At the tail-end of a Cape Country Routes tour I decided to head to the heartbeat of the West Coast, the tiny town of Darling, for the weekend.
By Di Sparks
“Just a stroll through this charming village has convinced many of our guests to stay longer, some of them even forever.”
Between the West Coast National Park and the Swartland platteland, the small town of Darling lies wedged in between Melkbosstrand, Paternoster and Yzerfontein.
Small it may be but Darling offers charm – oodles of it actually, as I was to discover. It’s also the place for wonderful discoveries – plenty places to explore, foodie delights, eateries, restaurants, wine, beer and olive tastings, hideaways and guest houses.
I needed a place to stay, so I opted for the 3-star Darling Lodge Guest House located in the quiet historic centre of the town. Owned and managed by Swiss-born Stephan Moser and Oliver Studer this charming (remember, there’s lots of charm in Darling) guesthouse in a Victorian style building dating back to the late 1800s is a clever and harmonious blend of old and new. And blessed with a particularly lush garden, it is an oasis of beauty and tranquillity, as I was to discover.
On the slightly over an hour ‘s drive from Cape Town to Darling via the N7 / R27 and R315, I planned my weekend. I should mention here, if you enjoy quad biking, stand-up paddle boarding, sandboarding and the like, you should consider going via Atlantis to Breathless Nomad, an adventure tourism company offers all these exhilarating experiences.
Friday: Check in at Darling Lodge Guest House
On arrival, entering though a red-painted front door you’ll be greeted by and receive a warm welcome from the friendly owners Stephan and Oliver at Darling Guest House. They were on hand for the duration of my stay – always ready for a chat and very happy to offer advice and suggestions on restaurants (only breakfast is served at the guesthouse) and activities in the area.
Accommodation-wise you’re spoilt for choice. The main house offers three individually themed country-style rooms, while the more modern garden annexe with a grapevine-covered patio that overlooks the swimming pool and garden, also offers two standard and one superior rooms. I was delighted to be in one of the three spacious contemporary-styled suites overlooking the garden. Most rooms are dedicated to a different local artist whose work is on display, and which can be purchased and a visit to the artist’s workshop can be arranged by request. The suites are gorgeous. Once I’d settled in, I didn’t want to leave.
For lunch or dinner, depending on what time of the day you arrive, you can take a leisurely stroll to Darling’s resident Italian spot, Ciao Darling, a haven for pizza and pasta lovers. After lunch I managed to squeeze in an afternoon read in bed and a snooze. Later that evening when I turned in, a sweet ‘touch’ that I really appreciated, was the Darling Sweet toffee on my pillow.
Saturday: Rise and shine!
I’m an early bird, so I did a walk around the town before enjoying breakfast in the dining room. Hot breakfasts are made to order and there’s a continental breakfast buffet served with personalised extras – freshly baked bread from a local baker, handmade preserves and a fancy Swiss bean-to-cup coffee machine. After breakfast, take a walk (just 2 minutes!) to the Darling Museum and do the treasure hunt – a ‘Mystery Trail’ that starts at the museum that is actually a fun-filled, two-hour long, sightseeing ‘tour’ where you stroll through the streets to various places of interest using a series of clues as your guide (take a pen and a phone with GPS/QR code reader).
I lunched at Ormonde Wines. I was keen to try the not-to-be-missed Wine Tasting Experience. I enjoyed a relaxed afternoon in the gardens under the trees sipping wine (my choice) while enjoying a treat of a scrumptious cheese and charcuterie platter. There’s also a Chocolate Taste Experience – perfectly paired hand-crafted chocolates with a selection of Ormonde Wines and a ‘Kiddies Pairing’, plus a play area for the littlies. Later, quite a bit later, I popped into Darling Sweet at Evita Se Perron to see where my pillow toffee came from. Handcrafted toffees, caramel and rusks from Swartland Kitchen are produced here using age-old traditional methods. I stocked up.
If you still have time on hand and you’re keen to venture a little further afield, Yzerfontein’s 16 Mile Beach, the longest uninterrupted sandy beach on South Africa’s coastline, is a short 15-minute drive away or “you can just enjoy a lazy afternoon with a drink in hand on your patio by the pool in our lush garden “, a suggestion from Oliver. Another option – also a 15-minute drive from Darling, is a visit to !Khwa ttu San Heritage & Culture Centre.
Dinner was a toss-up between 1910 The Old Forge Bar & Restaurant, Ciao Darling Trattoria & Pizzeria and The Café Mosaic, all three were recommended.
Sunday: Last-minute sips and bites
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before checking out at 10am. But don’t dash out of Darling immediately, maybe pop into the Darling Wine Shop (it is open on Sundays) stocked with awarded wines from the area and a variety of locally sourced and produced specialities. Have a pub-style lunch, a beer tasting and brewery tour at the Darling Brew Tasteroom – apparently no visit to Darling is complete without a visit to this working brewery. On your way out stop at the recently opened, West Coast Smoke House at Living Colour – a smoke house where their meticulously crafted offerings using only the finest cuts of meat paired with seasonal marinades are smoked to perfection using African hardwoods, or, if you like olives and on weekdays only, Darling Olives, a family-run business, 3km outside Darling or further away Darling Cellars, Contreberg Farm or Groote Post Vineyards.
Stephan’s parting words, “Just a stroll through this charming village has convinced many of our guests to stay longer, some of them even forever.”
