Things to Do in Scarborough

To the east of Misty Cliffs is the popular kiting, surfing, stand up paddling and windsurfing spot called Witsands by locals. This lovely beach is long and sandy, has great winter surf, some lovely walks and is a great place to spot whales in season. There are no facilities and parking is on the main road. The approach to Witsands Beach is via a steep stone stairway.

Visit a sparkling, colourful Alladin's Cave with your little ones. The Scratch Patch and Mineral World Gemstone shop is an awesome spot for young and old to relax while foraging for your own gemstones. Visitors can purchase fabulous, affordable gifts at the shop in addition to their collected treasures. Topstones is also worth a visit - see how rough stone is polished at the world's largest gemstone tumbling factory.

Liebermann Pottery retails a vast collection of ceramics – traditional tableware designed and developed by Sammy and Mary Liebermann, rare porcelain from the Far East, functional ware from Africa and South East Asia, garden planters of all kinds, bric-a-brac, and collectables. The shop is set on a smallholding featuring an organic veggie shop, and indigenous garden. Open 7 days a week, Monday to Friday 10:00 – 18:00, Weekend 10:00 – 15:00.

Boulders Beach, which is part of the Table Mountain National Park, is home to a sizeable colony of African penguins. These cute and comical birds waddle around quite unperturbed by the hordes of tourists who flock towards them. Huge boulders create sheltered little coves and the resident penguins often swim past for a look at the people.Boulders is the most fabulous swimming beach in Cape Town. A swim in the calm, warm waters of Boulders Beach is always fun on a hot summer day but – you never know – you may just see a sleek black and white penguin swimming past. You can also do a fun paddling trip past the penguin hangout. Of all Cape Town beaches, Boulders Beach is one of the most popular beach spots for kids and an absolute haven for toddlers. It’s safe and you can relax while pipsqueak splashes around or totters after penguins without having to watch out for unpredictable waves. It is the most sheltered beach on the False Bay side when the South east wind blows.

Fisherman's Beach is a lovely little sandy cove squeezed between rocky pinnacles near the penguin colony at Boulder's Beach and Simon's Town Golf Course. The beach is surrounded by lawns and is perfect for a game of beach ball with family and friends or simply soaking up the sunshine. Here the warmer ocean temperatures of False Bay make Fisherman's Beach a great spot for body surfing, boogie boarding and kayaking.

Fish Hoek Beach stretches for just over a mile at the head of a beautiful bay. It's one of the most popular Cape Town beaches for families, and there is loads of space for them to spread out. The northern side, Clovelly, is usually relatively peaceful. Fish Hoek often has a nice little wave and it's very popular with swimmers and young surfers. From the southern end of the beach another one of those great walkways hugs the southern end of the bay. It's a great walk, especially in whale season, and there are lovely tidal pools.

The traditional spit n’ sawdust vibe at the local pub, Fisherman’s, opposite the Kommetjie Superette, belies its delicious fresh seafood at very reasonable prices. This great beer garden is under the milkwoods. Choose to eat outside or indoors, often to live music.

Kommetjie is a small village with a large tidal pool 'The Kom', and a really lovely long beach - also called Long Beach, but with far better reason than the one near Simon's Town. Long Beach is a very popular surfing and dog-walking beach. There is a great walk that passes a well preserved 1900 ship wreck, the Kakapo, and you can continue all the way to Noordhoek Beach, at the foot of scenic Chapman's Peak. Another great walk is around Bird Island at the Kommetjie slipway where boats are launched during 'kreef' season. From here you can stroll along the catwalk until you reach the Outer Kom, one of the famous surf spots. A lovely boardwalk starts here and follows the shore to Slangkop lighthouse and then continues up to a WW II radar station on top of the mountain with sweeping views of the elegant Slangkop lighthouse against the wild ocean backdrop as well as the rugged coastline all the way to Cape Point to the south west and Hout Bay to the north east.

The surf’s always up at Kommetjie Longbeach! It’s easy to spend days lapping up the sunshine watching the surfers, kite-surfers and body-boarders but how about doing it yourself? No better place to start than Kommetjie. Grab a wetsuit and a surf or body board from the Kommetjie Surf Shop (021 789 4804) at Post Office House, Huskisson Way, Kommetjie, and take to the waves. You’ll be surprised how quickly you get the hang of it!

