Own backyard

WEEKEND DRIVE, Trekoskraal (West Coast, South Africa)

We are still in the full swing of summer here in South Africa! Which mean, enjoying a leisurely ride along the ocean is always a good idea.

Trekoskraal:

Trekoskraal is a beach close to our home (only a 30-minute drive) and is the ideal place from where one can enjoy the pristineness of nature (is that even a word).

We used to enjoy wild camping weekends here, but unfortunately overnight camping is not allowed anymore (this is a privately-owned farm next to the beach) and we now only visit Trekoskraal to catch crayfish and to enjoy a day next to the sea.

This gravel road leading to Trekoskraal

Although it was misty, it was not cold at all … in fact, the fresh sea breeze was just what we needed after a couple of hot days. We love to open our car windows, drive slowly and breathe the fresh sea air. Here are a few pictures we took on our drive …

The road next to the sea
We even saw tiny beach flowers
We parked at one of our wild camping spots – what a view!
Our Suzuki Jimny is the perfect vehicle for this terrain
We stopped to enjoy the view and had some sandwiches
I never get tired of looking at the sea

On our way back, we stopped every now and then to walk around and even get into the cold Atlantic water (though, just knee-high).

One of the many small beaches at Trekoskraal
Driving on soft beach sand
On the way back – still with great views
A small boat close to the beach

As we left the sea and got back on the main gravel road, we saw the farmer’s cattle relaxing in the field.

Cattle in the field
Traveling on the main gravel road

A visit to Trekoskraal is medicine for my soul and always puts me in a relaxed mood. And how fortunate are we, that it’s literally just around the corner from our home.

To conclude our day, we had a sundowner drink at a friend’s house … with an amazing view over the Langebaan lagoon.

Relaxing with a drink while enjoying a beautiful sunset
A beautiful sunset over the Langebaan lagoon

We hope, wherever you are in the world, that the photos of the sea will have a relaxing effect on you as well.

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52 thoughts on “WEEKEND DRIVE, Trekoskraal (West Coast, South Africa)”

  1. How lovely that you have this coastline on your doorstep Corna. We’ve enjoyed several crayfish parties in early August on our visit to Finland. Though they taste delicious, I find them incredibly messy! What an idyllic way to end the day, watching the sun set over a drink with friends. Hope your week goes well. Marion

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    1. You are absolutely right Marion … the best way to enjoy lobster is to eat it with your hands … and that means messy !! I sometimes forget how privileged we are with the sea walking distance from our house, but we try to enjoy it as much as possible. Thank you, hope your week is good too – we are going to the mountains this weekend for camping and hiking, so much to look forward to. Take care, Corna 💌.

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    1. Somehow we missed the people when we took the photo’s (they were there, but it’s never crowded at Trekoskraal – a bonus)! Well Carolyn, I’ll make sure to have an ocean view every now and then especially for you 😊.

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    1. Yes, the West Coast is a gem … almost like a “rough diamond” like one of the bloggers said. Trekoskraal is between Vredenburg and Paternoster (and you definitely have to visit Paternoster 😊).

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  6. Great post and wonderful photos, Corna. There is nothing better than having such beautiful coastal views nearby just so you can reap the benefits of all that ‘vitamin sea.’ The physical sensation of putting my feet in warm sand always causes me to relax. We might have to wait for a few more months until warmer weather arrives, but it is always worth the wait Thanks for sharing and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx

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    1. Thank you for your valued comments Aiva 🌸. Yes, we do love the beautiful ocean views and the beach … the best way to get “vitamin sea” indeed 😉. Although you have to wait a couple of months for your “beach weather”, I’m sure you will enjoy it when it arrives! Have a great week and take care, Corna.

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  7. Wow, how that sky just went blue suddenly! Spending a day near the sea (or any body of water for that matter) always has a relaxing effect on me as well. Your friends live in an incredible location, such gorgeous expansive views from their terrace. It’s impossible not to surrender to the beauty of that sunset and feel truly at ease.

