation, but we think that it will depend to a large extent on what the tourists are looking for. Cape town offers a large selection of guest houses, bed and breakfast establishments and self catering holiday accommodation that far exceeds the number of hotel beds available. We think that there will be plenty of choice but, in order to get what you want, it is a good idea to book early.
In order to help you choose where to stay and where to find the type of accommodation that will best suit your needs, we thought to give you a brief guide to greater Cape Town and what it offers.
Undoubtedly, if you want to be close to the World Cup stadium and all of the exciting night life of Cape Town and the nearby waterfront, you should choose accommodation in the nearby suburbs of Green Point or Sea Point and the Cape Town city bowl. Expect however to pay higher prices than in the outlying suburbs.
City Bowl : Generally the upmarket city bowl suburbs of Tamboerskloof, Higgovale, De Waterkant, Oranjezicht and Vredehoek will offer luxury but very expensive accommodation. In the city itself however you will find backpackers lodges and other inexpensive accommodation. Green Point and Sea Point are near to the both the stadium and the famous Waterfront, and all the night life action.
Atlantic seaboard : on what is known as the Atlantic seaboard you will find the exclusive residential suburbs of Clifton, Camps Bay, Bakoven, Bantry Bay all of which are fairly close to the Stadium. The Atlantic seaboard comprises some of the most expensive and exclusive properties in Cape Town as they generally have spectacular views across the ocean and are close to the most popular beaches. If you are looking for accommodation in the top end of the market then this is where you should find it. This is also the area where the beautiful people hang out, and you will find plenty of nightlife and a wide choice of restaurants and bars.
Hout Bay : Quite a lot further out is the fishing village of Hout bay, where you will find a mixture of very expensive and more affordable accommodation and there is a lot to choose from. If you are looking for a quiet spot to relax between the matches this could be a good choice, although you should not expect to enjoy any nightlife.
Noordhoek/Kommetjie : at the southern end of the peninsula but some 30 minutes drive from the centre of Cape Town are the villages of Noordhoek and Kommetjie which are a great choice if you want to have a quiet relaxing time and also enjoy some of the most breathtaking coastal scenery to be found anywhere. Noordhoek has a wide choice of accommodation from luxury to budget and you will generally find large 1 acre properties which offer just one or two cottages, making it very “un-crowded” .It is the last bit of countryside remaining in the greater Cape Town area and easily accessible to Cape Town by road; mostly freeway. Kommetjie – a surfer’s paradise- is a little further out where one is likely to find very affordable accommodation.
Southern suburbs : There are a large number of suburbs which stretch toward the False Bay coast from the city and these include older mainly Victorian suburbs including Mowbray, Rosebank, Wynberg, and Claremont. Here you can expect to find reasonably affordable guesthouse accommodation, and if you are not planning to drive, it will be easy to get to the city using the metro rail system, and public transport from the city will be plentiful.
Further out are the beautiful valley suburbs of Constantia and Tokai. Constantia is home to the mink and manure set, and generally comprises exclusive homes on large properties. Expect to pay a higher than average price to stay here and to have to rely upon hiring a car to get around.
South Peninsula : On the coast of beautiful False Bay you will find the interesting older suburbs of Muizenberg, St James, Kalk bay, Fish Hoek and Simonstown. Muizenberg is still battling to shake off its run down reputation, although it does have a great beach. St James is known as “millionaire’s mile” and has been a choice holiday destination for the wealthy since the early days. There is not much accommodation available here nor in the more bohemian Kalk Bay nearby, and prices will be expensive. Downside - in winter when the World Cup will be on, expect to lose the sun behind the mountain in the early afternoon, and to have to go to bed early. Fish Hoek, a little further of the line has plenty of affordable choice, but has often been described as “God’s waiting room” or the destination of choice for the “newly wed and the nearly dead”.
Much more popular is the historic Naval Town of Simonstown. Although also a quiet town, the major attraction is a mile of historic buildings and the African penguins to be found on Boulders and Seaforth beaches.
Northern suburbs: There is bound to be plenty of affordable accommodation in the northern suburbs of Cape Town which include Durbanville; Bellville and Kraaifontein. Unfortunately you are bound to have to deal with heavy traffic in and out of the city and these are not only a long way from where the action is, but there is no nightlife or any other form of diversion. Accommodation is bound to be cheap, but this fringe of our city is dead.
Cape Town offers a great diversity to suit every need, so you should find what suits you. Expect a friendly welcome and some wonderful sunny days interspersed with the rainy ones. If you are looking for value for money please do try us at www.horizonholidaycottages.co.za

Cape Town is a safe and friendly city

We get quite a high percentage of foreign guests inquiring for accommodation or staying at our affordable self catering accommodation in the peaceful and quiet Noordhoek valley. They often ask about personal safety and crime in Cape Town before venturing into the big city.

