heads up
Knysna has evolved from a small Garden Route lagoon town into a thriving hub of activity – home to an eclectic, sometimes eccentric and always exciting resident population as well as energetic itinerant inhabitants who happily call it home, albeit for short spurts
Words Vicki Sleet
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Knysna conjures up a colourful collage of imagery. For some, it was a quintessential escape from commercialism and excessive modernisation – a place where people could get back to their roots (and away from finger wagging in the city), get in touch with nature (especially if it was smokeable) and live a more ascetic existence.
That was back in the Seventies and though Knysna is certainly not the sleepy hollow it once was, there is still a sense of living at one with nature even if it no longer has anything to do with full moon parties in the forest. Considering that the town is sandwiched between open ocean, lagoon and forest, this is not hard to believe. Situated between the wild beaches of Plettenberg Bay in the north and the sheltered marshes and lakes of Sedgefield south of it, Knysna is a lagoon town, guarded from the sea by the two monolithic Heads at its mouth.
Its natural beauty is legendary – from verdant forests that teem with hiking and walking trails (and are said to be home to the four last remaining Knysna elephants) to the warm lagoon waters that are a joy for boaters and fishermen. It’s impossible not to be affected by nature’s bounty presenting itself at every turn.
The lie of the land
Knysna consists of a number of areas worth visiting. The town itself is the hub of much activity. A lively market bursts with curios, woodcarvings and tchotchkes for tourists, while coffee shops and clothing stores tempt those with a penchant for lazy browsing days.
If you drive down George Rex Drive towards the Eastern Head, the sign for Leisure Isle leads you to a quaint island, home to winding lanes and a myriad holiday homes and residences in the shade of milkwood groves. The drawcard here is the proximity to the wide sand flats that are exposed at low tide and are ideal for long, salt-air-infused walks.
Back on the road to the Head and you’ll be greeted with the sight of some of the more grandiose holiday homes here, as well as the most spectacular views of the lagoon and ocean from the public lookout point.
On the other side of town (driving towards Sedgefield), a sign for Brenton-on-Sea beckons. Tucked behind Knysna’s Western Head, this is where many holidaymakers prefer to while away their summer vacation, far enough from the madding crowd to relax but close enough to have a slice of the action if necessary. It’s also the closest proper beach to Knysna, making it a popular bet for walkers, sea fishermen and those who love lolling about on the sand.
Noetzie is another popular out-of-town spot to visit. Famous for the ‘Noetzie Castles’, it is the site of 10 ha of utterly unspoiled coastline and forest vegetation and a recently proclaimed conservancy – some of these castles in the sand are rented out as holiday hideaways.
Nature’s call
Over the years, Knysna has shifted its hippy hideaway reputation and garnered something of
a name as an adventure lover’s haven. From paragliding off the dunes at Brenton-on-Sea to quad biking and hiking in the forest, fishing and boating, mountain biking and even marathon running, Knysna beckons those who love to get out there and into nature in their droves.
One of the town’s most popular events is the Knysna Marathon (www.knysnamarathon.org.za) that takes place on 14 July as part of the Knysna Oyster Festival (6 – 15 July 2007 www.oysterfestival.co.za – the now famous celebration of the delicious salty mollusc. The half marathon is especially popular, known for its laid-back and celebratory vibe (especially at the famous Crabs Creek after party) and takes intrepid runners through the forest and some of the most picturesque surrounds imaginable (with handy stops at tequila stands en route).
A week before this annual event is the Knysna Cycle Tour on 7 July www.knysnacycle.co.za as well as the 85-km Mazda series mountain bike race that leads contestants over hill and dale at terrifying speeds and sometimes includes spectacular collisions with unsuspecting trees.
The times they are a-changin’
During the school holidays and over the Easter weekend, the town bulges at the seams, but it is also a popular destination throughout the year for those who enjoy the relatively mild winters and glorious summers.
Those who choose to settle here revel in the fact that shopkeepers soon learn your name, that within weeks you know your neighbours and that children are schooled in smaller classes than in the main city centres. In recent years Knysna has upped the ante in the aesthetics stakes and ramshackle timber cottages are a thing of the past for those who build their holiday homes here. First there was Thesen Island – the clapboard Hamptons-esque village that soon became the home of well-heeled itinerant and resident retirees who revelled in the fact that the town’s (and possibly the country’s) most fabulous bakery, Ile de Pain, is right on their very good-looking doorstep.
Next in the style stakes race came Pezula. This five-star hotel, spa and golf course on the crest of Knysna’s Eastern Head also has blue chip properties that people have purchased in order to build their own follies on an adjoining 612 ha private estate – a recent plot sold for nearly R20 million, proving that once-sleepy Knysna isn’t so sleepy after all.
Gourmet gem
With the influx of serious money into Knysna has come a rise in stylish places to play in and around the town. Good news for gourmets then is the appearance of quality (many of them award-winning) eateries. And for the chefs who come to live and work here, the advantages of settling in a community that has been organically orientated for so long is that the quality of produce in the area is streets ahead of what’s available in the city. Chef Geoffrey Murray of the award-winning Zachary’s restaurant (044 302 3333) at Pezula waxes lyrical about the farmers and artisan producers he comes into contact with. ‘It’s one of the things I love most about living here,’ he says.
Other menus worth booking a table for include the charming Firefly Eating House (044 382 1490) where chef Sanchia Hadlow and her mother Dell wow customers night after night with their unique brand of fiery cuisine that is presented on picture-perfect plates and in utterly seductive surrounds. Their quaint corrugated iron cottage and cosmopolitan menu epitomise Knysna’s move to a thoroughly modern marriage of old and new.
Meanwhile, on Thesen Island, master baker Markus Färbinger and his chef wife Liezie have a deep-seated need to feed their clientele with quality and uncompromised fare – the result of course is that, come December, there is a queue for a table at their ever popular cafe Ile de Pain (044 302 5707) and a long list of people wanting to get their hands on one of Markus’s famed pain de campagne loaves.
Across the drag from them lie two sexy sibling eateries. The first is Lush (044 382 7196), a glamorous restaurant that takes its cue from a Parisian boudoir, right down to the flocked wallpaper, chandeliers and French-influenced cuisine. Its sister restaurant Sirocco (044 382 6730) is an exercise in zingy green and charcoal colours with a souped-up menu of grills and seafood to match the contemporary surrounds.
With a combination of organic farmers and producers in the area, avid artisans making everything from cheese to honey and a clutch of passionate chefs who now call Knysna home, it was only a matter of time before a festival celebrating this wealth came about. From 23 September – 1 October 2007, the town will come alive with food demos, restaurant specials, cooking schools and tastings galore at the Knysna Gastronomica Festival.
Art’s cool
Arts and crafts are nothing new in Knysna. Wood-carving and pottery have long been a part of the culture here and much of the original community has its roots in artists upping sticks and leaving the city for the relative calm and quiet of this picture-perfect place.
Knysna is still a hub of creativity and culture – evident in the myriad art galleries in town. A landmark gallery is the Knysna Fine Arts Gallery (044 343 2210, www.finearts.co.za), owned and curated by Trent Read, son of South African art doyen Everard Read. Expect to find an excellent collection of South African investments and investments-in-the-making as well as great contemporary offerings.
Another place worth stepping into is Amwa Design and Interiors (044 382 0561, www.amwa.co.za). Eschewing predictable African curios and carvings, this inspired store goes a long way in showcasing the wealth of talented artisans, ceramicists and artists in South Africa.
The Pink Loerie Mardi Gras www.pinkloerie.com), complete with false-eyelashed, cross-dressing, heel-wearing girls who love boys who love boys who love girls, held on the first weekend of May every year, is an indicator of a place where living out the box (or the closet in this case) is not only tolerated but absolutely celebrated.
Sleepover stars
There’s no doubt that Knysna is not simply a place to drive through; it’s essential to stay a while, to get your bearings and soak up the energy that makes this town so utterly unique. If slap-up style and serious R&R is what you’re in need of, then make Pezula (044 302 3333 www.pezula.co.za) your must-stop. A state-of-the-art spa, seriously indulgent suites and a world-class restaurant take care of your every whim.
A more low key but no less seductive or luxurious place to lay your hat in Knysna has to be Phantom Forest Eco Reserve (044 386 0046, www.phantomforest.com). Situated in a series of tree houses, this top-notch lodge offers a bird’s-eye view of life in the forest – with gourmet meals to match your taste of the high life.
The Forest Edge Cottages (082 456 1338, www.forestedge.co.za) are self-catering timber and corrugated iron cottages deep in the milkwood forest that offer a taste of a simpler, idyllic lifestyle.
And for intrepid water babies, book a night or two on a Lightley’s Holiday Houseboat (044 386 0007, www.houseboats.co.za) on the lagoon and get to grips with the waters that form the lifeblood of this intoxicating and charming Garden Route town.
I LOVE KNYSNA
Geoffrey Murray (award-winning chef, Zachary’s restaurant)
I’m so glad I found Knysna, it gives me a place to call home. One thing I miss when I’m away from Knysna is the peace, beauty and tranquillity of this little town, but mostly, all of my friends.
I’m so excited about the availability of all the artisan and organic farm products in the area. One of my favourite places to eat in Knysna is Ile de Pain. It’s right around the corner from my house and the smell of fresh bread baking in the morning can be quite a draw.
A great new spot to try is Casa da Galinha (044 382 4843), a little Portuguese restaurant opened by Suzi, from Fat Suzi’s, that consistently serves the best Portuguese comfort food around in a casual, vibey atmosphere. It’s one of those places that just seems to get better and better each time you go.
Chris Gibbons (Cape Talk and Radio 702 presenter)
The first thing I do when I get back to Knysna after a stint away is walk on to my front lawn and stare at the lagoon and smell the air. The best thing to have happened here recently is the possibility of a bypass being seriously considered. I can’t tell you how many people I know from ‘up country’ who have stopped visiting Kynsna because of the traffic in peak season.
My favourite time of year here is autumn because of the beautiful clear light in the early morning – it’s not too hot but not winter yet.
I always tell visitors to go to Ile de Pain because Marcus’s bread and pastry is masterful and delicious, but that’s not all. He and Liezie have created an eating experience that is as good as anything you will find anywhere else on this planet.
Trent Read (art gallerist and curator)
Although Knysna is such a busy, bustling town, even at the height of season you are only ever 10 minutes away from a deserted beach or primeval indigenous forest. My latest artist find is Emily Fellows – she paints small, unassuming landscapes of the Klein Karoo that contain the distilled essence of South Africa. If one was looking at an artist for investment purposes, apart from Emily Fellows I would suggest the work of Peter van Straten.
I always tell visitors to go to Pezula Hotel and eat at Zachary’s because the food and wine are the best we have.