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    1. Do you know what I love most about South Africa … the intense BLUE sky! And I must agree, if I had a house with such a view like our friends, I would have stayed on that terrace all day long! “Truly at ease” … the perfect description of our feelings while watching the sunset – thanks Leighton!

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  8. What a scenic drive with lots of lovely views of the ocean, beach and rugged shoreline. How brave to test the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, even if you only went in up to your knees. What better way to end the day than with a bevvie in hand and watching the sunset. Sounds like a fun outing!

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    1. I must admit, the water on this side of our country (and especially here on the West Coast) is really cold … even on a hot day! This is indeed a beautiful stretch of the ocean to enjoy stunning views (we should do it more)! And to enjoy a sundowner with the view of such a sunset – priceless!

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    1. Ek ook Dries 😊. Maar as ek daaraan dink dat dit ‘n plaas is, kan ‘n mens dalk aanneem dat baie jare gelede, daar dalk getrek is met osse en toe in ‘n kraal gesit is hier naby die see … of altans, dis my verduideliking. Ek sal met ‘n volgende besoek by die plaas stalletjie uitvind of hulle dalk kennis dra. Maar dat dit ‘n pragtige plek is, is gewis!

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  11. Langebaan lagoon is absolutely beautiful! Breathtakingly beautiful and tranquil. Thank you for sharing, the flowers growing on the beach bring back nostalgia, and some childhood memories. Thank you for taking me along, great post 💕🌸

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    1. I have no other choice than to agree with you about Langebaan lagoon … for me, this is one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen on our travels (yes, I’m probably biased 😉). I’m glad it brought back some memories (good ones I hope) … thank you for reading and, as always, your lovely comments 💌.

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    1. And those two (coastline and sunset) always makes a beautiful picture! It’s most definitely under my top 5 favourite places in the world that I ever had the opportunity to visit (and fortunately enought to call it my hometown) 😊.

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  13. Kan jy glo ons was nog nie daar nie! Ons VW Tauran sal dit sekerlik nie op daai pad dit maak nie! Dis so pragtig daar Corna! Ons is darem maar bevoorreg om hier in die omgewing te kan woon! Jou sonsondergang foto is asemrowend mooi!

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    1. Nee wat Aletta, julle sal maklik daar kan ry met julle Tauran. Mens het nie ‘n 4×4 nodig nie – julle sal dalk nie tot aan die einde van die pad kan ry nie, maar maklik driekwart van die pad (en daar is genoeg omdraai plek as julle nie kans sien om verder te ry nie) … gaan maak gerus ‘n draai daar (en dan drink julle sommer ‘n lekker koffietjie by die Afsaal Padstal). Jy’s reg, ons is bevoorreg met hierdie mooi om ons. En dankie, dit was ‘n pragtige sonsondergang ☺️.

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    1. I would love to experience snow (but just for a week or so), then I would like the sun to shine again. That’s probably why I don’t spent so much time in the kitchen … because it’s much nicer outside 😁.

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  17. My ancestors donated their land in Newlands for the stadium to be built. They were “Sandvellers” that settled around Leipoldtville, Lambertsbaai, Velddrift, Dwarskersbos and Koringberg. My wife hails from the original Groenrivier near Kalbaskraal. We both have a fixation with the West Coast, the Jimny or, as we call it, the G Lite. Our daughter in law owns a new one. Pity they are too tiny to be practical for six month overlanding trips to really remote places, where indigenous plants such as petrol pumps don’t grow. Suzuki should have fitted the Renault 1.5 DCi as standard.

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    1. My mom is a “Sandveller” – she grew up on a farm close to Lambersbaai. And we love wild camping at Groenrivier – the road from “Gert du Toit se Baai” is sometimes a nightmare (even with the Jimny), but it’s so worth it to pitch our tent and watch the beautiful sunsets. If we want to get away from everything, we turn the Jimny’s nose towards the West Coast!

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      1. Pitching that tent of yours….I had a botched back surgery decades ago, then my balance is affected after a series of stroke. Wifey has a neck after a road accident. We are dreaming of leaving roads behind near Brand se Baai and then to hug the coast to Hondeklipbaai. This is just a dream, for now, but will we even be able to set up a throw ⛺ at, say, Koringkorrel Bay?

