Situated about 500 km from Cape Town, Knysna is one of the Southern Cape coast’s best known holiday destinations, huddled between verdant forests and the shores of the wide and breathtakingly beautiful Knysna lagoon. Its most visited attraction is The Heads – the two impressive sandstone peaks standing on either side of the Knysna river mouth.
On the shores of the lagoon, just around the corner from the Eastern Head, lies a village of timber log chalets amongst majestic Milkwood trees. It is so well hidden amongst the trees that the chalets are hardly visible from the beach.
The water of the lagoon in Knysna is unruffled, but the swell of the tides pushed in by the sea is so great and so majestic that the landscape transforms itself into an equally spectacular opposite of itself, twice a day…
We arrived at Under Milkwood late at night. After depositing our already sleeping children into their beds, we poured a glass of wine and sat down on the deck, just metres above the water. It was dark, but we could hear the water lapping against the bottom wall of the complex a few feet away. The sound was profoundly calming and except for the gentle lapping of the waves it was otherwise dead quiet. As always, after a long drive with our two small children, we could truly appreciate the tranquillity of the surroundings and the chance to talk and just enjoy each other’s company.
Thankfully the kids both slept through the night, but woke up early the next morning, so I had to drag myself out of the incredibly comfy bed to make them some warm milk. After my loving motherly duties done, I got dressed and walked outside onto the deck where we sat the night before, with the sound of the water still in my head. Looking out at the view at that moment, I could hardly believe it. In the place of the water lapping against the wall, there was now only sand. The massive expanse of Bollards Beach lay stretched out before me. People were already walking on the beach, hundreds of meters away from the shore. Children were running around, enjoying the early morning sun and lots and lots of sand.
I am not oblivious. I know why we have tides and how they work. But to see the landscape change so vastly from a lagoon full of water to kilometres of dry sand in such a short amount of time, is truly amazing. And so convenient. In the mornings we walked for hours on the beach, building sandcastles with the kids and playing in puddles of water – still lodging a couple of sea creatures, like crabs and sea stars.
In the afternoons we sat at the edge of the water, just below our chalet – me playing with my camera and the girls swimming in the shallow water, while Carl used the opportunity to go for a paddle on the lagoon. The boats now floating on the water, some jetting off with skiers trailing behind them, will later tonight until early tomorrow morning lie marooned on dry sand – waiting for the tide to turn.
Our accommodation at Under Milkwood was so comfortable. Each chalet has two bedrooms, a twin and a double room, a fully equipped kitchen with all the modern conveniences, including Le Creuset cookware! The sundeck has beautiful views of the lagoon and we spent most of our evenings there next to the braai. The wood was provided so we never ran out.
In addition to the luxury selfcatering chalets, the Milkwood Collection also boasts a superb luxury guest house, called Milkwood Bay, with private patios, breathtaking views, a heated swimming pool and sauna, and five luxury en-suite bedrooms.
In addition, the quaint Bed and Breakfast offers a spectacular full English breakfast while you enjoy a wonderful view of the lagoon. We enjoyed this every morning courtesy of Under Milkwood and the staff was so caring and helpful, always ensuring the comfort and happiness of our kids. It would not be long however before our munchkins abruptly excused themselves from the table to go and do some exploring on the beach down below.
Bollards Bay Beach is very safe and as long as they stayed relatively close by, we had no objection to their exploring on their own. There are no crashing dumpers and plenty of shallow water for little people to splash around in, so we could relax without fear of our brood being swept out to the open sea. The bay is also protected, so water sports enthusiasts will have plenty to look forward to. Windsurfers and canoes are provided by the resort and hiking trails, bird watching and fishing can all be enjoyed close by.
Knysna and its surroundings offer a lot for families but my first priority was to take the kids for a walk in the forest. The Knysna forest is the largest indigenous forest in South Africa and is thick with tall and ancient trees, including stinkwood, yellowwood, blackwood, ironwood, white alders and Cape chestnut. The undergrowth is a green collage of ferns, creepers and wild flowers. Animal life is limited to a few small antelope and a large variety of birds, such as the famous Knysna Loerie. Of the estimated 400 – 500 elephants roaming these forests in the late 1800s, rumour has it that there is only one left. Years have gone by without any confirmed sightings so one cannot be 100% sure.
As a child we used to travel through the Garden Route often and since reading Daleen Matthee’s books, Fiela’s Child and Circles in a Forest, I have developed an intense fascination with the shades and shadows of the gargantuan trees, the sound of twigs and leaves being crushed underneath your feet as you walk – breaking the eerie silence – and the never-to-be-experienced-again chance of seeing a Big Foot. The name refers to the elephants in the forest, not too be mentioned ever, lest they turn and creep up on you from behind, even quieter than the leaves rustling in the trees.
We went to The Garden of Eden, one of the most lush and beautiful parts of the Knysna forest. Wooden walkways have been created to make for a comfortable walk even with elderly visitors or small children. Various trails allow you to decide if you just want to take a short leisurely stroll or spend a few hours exploring the surroundings.
My daughter Hannah was particularly captivated by the enchanting forest. She believes unequivocally that fairies live there and that it’s just magical. Especially after her magical encounter. She stepped off the wooden walkway to take a closer look at a leaf that was dangling in mid-air. Not even dangling…more floating. It wasn’t moving and above all, it wasn’t attached to anything. I suspected it might be attached to a spider’s web, but no, nothing. Just hanging there, suspended in space. Hannah cupped her hands around the leaf and moved a few steps away, then dropped her hands to her sides. Still, the leaf did not move, it just stayed there in the air, about three feet off the ground. I am still baffled by it, and I must admit it’s hard not to believe that the forest is a magical and mystical place. Except for the entrance gate and the walkways, this “garden” is virtually untouched. What a pleasure it is to take your kids for a walk where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of Man. And what a pleasure it is to realise that with all there is to do, this is what intrigues the little ones the most.
Other activities that your kids will love include a visit to Monkeyland – a primate centre located at The Crags – and Birds of Eden, one of the largest free-flying aviaries in the world.
The Tenikwa Wild Cat Experience offers a great way of interacting with some of South Africa’s incredible cats, including leopards, cheetahs and servals. Children will also love the The Knysna Elephant Park, where the majestic giants can be hand-fed and ridden by children older than six. The park also has a restaurant with a wonderful play area and the elephant tours aren’t mandatory.
Some evenings we took a gentle stroll to The Heads, just around the corner from Under Milkwood and about a five-minute walk. A lookout has been erected on the Eastern Head, providing spectacular views of the lagoon, Leisure Isle and Knysna. On this – the ocean side of the head – the water is not calm but quite violent, so swimming here is dangerous and prohibited. Georgia shudders a few times from fear of the thunderous waves bashing on the rocks, but of course the girls both love it still. Every afternoon, after returning to our chalet, they begged and pleaded us to take them for yet another stroll up to the lookout point.
The tranquillity that Knysna and Under Milkwood offered our family was a refuge from city life. At the end of the week none of us wanted to leave. We had nature to enjoy and we needed nothing more. As John Burroughs said, “To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk or an evening saunter; to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird’s nest or a wildflower in spring – these are some of the rewards of the simple life.”
Contact:
Telephone: +27 (0)44 384 0745
Fax: +27 (0)44 384 0156
Email: [email protected]
Web: http://www.milkwood.co.za