Information on West Coast Region - Western Cape - South Africa
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The Oystercatcher Lodge is an ideal base from which to explore the West Coast and its hinterland. Excursions to charming and picturesque little villages such as Paternoster, Elands Bay, Lamberts Bay and Langebaan are an excellent way to engage with the locals of the West Coast, and appreciate their culture and food.
The West Coast is probably best known for its seasonal carpets of wild flowers, which form a kaleidoscope from the coast to the mountains from late July to September. In early spring white arum lilies sweep the hills, while fields of daisies and Vygies form a sea of colour, creating a wonderful contrast with the blue of the sea.
Go back in time, and join a tour of the internationally renowned, palaeontological diggings at the West Coast Fossil Park.
A visit to the West Coast National Park and the Roche Pan Reserve will not easily be forgotten, as they boast a wide and rich variety of fynbos and birds.
St. Helena Bay is one of the only three natural bays on the mainland coastlines of the world where one can see views of both a sunrise and a sunset over the sea. (This phenomenon can be enjoyed from your private terrace at the Oystercatcher Lodge too!). It is here in St. Helena Bay where the Portuguese explorer, Vasco Da Gama landed on the 7th November 1497 - St. Helenas Day, on his maiden voyage to the East. The Vasco Da Gama Nautical Museum is located at the Cape Dutch entrance to Shelley Point and is dedicated to the memory of the legendary Portuguese seafarers that discovered and navigated these waters.
Cape Town / Stellenbosch - Langebaan - Paternoster - St Helena Bay -
Velddrift - Lamberts Bay - Clanwilliam - Citrusdal - Ceres - Tulbagh -
Riebeek Kasteel - Cape Town
OR ALTERNATIVELY, cross inland to Riebeek Kasteel - Ceres -
Matroosberg - Montagu - Worcester - Cape Town
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Leaving Cape Town, take the R27 to Velddrift. You may stop off at the popular Langebaan Lagoon and West Coast National Park or continue to Paternoster and St Helena Bay on the coast. The wetlands of Velorenvlei and Rochepan, is a birds paradise with a myriad of water birds.
Bird Island off Lamberts Bay Harbour is worth a visit. From here take the R364 inland to Clanwilliam and Cirtusdal in the heart of the spectacular Cederberg Mountains and the citrus growing centres of the Cape.
Continue along the R303 over the Gydo Pass to Ceres, the heart of the deciduous fruit industry then on to the Riebeek Valley well-known for its wine, olives and artists, before returning to Cape Town.
An alternative scenic route is from Ceres and the start of the Breede River on the R46 driving north-west, crossing the highway N1 onto the R318 to Montagu. Return to Cape Town and the Winelands or continue along the Route 62.
West Coast and Cedarberg
Golf, wine tasting, olive farms, West Coast National Park, Fossil Park, sailing, watersport, beaches and wilderness areas, quaint fishing villages and traditional Cape Dutch architecture.
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