May 2026

Farm Fields and Stormy Skies: The road to Arniston’s shores

As I mentioned in the previous post (read here), we went for a few days to the beautiful seaside village Arniston to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary at the Arniston Spa Hotel – and, as you know by now, this didn’t quite work out the way we hoped.

Still, there are a few posts that I would like to share about the time we spent in the Overberg and along the coast. As usual, we’ll first take you on a road trip from the farm where we are staying to Arniston.

Here in the Southern Hemisphere, we are currently at the beginning of winter (it almost feels as if we skipped autumn). One day it was still warm summer temperatures and the next day it was cold and we had rainy weather. However, this did not dampen our spirits, and we enjoyed the freshly ploughed farm fields and beautiful skies while on the road.

  • Please keep in mind that I took most of these photos while Berto was driving. The quality of the photos is therefore not very good, but the day was so beautiful that we just really want to share it with you.

Leaving the farm in cloudy and cold conditions

Arniston is a small seaside village on the coast of the Overberg region and close to Cape Aghulhas, the southernmost tip of Africa. It’s about 211km/131 miles from Cape Town.

For the first half of our road trip, we drove on the N2 highway. Fortunately, we left on a Sunday and the road wasn’t too busy.

The N2 highway towards Somerset-West

Sr Lowry’s Pass:

The N2 highway is the main route between Cape Town and the Garden Route. Just outside Somerset-West is the beautiful Sir Lowry’s Pass – a mountain pass that crosses the Hottentots Holland Mountains between Somerset West and the Elgin valley.

Sir Lowry’s Pass (the summit is at 460m)

Driving on Sir Lowry’s Pass

Elgin Valley:

When you go over Sir Lowry’s Pass, the road descends into the Elgin Valley. This valley is an outdoor paradise and offer activities such as zip lining, canoeing, fishing, and hiking.

Here you will find the small towns of Elgin and Grabouw. Elgin is known as one of South Africa’s top apple producers, while Grabouw forms part of an important agricultural hub in the Overberg region.

Descending into the Elgin Valley from Sir Lowry’s Pass

Mountains in the distance – ideal for zip lining and hiking

Autumn colours next to the road

Peregrine Farmstall:

Most of you know that we love a ‘padstal’ (farmstall). Peregrine Farmstall just outside Grabouw is a very popular stop for travellers. Here you will find fresh produce, a bakery with the most amazing artisanal loaves and pastries, as well as a deli and restaurant.

Early morning at Peregrine Farmstall

We stopped here for a takeaway drink and something light to eat while we continued driving. I bought a lovely bouquet of proteas for Berto’s aunt. She lives in Bredasdorp (a town on our way) and invited us for lunch. We also couldn’t resist buying a box of Elgin’s delicious apples.

Colourful bouquet of flowers

Coffee and freshly baked pancake stalls

Biltong – traditional South African cured meat

To ward off the cold, I bought hot drinks – coffee for Berto and a Red Cappuccino for me. Meanwhile, Berto walked over to the Deli and bought one of Peregrine’s popular pies for him and a sandwich for me and then it was time to hit the road again.

Something to drink and eat on the road

Houw Hoek Pass:

We still had to drive about 45km/28 miles on the N2 before we could turn off onto the R316 that leads to the coast. This section of the N2 highway is beautiful. Just after Peregrine Farmstall, there is the beautiful Houw Hoek Pass that takes you down to the coastal plain and into the Overberg.

Scenic views from Houw Hoek Pass

Farms in the Overberg

Beautiful skies

Driving through farm fields

Caledon:

Caledon is located in a primarily agricultural region. Most agricultural activities involve grain production with a certain amount of stock farming. This town is also known for its rolling hills and yellow canola fields in spring.

Caledon’s main street

Farm fields outside Caledon

Beautiful stormy skies on our road trip

Napier:

Just 57km/35 miles from Caledon, is the village of Napier. This small town was founded in 1838 and has a blend of century old cottages and modern houses. The NG Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church) is a well-known landmark located in the main street.

NG Kerk (Dutch Reformed Church) of Napier

Entering and exiting Napier

Bredasdorp:

Bredasdorp is very close to Napier – only 17km/10 miles further. This town is the main economic and service centre of the Southern Overberg region in the Western Cape. Bredasdorp is also home to the Shipwreck Museum, which tells the stories of the 150 shipwrecks along the nearby Agulhas reef – the only museum of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere (we will tell you more about this museum in a future post).

On our way to Bredasdorp

We had an enjoyable ‘braai’ at Berto’s aunt’s house. His cousin, wife, and their son also joined us. It’s always nice to see family again after a long time – the older we get, the more we appreciate times like these.

Arniston:

From Bredasdorp, it’s just 24km/15 miles to Arniston. This was our destination for the next couple of days where we’ve stayed in the Arniston Spa Hotel.

On our way to Arniston

Fun fact:

Arniston is the only town in South Africa that also has a second name, Waenhuiskrans, an Afrikaans name meaning ‘wagon-house cliff’. This refers to a local sea cave that is large enough to accommodate a wagon and a span of oxen. This place was high on our list to visit, but because of my injury we could not do the hike. (I promise we will go back someday to show you how beautiful a cave it is).

Narrow street in Arniston, with Arniston Spa Hotel just around the corner

As you can see from the photos, it was a cloudy and cold day. But it really doesn’t matter what the weather conditions are when we go on a road trip, for me it is always enjoyable (well, except maybe when it’s in pouring rain).