By Roxanne Reid
One thing you learn very quickly about Stanford in the Overberg is that it’s hard not to fall under the spell of its numerous restaurants and wineries. But wining and dining aren’t the only things to do in town, not by far. Here’s my pick of 18 things to do in Stanford.
You’ll find Stanford just a two-hour drive from Cape Town in South Africa, an attractive 22km drive south-east of Hermanus on the Cape Whale Coast. It’s the perfect blend of country atmosphere and small-town living, mountains, rivers and lagoons. I love it for its natural surroundings – and yes, also for its wineries and great little restaurants that focus on locally sourced food.
1. Take a walk through historical Stanford
Ask at the Stanford Tourism office in Queen Victoria Street for a map of the town and the booklet
Historical Stanford on Foot, which you can buy for just R10 (in January 2025). Now walk the village to discover some of the old buildings and their original purpose. The gloomy shop that used to be full of snakeskins and stuffed animal heads, where no women were allowed. The house where Tant Grieta resisted the lure of electricity until 2003. The house where Lady Ann Barnard stayed in 1798, and the house dubbed Bachelors’ Hope because that’s where young lady school teachers used to stay.
You can see the house a barber used when he walked 20km over the mountains from his farm every Saturday morning to cut the townies’ hair. You’ll discover some weird attitudes to cars too: the house of the first person in Stanford to own a car, who made his wife sit diagonally behind him to balance the weight; and the house of the chap who used to hang his car up in the garage to get more mileage out of his tyres.
2. Visit the village markets
Okay, so this one is also food-related, but not entirely! The Stanford Sunset Market takes place on the village green from 18:00-20:00 on the last Friday of every month between September and May. It’s as much about meeting the locals and other visitors as it is about food. You can certainly make it your supper stop, with everything from sausages, tacos, spring rolls, bread, honey, craft beer and wine. Stock up on organic veggies, listen to live music, buy flowers or get your kid’s face painted. There’s even light music to keep your feet tapping.
You’ll also find some of these stall holders, as well as crafters and bric a brac stalls, at the Stanford Square Market on Saturday mornings.
A third market takes over the stoep of the Stanford Hotel on the main road every Saturday morning. Here the locals sell cakes, pastries and pies, breads, preserves, honey, fresh flowers, herbs and fresh seasonal veggies from their gardens. Take a basket or shopping bag to carry away your stash.
3. Enjoy a river cruise
Stanford lies along the Klein River, and there’s a path along the bank that you can walk (see point 6). But perhaps the best way to enjoy the river is to take a late summer’s afternoon river cruise on the Lady Stanford or the African Queen, both double-deck pontoons. Or try River Rat Cruises for birders and smaller groups. Take your own refreshments and watch the mountains change colour to discover why the locals are so besotted with their sunrises and sunsets. You may spot some of over 100 bird species that occur here, like flamingo, kingfisher, blue crane and African fish eagle. You might even be lucky enough to spot a Cape clawless otter.
4. Ride a horse
Whether you fancy the idea of galloping across a white beach with your horse’s mane flying in the breeze or would prefer a more sedate canter through mountain fynbos, talk to the guys at African Horse Company about their guided outrides and multi-day trails. There’s something to suit every level of experience, from beginners to expert riders.
5. Go fynbos quad biking
Learn about fynbos, birds and lagoon wetlands on a guided quad bike tour at Mosaic Lagoon Lodge. Ride along the edge of the lagoon or climb to the top of the sand dunes to see 40-ton southern right whales in the sea below during whale season (June to November, see point 7). Guided trips take about an hour. Even if you’re not staying at the lodge you can phone ahead to book one of these tours. Although guests take first dibs, you’re welcome to book if there’s availability. No kids under 4, kids from 4-15 must drive with an adult, maximum of four quad bikes in the group.
6. Walk the Wandelpad around town
Don’t miss walking at least part of the Wandelpad (walking trail) that meanders around town, along the banks of the Klein River with views of surrounding mountains. It’s also a good place to look for birds (see point 10). It’s popular with locals too, who you might spot walking their dogs. If you’re feeling contemplative, sit for a while on one of the benches along the trail – especially enjoyable to soak up the winter sun. The trail will also take you along De Bruyn Street towards the Willem Appel Dam, another good spot for birding.