I think it fair to say that every big city is troubled by crime to one extent or another. I can recall being warned by the police against walking in Long Beach California more than twenty years ago and similarly being cautioned in downtown New Orleans by police to go straight back to my hotel in the French quarter for my own safety. Let me reassure visitors that you will find that Cape Town is a safe and friendly city and one in which you can happily spend the day walking and window shopping. You will find its streets vibrant with an eclectic mixture of African and European cultures. Many of the streets have been turned into delightful, picturesque pedestrian malls where you can mix with the locals, purchase African handicrafts and art works from little stalls and sample all kinds of wonderful street food from almost every corner of the globe. It is an unhurried city, and unblighted by heavy traffic, except at morning and evening peak hours.
In fact I can hardly think of a better way to spend a day than walking the streets of Cape Town with its wonderful mixture of architecture ranging from eighteenth century Dutch through to ornate Victorian and twentieth century modern. Having lived here on and off most of my life, I still never tire of walking in the city. You may well be gently accosted by the odd street urchin looking for a handout or one of the quite harmless vagrants who often take shelter on the mountain and on known locally as “bergies”. One should bear in mind that unemployment in our country is high and therefore there are many people struggling to make ends meet and to find a way to put bread on the table. Whether you help out is up to you, but unlike many other international cities we seldom find that those looking for handouts adopt any sort of aggression.
Whilst the entire city, including the beautiful gardens established by the Dutch East India company, at the top of Adderley street are interesting, perfectly safe and very inviting to wander during the day, it is not a good idea to do this at night, although there would be no problem traveling to and from a specific destination such as a restaurant in the city.

Regrettably Tourists are particularly vulnerable to petty crime, including purse snatching and pickpocketing as they are in any large city. Visitors to Cape Town have generally traveled internationally and would know that it is not a good idea to be too obvious as a tourist and to avoid flaunting expensive jewelry, carrying large amounts of cash or very expensive camera equipment. If you are driving a car, I do suggest that you should keep the doors locked while driving and do not leave obvious temptation such as a handbag, purse, laptop computer or camera visible on the seats because snatching from cars, whilst not common, is not unknown. If you do have such things in the car and stop at a shopping mall, I suggest that you stow and lock them securely in the boot (trunk) of your car.
The city of Cape Town is very aware of how important tourism is and has developed an extensive safety plan in partnership with business aimed particularly at providing a secure environment for the 2010 World Soccer cup. Cape Town's Central Business District and major malls have made considerable efforts to safeguard tourists against crime. Surveillance cameras now monitor activities in the Central Business District and security guards watch over the major shopping centres. The opening matches of the Indian Premier Cricket league have been hosted in our beautiful city at short notice with no incidents reported in spite of 1000,s of foreign visitors arriving for the matches.
The U.S. Foreign Policy (FP) recently announced the names of five cities that stand in a class of their own when it comes to brutal, homicidal violence, with Cape Town regrettably high on the list. To put it in perspective however, it also found that the city's homicides usually take place in suburban townships rather than in the more upscale urban areas where tourists visit. According to the South African Police Service, most of the Cape Town area's violent crimes happen between people who know one another; this is a consequence of unemployment and drug abuse , but will not impact upon tourists.
It is a good idea if you decide to hike or walk up Table mountain to hire a guide, particularly for women on their own. Larger groups are much safer.

Noordhoek, where you will find our secure, comfortable and affordable self catering holiday accommodation is a peaceful country valley, just 30 minutes from the big city. Here we have very little traffic and if your personal safety is a concern this best kept secret destination of Cape Town is the place where you and your family can stay with confidence. People walk the streets, sharing with joggers and cyclists and crime is amongst the lowest in South Africa. Our guests enjoy strolling to the nearby shoping mall and exploring the long stretch of beautiful white sand that makes up Noordhoek’s Long Beach. It is an ideal venue from which to explore all of the attractions of Cape Town, the wind lands and go on to other destinations in the Western Cape.
In order that you should be prepared for any eventuality, the following phone numbers will be useful and should be programmed into your mobile phone.

Emergency Services Contact Numbers:
Ambulance: 10177Flying Squad: 10111Mountain Rescue: 10111Police: 467 8000Police (Tourist Assistance Unit): 418 2852