We’re here to tell you that it’s about time you do so, and to give you a quick crash course on the landscapes you’ll be covering on the way here.
Piketberg in the northern stretches of the Swartland.
How to get to the Swartland
First things first, let’s map out the Swartland a little bit. One of the big misconceptions about going on a Swartland wine tour is that you will have to drive for ages to get here from Cape Town. In actual fact, it will take you about an hour to get to Malmesbury from the Mother City via the N7 or the N1 and R304. Here’s the handy Google Maps link. See? So close! You could also take the West Coast road from Blouberg side if you want to travel along the coast for the pretty views, but that will take a little longer.
Once you get to Malmesbury, you’ll essentially be in the middle of the Swartland, with the option of heading to the West Coast towns and wineries via the R315, towards the Riebeek Valley via the R46 (the turnoff is just outside of Malmesbury en route to Paarl), or continuing on towards Moorreesburg by sticking to the N7.
The reason we’re directing you to Malmesbury is because the town serves as the unofficial capital and gateway to the Santam Swartland Wine and Olive Route. Here, in the Tourism Information Centre, you will also be greeted by the very friendly Jolene Janse van Rensburg. Jolene can provide you with a tourist map and more specific pointers to embark on your adventure through our beautiful region, nestled between the three mountains of Paardeberg, Riebeekberg and Piketberg in the north.
Read the full article HERE