Milnerton

Photo courtesy bittlelit

The suburb of Milnerton – with its lagoon, beach and golf course – is the perfect spot for some well-earned rest and recreation.

Milnerton (named after Lord Milner, Governor of the Cape Colony) is situated to the north of Cape Town’s city centre. It’s just a 10-15 minute drive into the city centre from this relaxed suburb.

Milnerton’s beach, on the Atlantic Ocean seaboard, is known for its spectacular views of Cape Town, Robben Island, Signal Hill and of course Table Mountain.

One of the main attractions for visitors and locals alike is the scenic lagoon. It’s popular with canoeists and bird-watchers. The local canoe club is very active and visitors are more than welcome to make contact (+27 76 848 9559; www.milnertoncanoeclub.co.za).

Milnerton Golf Course (+27 21 554 1047; http://www.milnertongolf.co.za/) is an 18-hole, par 72 seaside course surrounded by natural beauty. Nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and the Rietvlei river, this lush links-type course is relatively flat with few trees. The ocean and the lagoon border most of the holes. The southeaster winds (known as the “Cape Doctor”) make this course a major challenge during the summer months.

Milnerton has a fascinating marine history and it’s definitely worthwhile to visit the 21m (69ft) high Milnerton lighthouse. It has been said that the coastline from Green Point to Milnerton has seen more ships wrecked than any other coastline in South Africa. (Apparently 150 ships have gone down along this coastline.)

The Rietvlei Nature Reserve is another highlight; it’s an inland wetland boasting more than 112 bird species. Nature lovers will be pleased to note that whale watching in spring is a big drawcard to the area. The Paarden Eiland Wetlands are also nearby.

For those who are looking for some retail therapy, Canal Walk (+27 21 529 7200; http://www.canalwalk.co.za) with over 400 stores is just down the road. For the kids, there’s always a trip to Ratanga Junction (+27 21 550 8504 www.ratanga.co.za), one of South Africa’s most exciting theme parks.