South Africa -- Description and travel; South Africa -- History -- 1836-1909; South Africa -- History -- To 1836
Beyond and around Wynberg there is a little world of lovely scenery.
Simonstown is about twelve miles from Wynberg, the road passing by the
now growing bathing-place of Kalk bay. It is to Kalk bay that the ladies
of Capetown go with their children when in summer they are in search of
fresh air, and sea breezes, and generally improved sanitary
arrangements. A most delightful spot it would be if only there were
sufficient accommodation. The accommodation of course will come as years
roll on. Beyond Kalk bay are Simonstown and Simon’s Bay, where lives the
British Commodore who has the command of these waters. The road, the
whole way down, lies between the mountain and the sea. Beyond Simonstown
I rode out for six or seven miles with the Commodore along the side of
the hill and through the rocks till we could see the lighthouse at the
extremity of the Cape. It is impossible to imagine finer sea scenery or
a bolder coast than is here to be seen. There is not a yard of it that
would not be the delight of tourists if it were in some accessible part
of Europe,--not a quarter of a mile that would not have its marine villa
if it were in England.
Before I returned home I stayed for a week or two at an Inn, a mile or
two beyond Wynberg, called Rathfelders. I suppose some original Dutchman
of that name once kept the house. It is of itself an excellent place of
resort, cool in summer, being on the cool side of the Table Mountains
and well kept;--a comfortable refuge to sojourners who do not object to
take their meals at a public table; but peculiarly pleasant as being in
the midst of mountain scenery. From here there is a ride through the
mountains to Hout’s Bay,--a little inlet on the other side of the Cape
promontory,--which cannot be beaten for beauty of the kind. The distance
to be ridden may be about ten miles each way, and good riding horses are
kept at Rathfelders. But I did not find that very many had crossed the
pass. I should say that in the neighbourhood of Wynberg there are
various hotels and boarding houses so that accommodation may always be
had. The best known of these is Cogill’s Hotel close to the Wynberg
Railway Station. I did not stay there myself, but I heard it well spoken
of.
Altogether the scenery of the Promontory on which the Dutch landed, the
southern point of which is the Cape of Good Hope, and on which stands
Capetown, is hardly to be beaten for picturesque beauty by any landskip
charms elsewhere within the same area.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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