If you want to enjoy the southern side without having to battle stressful traffic, the Southern Line Route is your answer. Hop on in the busy city at Cape Town Station and let the train transport you to a magnificently hassle-free world. Along the way tourist attractions are easily-accessible by foot, making traveling by rail effortless and enjoyable.
For the first half of the ride you’ll feel your worries fly out the window as the lulling sounds of the tracks calm you. Watch as the buzzing activity of the CBD gives way to sleepy suburbs. The line is dotted with luscious green trees, school fields and backyards.
It’s when you reach Steenberg Station that the magic of traveling by rail becomes truly apparent. Between Steenberg and Lakeside Station the ever-changing concrete-scenery sprawls out into natural goodness as you pass by Zandvlei. An important wetland, river system and estuary in the area, Zandvlei attracts birdwatchers, picnickers, walkers and even canoeists and windsurfers. The view from your seat is bound to warrant a few photos quickly being taken before your train pulls into Lakeside.
Then, a few stations on, as you pass False Bay and enter Muizenberg Station the ocean comes into sight. The thrill of traveling by train along the rugged coastline is something you won’t easily experience anywhere else in the world.
If you get off at Muizenberg there are plenty activities to keep you enthralled. Connect with the area’s history by visiting the various heritage sites. The Het Posthys is the oldest building, while Rhodes cottage allows you a peek into historical figure Cecil John Rhodes’ life. There is also the open-air Battle of Muizenberg Museum and the Casa Labia Museum (both a must-visit).
Otherwise walk along the wide open shore and see the water decorated by surfers and body borders. This is the birth place of surfing in South Africa and remains a hotspot with numerous surf shops and coffee cafés scattered along the promenade. If you get hungry Then Empire Café, Knead Bakery or vegan-restaurant Closer will definitely have something on their menus for you.
Next stop on the tracks has got to be the popular town of Kalk Bay. An eclectic mix of trendy-people and hippies, this seaside village has a vibrant yet laid back energy. Visit the old Holy Trinity Church; built in 1873 by John Gainsford using local sandstone from Kalk Bay Mountains and very little has changed from its original Victorian design.
For some exercise, explore the impressive backdrop-mountains and see if you can reach the Kalk Bay Caves. Once you’ve returned, amble along the cosmopolitan main and back roads where you’ll be met with a myriad of colourful characters, old-world curio shops and contemporary art, design and clothing stores. Stop at The Ice-Cream shop and follow in Jamie Oliver’s footsteps by ordering from one of their many delectable flavours.
You can also browse through a wide variety of books at Kalk Bay Books before deciding on where to eat. When in Kalk Bay it’s almost compulsory to dine at the world-renowned Brass Bell. Bite down on one of their juicy burgers while the sea-air surrounds you. Otherwise, for a more rustic dining experience take a seat at Olympia Café and sample some of the sweet or savory morsels they have scribbled on their chalkboard menu.
Continue your travels towards Simonstown. Here you can browse through the Simonstown, Heritage or SA Naval museum before heading on to Roman Rock Lighthouse and the Bronze Age Sculpture House & Bronze Age Foundry. Jubilee Square and the surrounding shops offer you a variety of curio-shopping and antique-browsing.
For some fresh air and a glimpse of South Africa’s wildlife you can stroll along the pathways at Boulder’s Beach Penguin Colony. If you prefer more secluded shores set your towel down on the sand at Seaforth Beach or Fisherman’s Beach after visiting Miller’s Point.
From the harbour you can book yourself harbour boat trips, sailings, kayaking or big-game fishing. The 9-hole Simonstown Golf Course proves a challenge for even the expert golfer with winds a slight frustration and the views a major distraction. When you’re ready to eat, head back to the harbour and one of the restaurants there will be the perfect setting for a lazy lunch or even sundowners. There are also some worldly-cuisine delights to be found in some of the restaurants along the main road.
What’s wonderful about traveling by train is being able to explore Cape Town’s treasures first-hand, and not having to drive back after a busy day. Metrorail make it even easier for you by offering train-users the Hop On, Hop Off option. This Metroplus ticket allows you unlimited stops. One way will cost you R12 and return R25. This means you can get off at any station and get back on without having to buy a ticket each time. Call Metrorail on 0800 65 64 63 or visit their website for more information: www.capemetrorail.co.za
Jade Scully is a copywriter excited about writing copy and stories, blogging about the world and editing. She currently and regularly publishes her stories on a number of blogs. Jade loves animals and hopes to begin writing copy for the animal rescue charity TEARS as her contribution to the cause.
