While staying in Hermanus for the weekend, we had a lunch date with friends at the Black Oystercatcher Winery and Restaurant. We took a leisurely drive from Hermanus via Stanford, the shark tourist spot at Kleinbaai, Baardskeerdersbos and Elim to the Black Oystercatcher winery and restaurant for a fantastic cold platter lunch with friends. Then back to Hermanus via Bredasdorp, Napier and Stanford again. Driving in South Africa
Hermanus (originally called Hermanuspietersfontein, but shortened in 1902 as the name was too long for the postal service), is a town on the southern coast of the Western Cape province of South Africa. It is known for Southern Right whale watching during the southern winter to spring seasons, and is a popular retirement location.
Hermanus Pieters (ca.1778-1837) was a Dutch teacher who arrived in Cape Town in 1815. He was recruited by Dutch-speaking farmers who disliked that English was the only language used in all government schools. He settled in Caledon, but taught Dutch to farmers in a wide area around that town, including the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley. He often vacationed at the spring ("fontein") in present-day Hermanus, where he fished and grazed his sheep, the place eventually became known as “Hermanus Pieters se Fonteyn”. He died before the village Hermanuspietersfontein existed. 65 years after his death the postmaster decided to abbreviate the name to Hermanus.
Hermanus lies along Walker Bay on the south coast of the Western Cape. It is located about 115 km southeast of Cape Town and is connected to the Mother City by the R43 highway (or coastal R44 scenic route) and N2 motorway. The R43 continues to Cape Agulhas, the most southerly point of Africa. Hermanus is 40 km from Gansbaai, a spot where people can dive amongst the great white sharks. It is also notable that Hermanus still boasts a historic railway station building without a railway line. The founders of the town decided not to lay any tracks as this would have made Hermanus more commercial and felt that Hermanus needed to stay a small fisherman's village. To this day the locals still refer to it as "the village."
Black Oystercatcher winery/restaurant : blackoystercatcher.co.za/ and maps.app.goo.gl/ub7btzpD9Yj1V...
Google Maps: maps.app.goo.gl/MJ8z3w4Y7YbwS...
0:00 Hermanus Main Rd. R43
1:10 R43 to Gansbaai
2:05 Detour to shark center Kleinbaai
2:49 R43 to Franskraal
2:58 R43 to Baardskeerdersbos
3:47 R43 to Elim
5:10 R43 Bredasdorp Road to Black Oystercatcher
5:35 R43 to Bredasdorp
6:20 R319 to Bredasdorp
6:37 R316 to Napier
7:17 R316 direction Caledon
8:09 R326 to Stanford
9:09 R43 to Hermanus
#hermanus #overberg #dashcam