The South Western Cape is full of best kept secrets, and Grootvadersbosch just outside Swellendam is one of them…

IMG_1698

This time last year the father person and I were lucky enough to get away for the weekend. All the while we had been thinking that our children would miss us terribly, we had put it off for years in fact, only to discover that they had the time of their lives with friends. We went adventuring. Swellendam got a lot of attention earlier this year on our blog when I blogged about the Swellendam Winter School… Grootvadersbosch is just outside of Swellendam and is the perfect place to escape, perfect for collapsing and refreshing your soul, as well as hiking and trail running and miles and miles of cycle tracks. There is bird-watching and wildlife, and plants you may never have seen before… really it is like stepping onto another planet.

‘Tis the Season


Perfect for stunning sunsets…
IMG_1867

Reading…
IMG_1754

Patience…
tempImageForSave 33

And puzzles…
IMG_1837

Chilly chess…
IMG_1701

Next to warming fires…
IMG_1841

And coffee with cream…
tempImageForSave 20

All together breathtakingly beautiful…
IMG_1984

Grootvadersbosch Conservancy


We stayed in the Grootvadersbos Conservancy… which is a collection of privately owned farms and farmlands that have joined together to protect and conserve their unique environment… where Cape Fynbos and Afro-mountain Plant Kingdoms overlap, just between the Langeberg mountains and the ocean. Click on the link to their website to find out about the accommodation in the area and things to do and see there.
tempImageForSave 37

With quiet corners to explore…
tempImageForSave 13-3

And views for miles… really miles…
tempImageForSave 6-3

Beautiful misty mornings… forest walks and cycle tracks.
IMG_1971

Did I mention the place where Cape floral kingdoms collide.
IMG_1960

And just all round beautiful…
IMG_1967

Grootvadersbosch Cape Nature


Alongside the Grootvadersbosch Conservancy is the Grootvadersbosch Cape Nature Game Reserve. The Cape Nature Reserve has self-catering accommodation and camping, as well as hiking trails and mountain bike trails… it is a great place to escape from the madding crowds.
IMG_1814

We went on an afternoon hike there… really an easy walk, and it is like stepping into another world…
IMG_1772

Streams to explore, stunning forest and surprise of surprise… Giant California Redwood Trees.
IMG_1861

Giant Redwood trees, what unexpected magnificence…
IMG_1780

Walk a little further and discover the Bird Hide…
IMG_1857

You can literally sit in the forest canopy…
IMG_1815

This is a magical part of the world for fungi, lichens and mushrooms…
IMG_1825

IMG_1809

IMG_1798

If you are looking for a quiet retreat or a great place for your family to explore…that isn’t too far from Cape Town, and around the corner from Swellendam where there are so many things to do, then this would be a great place to look at a little closer.

IMG_1699

Click on the Image Below to See More Photographs


Grootvadersbos

3 Replies to “Exploring the Grootvadersbosch, One of the South Western Cape’s Best Kept Secrets…”

  1. So wonderful you got away together, now the children are getting older you need to make it an annual thing 😉 x

  2. Hay Erin, You are so right… it was a bit of an organizational nightmare, but we managed it once and we are working on it again!!! Hope you had a lovely weekend!!!

  3. How amazing are those views!!! Wow wow wow I’m intrigued about all the beauty that surrounds us. God is indeed wonderful

    Ps: I love love love the new blog layout!! And anything with purple is always a winner

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *