Redelinghuys, Cape West Coast

Lying but two hours' drive from Cape Town, Redelinghuys is known as the potato capital of the Sandveld. It lies on the R366 between Picketberg and Velorenvlei, north of Aurora and en route to Elands Bay, if you like detours.

The village itself is quaint and charming with beautiful scenery and, as with most villages in South Africa, dominated by a magnificent church on its main street with plenty of Victorian architecture to satisfy your craving for sumptuous, historical surrounds.

The town started its life as part of the farm Wittedrift. Today it is used mainly by those in search of time out, a sojourn in the country and those who want to spend time at Velorenvlei estuary, one of the largest natural wetlands and a RAMSAR protected site. From July through to October this part of the world is a floral tapestry to which hikers and nature lovers are drawn.

Visit Redelinghuys to see the Dutch Reformed Church and Bell, the old Church, the Old Pastorie, now a guesthouse, to visit Elands Bay, the Verlorenvlei, and the countryside.

It is a town like Redelinghuys, in amongst the citrus, vines, vegetables and potato fields, that provides an escape that city dwellers are after. Just about the only thing from which the town seems to suffer is its ambiguity – not many people know about it – and there are many, who after discovering the little town are only too pleased that it remain this way.