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      2. Yes, it can become a struggle to pitch a tent once you get older. We have 3 tents – the canvas one being the biggest (it also has an extension, but we almost never use it), then a smaller 3-men tent for when we do a trip and you need to pitch a tent for 10 days consecutively and then a VERY small 2-men hiking tent. The problem is, the smaller the tent, the more difficult it becomes to get in and out 😁. We loved our camping experience at Koringkorrel Bay – done a trip to the Richtersveld in 2016 and on the way, camped there. I suppose you know that it’s part of the Namaqua National Park?

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      3. Yes, I am very aware. We live outside and hardly ever need to enter or exit, except at night. Frequent pit stops because of diabetes and congestive heart failure. That’s when you pack sixty years into your first twenty; I used up myself and forgot about tomorrow. Adventurism and being a workoholic didn’t gel well. We are used to sleeping in caves and caverns; I even slept up in trees BUT haven’t done so north of 2010, so we don’t know what to expect. We were thinking of investing in an EdgeOut or Vagabond teardrop trailer but it isn’t allowed east of Nossob or towards Ghoeragab. And, towing in sand up towards Hondeklip may be a challenge.

        See, we never visited there but would want to stay a few days to take photos and videos. But there is no accommodation half the way and going from Groenrivier Accommodation just to return by the same night, seems illogical. Ditto Hondeklip.

        And then we still need to find suitable people to travel with us, so that we have two vehicles. Meanwhile, there is much to happen in between, from logistics to medical procedures. It won’t happen overnight.

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      4. Three years ago, my husband and I decided to “pull the plug” on the corporate world … for many years we were working in such stressful conditions, that we forgot about what life really is. So, we packed our backpacks and walked the well-known Camino in Spain (before we quitted our jobs) and then another Camino in Portugal … that made us realised the rat race for us is over. The best decision ever … we may not earn the high salaries anymore, but we certainly have a much better quality of life!

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      5. We did several informal hikes, our very life was our Camino. 😀 I must say, I find that not having pressure on me, really helps with neurogenesis. It took me a year now, after the Honourable Incident, to start writing again. Some friends are worse than bloot clots, and more lethal. That’s much of where my “Forgiveness isn’t a French Kiss” came from. Since I am out of that stressful relationship, I could start healing and recovery. Many hours of YouTube videos helped me travel to places I needed to see. Byron & Tammy of DearTravellure, Marius & Denise Niemann, Joe Lategan of Joe’s Camera, Voetspore, the Jimnothy & Friends clan, Rikus & Stacy Van Wyk, Jors Malan, Juba, André Wasserman and so many others, took my mind off reality and helped me forget. Joe Lategan has excellent veld knowledge and his films and photography of the Kgalagadi, but also Moordenaarskaroo, is something to behold. As I cannot walk freely any more, the days of hiking 20 or 30km just for fun, are just over. But my memories of the Otter wandelpad, God’s Window, Blyderivier, Letaba Ranch and so many other wonderful places, do remain. Having banked good memories, I can now live off the interest. Every time I wake up from sleep, is a new life beckoning, not just a new day dawning. I already had NDE decades ago, and with every stroke, one realises that the very next moment is never guaranteed. Just live life to the fullest, but don’t force it. Let life happen at His pace.

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      6. Thank you … this is such an amazing story (and testimony of your life). It’s great to have such great memories of all your adventures … these are the things we also treasure. I love your quote “let life happen at His pace” – what a wonderful lesson!

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    1. Thanks, I’ve just read it now and commented there … I should maybe just add: When we go camping and set up everything, most of the time fellow campers will come over to try and figure out how on earth we fitted everything into the Jimny 😁.
      We are going camping again this weekend at Elands Bay and can’t wait to start packing our feisty Jimny … well, it only takes about 2 hours (which include the removing of the back seats and fitting the loading system)!

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    1. Yes, it’s unfortunate that we can’t wild camp here anymore … we had some really great weekends here (especially during crayfish season) and it is so close to home! We still go there often (when we’re at home), because it’s a pristine coastal area with lovely views.

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