7. Go whale watching
Drive to the secluded beach at De Plaat, 15km from Stanford in the direction of De Kelders. From De Plaat you might see dolphins swimming and feeding, and it’s a great place for spotting southern right whales from June to November. Mierkom beach, part of De Plaat in the Walker Bay Private Reserve, is another great vantage point for whale watching. You have to pass through Stanford to get there so ask at the info centre in the main road for directions. You need a permit, which is issued at the gate.
8. Visit a Big Cat sanctuary
Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary just off the R326 about 10km from Stanford village is 40ha of true sanctuary where the primary focus is on the well-being of the animals – lions, tigers, leopards, servals and caracals – that live there. In a perfect world these animals should be wild but life has thrown them into negative situations from which they can never be rewilded. Think canned lion hunting, the tiger and lion bone trade, cub petting, circuses and breeding farms. Panthera Africa gives these rescued animals a forever home in a protected area and is dedicated to educating people about the horrors of these exploitative industries. They are fiercely committed to not trading or breeding any of their animals. You can visit to photograph and learn about these beautiful cats and the threats they face. No hands-on interactions allowed. It’s essential to book ahead.
9. Taste beer
Visit the Birkenhead Brewery (at Walker Bay Estate, entrance on the R326 just outside Stanford) for a beer tasting. Start with the delicate Honey Blonde. I’m not really a beer drinker but this was my favourite. Other brews include Pilsener, lager and old English Ale styles, with quirky names like Pot Belly, Laughing Croc, Lazy Leopard and Dead Parrot. Order a plate of food like burgers, salads, steak and flatbreads, or just enjoy the view of the Klein River mountains while you sip. It’s open from 11:00 till 17:00 daily for tastings. If you want to do a craft brewery tour, you need to book ahead.
10. Go bird watching
The whole Stanford area is a joy for twitchers, so keep your binos with you when you go hiking or walking along the beach at De Plaat or Mierkom. You might spot blue cranes in the wheatfields around Stanford and Gansbaai, orange-breasted sunbird, black harrier and Verreaux’s eagle in the Klein River mountains, or flamingos along the Klein River Lagoon and Walker Bay Nature Reserve.
The Willem Appel Dam off De Bruyn Street is also a good place to see birds like African purple swamphen, black crake, malachite kingfisher and Levaillant’s cisticola. There’s a wooden hide here and you can get the key from Stanford Tourism in Queen Victoria Street for a R50 deposit. Take the key back afterwards, and they’ll refund R40. You can also spot birds along the Stanford Wandelpad (see point 6).
Another great way to enjoy the area’s birds is to book a River Rat Cruises sunrise birding cruise on the Klein River to watch birds come alive as the sun pours into the valley.
11. Get some retail therapy
Walk through the village in search of antique shops, galleries and gift stores where you can browse and buy. One antique shop stuffed with porcelain, silver and books, including Africana, is in one of Stanford’s oldest buildings in Church Street. I also enjoy browsing Withers Antiques and Decor in Stanford Square, near the tourism info office.
If you’re looking for fragrant body wash, hand lotions, and room sprays using essential oils, visit the little shop called Antjie’s Handmade Naturals on the Stanford Hills wine estate. You can also get them at the Opwipwinkel on Stanford’s main road. A small group of locals make these products and I can promise they smell wonderful, using natural ingredients like lemon, lavender and baobab. I particularly loved the Citrus Fresh room spray.
We especially enjoyed our interlude at Overberg Honey Company in Fynbos Street just outside town. With its bright yellow exterior, you can’t miss it. A helpful and knowledgeable young woman helped us with tasting eight varieties of the 15-17 they produce. Think acacia (our favourite), bluegum, apple, fynbos, grape, canola, myrtle, orange blossom, blueberry, and buffalo thorn. They also sell Honeysuckle body, hair, and face products that incorporate honey as an ingredient, and edibles…