Considered one of the finest golf courses in South Africa, Clovelly Country Club is famous for its rolling, computer-irrigated fairways and undulating holes complementing its rich coastal environment. The championship-quality greens consist of bent grass and poa annua mix. Nestled in the pristine and tranquil Silvermine Valley close to Fish Hoek, Clovelly offers its members and visitors a memorable experience.The picturesque and challenging courses are a favourite of Bobby Locke, where each hole has a distinctive setting, with magnificent views of the surrounding mountains and False Bay. The Silvermine River, natural sand dunes and trees line the fairways with water features and a wide variety of birdlife such as guinea fowl, pheasant and steppe buzzard.Adjoining the club house is a pro shop, restaurant and driving range.

The soft white sands of Clovelly Beach have been the starting point for relaxing morning and evening strolls around the Fish Hoek bay for generations. Fringed with ancient sand-dunes and washed by the 'Indian ocean', beach-goers enjoy a temperature that's often several degrees warmer than the Atlantic waters on the peninsula's west side. A small offshore ridge gives junior surfers a perfect little practice wave, and hobie-cats and sea-kayaks launch into the ocean further down. Clovelly beach provides a peaceful alternative to the busy Fish Hoek side of the bay. Whales frequently bask in the shallows from June to November, and dolphins provide great entertainment as they glide and bounce around in the surf.

As you round one of the last hairpin bends of the incredibly scenic Chapman's Peak Drive in the direction of Noordhoek village, you will be struck by the spectacular Noordhoek Beach. It's worth stopping here for a few minutes to gaze from this high vantage point at this enormous beach stretching for eight kilometres. Horse riders can often be seen galloping along this vast expanse, gripped by the wildness of the ocean and sense of space and freedom. There's more than enough space for everyone – surfers, beach walkers, dogs, horse riders, kite surfers and anyone up for a good session of sun tanning and chilling.

Kalk Bay Harbouris a picturesque but thriving fishing harbour where members of the local fishing community are out daily in their traditional fishing boats earning their living.Take a stroll along the harbour wall to check out the colourful vessels.Bright blues, reds and yellows are the norm.Names like Star of the Sea, Amber Rose, Gold Pearl and Antoinette tell of the high regard with which these sailors hold their vessels. The majority are wooden creations.Learn how to fish from real fishermen – those who make a living by catching Cape fish.Apparently, there is still a loyal market for fresh fish.Witnessing this is a cultural experience.Kids love to look at the harbour seals waiting for scraps of fresh fish.Kalk Bay is also a hub of outdoor action – from sea fishing to harbour wall angling. Kalk Bay has one of the best reefs in Cape Town for surfing and the fascinating Kalk Bay caves for landlubber adventures.While out for a fishing boat tour you will have the opportunity to observe seals, dolphins, Great White Sharks and in season Southern Right Whales in their natural habitat.These giants come to calve in False Bay between June and October each year.It’s hard to believe that retro Kalk Bay is actually part of Cape Town. The pace differs – colourful folk stroll along the wharf and browse the quirky shops, others sip on superb Cape Wines and cold beers while surfers ride the breakers.Nestled between the mountains and the sea, is just a 30 minute drive from the centre of Cape Town yet a world away from the hustle and bustle of the city.For scuba divers the harbour wall offers an interesting dive, but there're plenty more spots in the area. Popular restaurants to suit all pockets are right on the water's edge.

