I took a drive along the east coast to visit Scarborough, a beautiful South African beach village “nestled between mountains and the Atlantic Ocean”.
Scarborough is a gorgeous long stretch of white sandy beach on the “doorstep” of the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve with its interesting plants and wildlife. If you’re a surfer and the swells are right, Scarborough must be pretty close to your idea of heaven!
Slangkop (snake head) Lighthouse is a popular site in the area. It was lit for the first time in 1919 and built by the governor of the Cape of Good Hope to decrease shipwrecks along the Kommetjie shoreline. Fully automated in 1975 it today it lets off 4 flashes of light every 30 seconds. The light is so strong it’s visible through thick sea mist and fog and covers an area of 33 sea miles.
The Scarborough area is a nature-lover’s haven for “self-employed musician-writer-artist residents” and their easy-going lifestyles. Scarborough’s site next to the Cape Point Nature Reserve guarantees little development in the area and the blessing of “some great treasure collections of plants,” including the popular Scarborough Lily.
Nearby beach towns include Simon’s Town, Noordhoek, and Fish Hoek. Scarborough is perfect for curing a beach craving!
