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Napier is en route to Cape Augulhas about 20 mins drive. It is in a farming area and is an attractive village full of small holdings. Shops line the main road and are mostly converted homes full of character and interesting goodies.
Things to do in Napier:
Napier residents have several private collections and crafts on offer for the visitor to view and purchase:-
- Leon’s hand made lead chess sets and vast collection of militaria, in “All Sorts” shop.
- Ardrie’s crafts and Bric-a Brac and delicious scones and coffee!
- Alan’s private Toy Museum and gallery of water colours.
- Rose’s working toy steamboats.
- Rudi’s stained glass factory, Hero, for exquisite works of stained glass.
- Pascal’s Bistro offers scrumptious French cuisine –the famous singer, Danielle Pascal entertains at the Bistro from time to time.
- Visit the Napier farm Stall for Pan Breakfasts, teas and lunches.
- Also Maggies cottage shop and Greta’s Bric-a-Brac offer a timeless sense of a bye-gone era.
- Giant world famous vertical sundial – the biggest in SA.
- Napier Antique shop – also the sole manufacturers of sugar sticks in South Africa.
- Gold mine – in the 1870/80’s gold fever gripped the country. Viewing once a month by appointment.
- Napier Hotel’ s art room has some fascinating local works.
- DIE Twee Gewels (sp) restaurant offers cold beers, light meals and all sorts of bottled goodies. 2km on Bredasdorp road.
- Napier also offers horse riding, fynbos trails, quad bike trails and hiking.
- Not to forget the annual “Horse and Cart Show”, the “Patat Fees” and the “Foot of Africa” road race.
- Come to the southern tip of Africa and try to spot the Blue Crane, our national bird, also a geologist’s dream, 400 million-year-old rock formations.
Napier has peculiar origins! It was founded in 1838 when Michiel van Breda and Pieter van der Byl could not agree where the church should be built - with the result the dispute was resolved by the building of two churches which then founded the neighbouring settlements of Bredasdorp and
Napier, the latter being named after Sir George Napier, the British governor of the Cape Province at that time. Oddly enough, Napier's church became one of only two South African churches located next door to the hotel, the village source of the demon drink!
The charming village of Napier is now a blend of century-old cottages and modern houses, all surrounded by the rolling farmland which typifies the Overberg and gives the village its delightful rural atmosphere. In the distant past the village was known for its blacksmiths, a heritage which is
commemorated by the annual Horse and Cart Festival. Other popular annual events are the Patatfees (Sweet Potato Festival), every June, and the Voet van Africa (Foot of Africa) Marathon which is run in mid-September.
Other points of interest in Napier itself are the gold mine on the Hansiesrivier Farm and the sundial outside the municipal building which can be read to within half a minute. The sundial was erected by Danie du Toit who had no training in this field but gained his knowledge through
meticulous observation.
The popularity of Napier has increased dramatically during the past few years. Napier is now rated by the Tourism Board as the fourth most attractive village of the Western Cape after Montagu, Greyton and McGregor, all of which are within an easy drive of Napier itself.
The village with old world charm,
Napier, offers serenity and quiet
charm.
Through rolling
hills of wheat and barley, you´ll
find the little town of Napier at
the foot of the Soetmuisberg.
Century-old cottages blend with
modern houses resulting in a
delightful rural atmosphere. The
imposing Dutch Reformed Church and
Feeshuis, built in the form of a
Greek cross with teak interior, a
beautiful pipe organ and a font
made of solid brass.
The Feeshuis, one of the oldest
buildings in the town, was used as
slave quarters during 1810 - 1820.
A toy museum and a watermill, a
sundial and a monument to
commemorate the Ox-wagon Trek are
some of the attractions you may
want to view. The beauty of the
surrounding countryside is certain
to enrich all and impact to wish
to return to enjoy the ambience of
Napier again.
Napier is
ideally situated in the Cape
Agulhas Region with easy access to
the seaside villages of Arniston/Waenhuiskrans,
Struisbaai and L´Agulhas, which
are just 30 minutes drive
southward. If you want a quiet
retreat amongst fynbos, barley and
wheat fields, then look no
further. You can ideally use
Napier as a base to explore the
Overberg or just relax.
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