Described as the book shop with the best view in the world, Kalk Bay Books is a gathering place for locals and visitors alike, who browse and buy books, share a glass of wine or two with visiting authors, and gather for new book launches or discussions. The leather sofa invites customers to spend some time considering the books on offer, and to catch up on international book news with the New York Review of Books and other reading matter provided for their interest.Today, instead of tall tales being told around the bar counter, tales are sold at a shop counter, which was specially designed with a nod to the history of the building. Kalk Bay Books occupies premises that have a varied and interesting history. As recorded by author and historian Michael Walker in Kalk Bay: An Historical Booklet and Walk (Kalk Bay Historical Society), the building that now houses the bookshop was originally known as Die Klipkantienjie and was designed by architect John Parker in 1913.'The saloon and public bar formed part of an overall extension to the Old Masonic Hotel. Beside die Klipkantientjie, this single-storey extension had seven bedrooms, a storeroom and a large billiard roon, and was in fact larger than the Masonic Hotel. After the Masonic Hotel was demolished in 1916 the extensions became knows as The Annex to the Kalk Bay Hotel, which was later renamed the Majestic Hotel. The external façade of The Annex has changed little since Parker’s design of 1913.’Need to know? Winter trading May - September: 9am to 5pmSummer trading October - April: Monday to Sunday 9am to 6pmPeak summer season 16 - 31 December: 8am to 7pmChristmas Eve: 8am to 9pm(Closed: 25 & 26 December, 1 January)If getting to the book shop is a problem, you can browse their online books selection, which includes hand-selected fiction and non-fiction books, and many book lists offering their suggestions on a wide range of themes in the Open Books section of the website.

Heaven on horseback is cantering through the surf on a fine thoroughbred horse with whales and dolphins leaping in the bay. That's what the brochure says but this dream can easily become a reality at The Dunes in Noordhoek. The stables are built right on the sand of Noordhoek Beach – the longest, whitest and most spectacular beach in Cape Town. Stroll or canter along the shoreline of this five-mile long beach, then explore the ancient shipwreck. Splash through the seasonal lagoon and trot through the grassy sand dunes. Advanced riders can gallop on the race horse training track parallel to the beach, while beginners admire the exquisite views of Chapman's Peak and the Atlantic Ocean. Apart from offering beach horse rides, The Dunes stables about forty thoroughbred horses who are in training and compete at Cape Town's two race courses every week. You could be taking a beach ride on a retired winner who now has a more leisurely life as a trail riding horse. Your ex-race horse will go as fast as you like, but they are quite happy to plod along at a walk, trot or canter. The horses are regularly featured in the photo shoots and films – not only could you be riding a winning race horse, but your mount could be a movie star too! Contact Mike Stewart +27 (0)21 789 1723 +27 (0)82 784 8699 www.horserides.co.za

On the road to Noordhoek's Long Beach and tucked away under the ancient milk wood trees you will find the Red Herring restaurant. Above it is Skebanga’s Pub - a place so laid back that shoes are not essential and baggy shorts are fine. Skebanga’s is loud and always packed and very popular with horse riders, surfers and locals just chilling out, but there is always room for one more. In the winter a roaring fire will keep the chills at bay, but for most of the year one can enjoy the truly spectacular views of Long Beach from the outside wooden deck. Noordhoek faces West and it is known for breathtakingly beautiful sunsets and nowhere can one enjoy them more than the deck of Skebanga’s pub. Sunny winter afternoons can be spent on the deck watching whales mating off the beach in the cool Atlantic. Deservedly reputed to be one of Cape Town’s great pubs, Skebanga’s serves great pub fare at modest prices, but locals know that the best nosh is the wonderful thin based Pizzas cooked in a wood fired oven, and said to be the best in the Southern hemisphere. Enjoy the multi-choice pizza menu or order one made to your own specification, but be warned - their pizzas are huge and best shared with another. A range of beers is available on tap as well as the usual pub offerings. Don’t be alarmed if you find yourself hooked and keep on returning. That is what Skebanga’s does to you!

Tucked just below the entrance to Chapman's Peak, Cape Point Vineyards is worth a visit. The enormous tasting room is sumptuously furnished with comfy couches, polished tables, a giant a 300-year old tapestry and crystal chandelier. Knowledgeable staff carry out the various wine sampling menus with great poise – try their award-winning flagship or premium tastings with a cheese platter of handcrafted Camembert, Huguenot, Gorgonzola, Mont Vere and Emmentaler.

