Scarborough.... on the Cape Point Route!

Far from the maddening crowd lies Scarborough – a seaside conservation village with a random scattering of houses, seaside homes and guest accommodation. As the most south-westerly village on the African continent, Scarborough feels like a forgotten outpost. Remote, private and tranquil – this is a place where people meander – be they visitors or local residents. Watching the waves and the setting sun is an obligatory pastime.

Despite being only 45 minutes from the city centre, this nature lover’s haven is miles from traffic jams and cosmopolitan living. With the chilly Atlantic Ocean on one side, the road from Kommetjie winds past Witsands beach and the tiny hamlet of Misty Cliffs to Scarborough itself. Many visitors obliviously whiz through the town, on a day tour to visit Cape Point Nature Reserve, which lies on Scarborough’s doorstep. Some stop for a quick photo at camel rock – a well known rock formation on the side of the road in Scarborough, which unsurprisingly looks like a camel!

If you took just a few seconds more you would see Camel Rock Restaurant – a local favourite since the 1930’s! With an unpretentious cottagey atmosphere, you can devour seafood, meat or vegetarian dishes. The service is friendly and you won’t be rushed out for the next customer.

At Wildeschutesbrand farm at the Red Hill turnoff is the Cape Farmhouse Restaurant, which is making a name for itself on the South African music scene as an intimate concert venue. In addition to the Saturday afternoon Farmhouse Rocks concerts, it is a fabulous restaurant, open daily for meals and teas. Whilst there be sure to pop in at Red Rock Tribal – noticeable on arrival by the "exhausted horse" – which is actually a life size sculpture of a zebra made out of exhaust pipes.

The two restaurants and a teeny shop are the visible concessions to tourism, but you’d be forgiven if you thought you were the first visitor to Scarborough. Such is the pace of the town, the inhabitants and the lifestyle. This is where you snooze to the sound of the sea, with a mountain as a backdrop and a pristine uncrowded beach as the gravitational pull of the town.

The beach is popular amongst surfers, body boarders, windsurfers and kitesurfers. For those less active, a beach holiday in Scarborough, is indeed that – getting away from it all. The toughest choices each day are whether to take a simple stroll, go beachcombing or shell collecting, whether to read a book or worship the sun. If you are up early enough for a sunrise amble look out for the Cape Clawless Otter which is sometimes spotted at the estuary, and birdwatchers will delight in watching the red-eyed oystercatchers peck at the rocks for mussels.

Alternatively you can pack a picnic and walk in the mountains all day amongst sandstone rocks and indigenous fynbos vegetation. Walking in the Baskloof Nature Reserve, takes you from the Scraggy Cat to the Valley of Silence and across the saddle to the peak above Misty Cliffs – if the names aren’t enough to inspire you, then the views will take care of any motivation required. It’s no wonder that many artists, writers and musicians have made Scarborough their home.

Scarborough is ideally located for exploring the attractions on the Cape Point Route – for information on any accommodation in the area, activities or regional attractions please contact Cape Point Route on 021 782 9346 or visit www.capepointroute.co.za