Page 246 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - South Africa

244  THE WESTERN AND SOUTHERN C APE

5 Knysna 90-minute cruises.
South Africa’s largest
Road map C5. * 69,000. @ Old
railway station near the Knysna Quays. commercial oyster-farming
n 40 Main Rd, 044 382 5510. _ Pink centre is based at Knysna
Loerie Mardi Gras (Apr–May), Oyster Lagoon. Delicious Pacific oysters
Festival (Jul). ∑ visitknysna.co.za can be sampled on tasting tours
organized by Knysna Charters,
A significant figure in Knysna’s or at one of the restaurants on
history was George Rex, who, Thesen Island. Another popular
according to local legend, was culinary activity is a guided tour
the son of Britain’s King George of Mitchell’s Brewery, South
III and his first wife Hannah Light- Paddle cruiser on the Knysna Lagoon Africa’s oldest microbrewery,
foot, a Quaker (she never gained which prides itself on producing
royal approval and was exiled Environs natural beers with no artificial
after the birth of her son). The One of Knysna’s most attractive preservatives or chemicals.
claim, made as a result of Rex’s features is the 17-km (11-mile) Only 200 m (656 ft) from
opulent life style, was never long Knysna Lagoon, which is Knysna’s main road, the Pledge
proved. He played a leading role protected from the Nature Reserve is an urban
in devel oping the lagoon har- sea by two sand- reclamation project comprising a
bour, and his ship, the Knysna, stone cliffs, the former brickfield located on the
regularly traded along the Knysna Heads. slopes north of the town centre.
coast. At the time of his George Rex Drive Created in 1991, the reserve has
death, in 1839, he was the provides access to the been restored to near pristine
most prominent land- Eastern Head, from condition due to the the
owner in the area. where there are superb planting of indigenous trees and
Furniture, views. On the Western the creation of dams to purify
boat building Head, accessible via a streams. Criss-crossed by a
and oysters Knysna ferry run by the Feather- network of wheelchair-friendly
cultivated in loerie bed Co., is the private footpaths offering lovely views to
the lagoon are Knysna’s Featherbed Nature the lagoon and Knysna Heads,
major industries. Today it is one Reserve. The four-hour excursion the reserve contains more than
of the Garden Route’s most includes the boat trip, a 2.5-km 250 plant species, while a
popular tourist destinations. The (2-mile) guided nature walk checklist of 80 bird species
Knysna Quays is a modern called the Bushbuck Trail, a short includes forest specialists such as
complex developed around the four-wheel-drive ride to the top Knysna loerie, olive bush shrike
old harbour, complete with of the Western Knysna Head, and and African paradise flycatcher.
restaurants, boutiques and a buffet lunch. In fine weather About 6 km (4 miles) east
souvenir shops. An extensive this is served outside, under a of Knysna, a turnoff to Noetzie
marina has been built on grove of milkwood trees. ends at a clifftop parking
Thesen Island, linked to the The Featherbed Co. operates area. From here visitors can
town by a causeway, and has boats for sight seeing trips on descend a path to a secluded
apartments, hotels, a man- the lagoon. The most popular is bay with a pristine beach and
made beach, and a pleasant the John Benn, a double-storey a quiet estuary guarded by
park with bird hides pontoon and floating restaurant five castles, all of which are
overlooking the lagoon. that departs twice daily on now private homes.

Knysna Head promontories surrounding the lagoon entrance
For hotels and restaurants in this region see pp387–8 and pp404–5

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