Kalk Bay Theatre offers a unique evening of entertainment. The 78-seat theatre and restaurant is situated in the quaint Kalk Bay Dutch Reformed church. Built in 1876 and also a heritage protected building, the old church has been lovingly converted into an intimate theatre with the restaurant on the upper floor. Dinner, theatre and quality time with friends is found under the same roof. Patrons arrive from 18:45 and are directed upstairs to the restaurant. The open-plan restaurant has been designed to give the customer a feel of eating in a warm, family kitchen. The wooden tables and chairs are set around a gallery, allowing customers to look down onto the stage below. There are usually two set menu choices of three course meals or diners can cherry-pick dishes off the menu. If you choose a three course meal, the starter and the main course are served before the show and the desert and coffee is served after the performance. Patrons make their way down to the theatre after their main meal and return to the restaurant for their desert and coffee. Drinks may be taken into the theatre. The menu is vegetarian friendly. Specific dietary requirements will, wherever possible, be catered for provided advance warning is given. KBT is licensed. Corkage is charged at R20 per bottle. The ground floor theatre has 78 comfortable seats crafted out of beech wood and modelled around the comfortable Morris chair. The theatre is a thrust stage with the audience on three sides. This allows for a very intimate theatrical experience. Shows usually run for four to eight weeks in the venue. Performances are from Wednesday to Saturday night (and sometimes Sundays as well) at 20:30. Shows are normally announced by email and on www.kbt.co.za.

Local is “lekker” they say. Well, it can’t get much better than Noordhoek farm village; a thatched Cape Dutch yesteryear complex with farm stall, excellent restaurants, a pub, artist studios, antiques and African collectibles and curios. This charming village complex of shops, galleries and handicraft shops is situated at the start of famous Chapmans peak scenic drive - clustered under ancient oak trees. This favorite relaxing spot for the locals always has a busy vibe, but is generously shared with visitors to this enchanted valley. The restaurants begin their busy days serving wonderful country breakfasts which you can enjoy our fresco or under the thatched patio of the food barn. The Food Barn is presided over by famous chef Franck Dangereux, who offers cooking demonstrations with his always popular Bistro menu. The Food Barn also offers a wide range of organic vegetables, baked goods, preserves and cheeses for you to take home and enjoy the best of the Cape.Amongst the shops you will find a wine shop – open seven days a week – which will give you an excellent the opportunity to try a range of Cape wines including the prestigious output of our local Cape Point winery. Spend a couple of hours browsing in the art galleries sharing the inspiration that the many artists who live in the valley have gained from the beauty that surrounds Noordhoek, or shop for truly African clothes and crafts.There is no reason to be worried about the children being bored while you shop or just browse because there is a large playground area equipped with swings, slides and jungle gyms to keep them occupied. Perhaps you might join the locals at the end of your outing in the local pub “The Frog” for a cool couple of points or even an enjoyable pub meal.

Silvermine Nature Reserve forms part of the Table Mountain National Park and offers numerous trails for walking or hiking. A detailed map of the trails can be purchased from Noordhoek Village tourism office for a nominal fee. The Silvermine Hiking trail allows one to see some of the world’s most spectacular coastal and mountain scenery which is rich with a variety of flora as well as bird and small animal life. There are a large number of different Proteas and other fynbos species, flowering throughout the different seasons; making this an enjoyable and interesting walk at any time of the year. One of the easiest and most accessible walks leads from the car park at the top of the mountain to the Silvermine Reservoir. This is an easy 1 – 1 ½ hour walk and is suitable for all members of the family. From the parking area the trail is well marked and heads predominantly uphill although it is not particularly strenuous. The trail winds through remarkably different vegetation and you will enjoy a number of boardwalks over the streams. On hot summer days you will find the wooded banks verdant with tree ferns a pleasantly cool and peaceful spot to linger. Surprisingly the trail heads through some small forest glades. The path wends its way up well-maintained wooden walkways and the occasional rustic bridge until reaching the dam wall. Stop along the way to admire the spectacular views across False Bay where on a clear day you can see clear across to Gordon’s Bay. A number of quaint stone benches and tables are dotted along the path where one can picnic or braai. It is best to check at the ticket office beforehand – lighting of fires may be prohibited in dry and windy conditions. During hot summer days, people often take a cooling swim in the clear water. In early autumn there are an amazing variety of flowering plants including Proteas. On the opposite side of Ou Kaapse Weg, just after the apex, is another entrance manned by the Parks board where one can park and walk up Silvermine River Valley to a small waterfall, passing a number of old ruins. The waterfall offers the perfect spot to take in the sounds of nature. Like so many of the waterfalls on Table Mountain, this one is only seen in its full glory in winter, but it is also a great peaceful picnic spot. Need to know? There is a small entry fee or free for Wild card holders. There are toilet facilities at the parking area.