Chapter 22

WhaleTale News

Dear Friends, across SA numerous small towns have become popular weekend destinations for tired city dwellers, who want to recharge their batteries. For the townlet to qualify, it has to possess a certain charm and amenities that can satisfy the weary and thirsty city soul. Dullstroom, Nottingham Hill, Prins Albert and Greyton are such townlets. Clarens in the Free State remains one of my favourites.

Just down the road from us is Stanford. It was the waving grasslands and freshwater from the “Kleine Rivier” that attracted the farmers to this area. The first farmhouse was built next to the river in 1797 by a Mr Brand, and he named the farm Klein River Valley. It exchanged hands a few times until it was bought in 1838 by a prosperous Irish farmer Robert Stanford. Improvements to the farm included a mill for grinding wheat which was build close to the stream that passed in front of his farmhouse. Having an entrepreneurial spirit, Robert transported products by sea from a small bay known today as Stanford’s Cove, near De Kelders en route to Cape Town, averting the hazardous and time-consuming trek over the Hottentots-Holland mountains.

Stanford village was born in 1857. Many of the English married Afrikaans-speaking people from the surroundings, and together they helped to develop the little town. Churches, schools, butchers and shops followed and soon Stanford blossomed into a thriving village. Farmers build their ”tuishuise” in the ”dorp” for weekend stay overs. Yester-years fine old Victorian and Edwardian architecture homes are still on display for visitors to see in Stanford today. It is also the only town in the Overstrand proclaimed as a heritage site. The Klein River has the shortest distance between its origin and mouth and flows through the village.

Neatly settled at the foot of the Klein River Mountains, Stanford is no longer a sleepy little town. Since the new millennium, our sleeping beauty woke up to new businesses, restaurants, wine estates, craft breweries, nature adventure seekers and innovative people who are changing her into one of those sought after gems by city dwellers.

The African Queen is an eco-friendly cruising boat in Stanford. Yesterday we enjoyed a delightful cruise with friends on the Klein River. Staff prepared the ”braaivleis vure”? on board, and as the men took care of the braai, we slowly cruised down the river, enjoying our stunning surroundings amidst our social chitter-chatter. It was a tremendous way to kick start our 2020 holiday season in Hermanus. Happy holidays my friends‼️