Western Cape Article - South African Vacations

FAUNA AND FLORANeulfontein Hilltop: This hilltop offers a splendid view of Table Mountain.HISTORY AND ARCHITECTUREWheat Industry Museum: The museum is one of only three wheat museums in the world andfocuses on wheat-farming and the history of wheat-farming in Moorreesburg.Wheat Silos: The silos in Moorreesburg are the largest in the Southern Hemisphere and areused to press green crops and store grain.PATERNOSTERExplore and enjoy the simple allureof whitewashed fisherman’scottages in an unspoilt fishingvillage. The cottages are over 100years old and are still inhabited.Paternoster means “Our Father”,referring to the prayers ofshipwrecked Portuguese sailors.ADVENTURE AND SPORTAngling: Angling and seasonal crayfishing can be done from boat or land.Diving and Spear-fishing: These activities are particularly popular.Hiking: Hiking trails lead across the landscape from Tieties Bay to Swartriet and fromPaternoster to Stompneus Bay.FAUNA AND FLORACape Columbine Nature Reserve: The considerable attractions of the Cape ColumbineNature Reserve include wild flowers, fynbos-covered dunes, rock pools, shell-strewn stretchesof sand and richly diverse bird life. The sounds of seagulls, cormorants, sacred ibis and manyother seabirds fill the air of the reserve along this rocky stretch of coast south of Paternoster.Wild Flowers: Beautiful wild flowers bloom in the area, especially during August andSeptember.Whales and dolphins: Whales and dolphins frequent the waters off Paternoster for almost tenmonths of the year.HISTORY AND ARCHITECTURECape Columbine Lighthouse: The lighthouse at Cape Columbine was built in 1936 and is thelast manned lighthouse in the country. It was also the first lighthouse to receive all threenavigational safety features, namely a light, fog signal and a radio beacon.169