Darling is a charming small town situated on the West Coast, less than an hour’s drive from Cape Town. The little village lies nestled between hills of vineyards and undulating golden wheat fields. Known as the ‘beating heart’ of the West Coast, Darling offers plenty of reasons to visit.
Akkerboom Laan
Though notably located in the poorer side of town, this colourful street makes your visit to Darling well worth the effort. The front wall of each government house on this street is spattered with colourful murals that form part of the graffiti project, “Darling Made Me Do It”. This project, borne from the South African graffiti artist, Falko, is truly spectacular to behold. Not only does it add a splash of colour to the otherwise dusty surrounds, it also provides the homeowners with a form of artistic expression and creates a major draw card for tourists to interact between the locals and visitors.
Akkerboom Laan, Darling
The Evita se Perron theatre
Located in the Old Darling Station, the pink Evita se Perron theatre stands as a light-hearted reminder of South Africa’s apartheid history, as well as a tribute to Peter Dirk Uys’ alter ego, Evita. Different shows are held each day and add some tongue in cheek humour to an otherwise heart sore national topic. Don’t forget to browse the comical exhibits such as “Boerassic Park” – a collection of wire animals. The kitchen serves legendary braai en slaai, roast lamb or bobotie, along with some tasty koeksisters and melktert. The droewors and biltong snack-platter, washed down with excellent local wines, comes highly recommended!
8 Arcadia Street, Darling. Contact +27 22 492 2851, +27 22 492 2831, or evita@evita.co.za
Darling Morning Market
The Darling Morning Market occurs on the first Saturday of every month from 09h00. The stalls offer a range of products, from fresh produce, pickles and preserves, to baked goods, gifts, and arts and crafts.
Nitrophoska Building, Main Road, Darling. Contact +27 (0)22 492 2576.
Darling Wine Route
The Darling Wine Route is truly worthwhile for those who enjoy wine tasting in a spectacular setting. Featuring 6 wine cellars, the route provides a chance to sample and purchase a variety of wines. Wine estates include Darling Cellar, Cloof Wine Estate, Groote Post, Withington Wines, Ormonde Private Cellar, and Tukulu Wines.
Arts and Crafts
Exploring Darling on foot is definitely recommended as it gives you a chance to browse the art and craft shops at your leisure, sit down for tea on the “stoep” of a coffee shop, or just sit back and people-watch.
Wildflowers
Wildflowers bloom in all of their colourful glory to mark the start of the spring season. The Darling Wildflower Show takes place annually over the 3rd weekend in September at the Darling Club. This year’s event will take place between 20 –22 September 2013. The R30 entrance fee includes entry into the hall landscaped with a plethora of Darling wildflowers and a free ride on a tractor-drawn wagon to see the Oude Post wetland; a private vlei which is otherwise inaccessible to the public to see some of the most spectacular wildflowers in bloom.
The Darling Club, Darling. Contact +27 (0)84 916 1111 or darlingwfs@telkomsa.net
Voorkamerfest
Be sure to head to Darling for the Voorkamerfest, an annual performing arts event that takes place over the first weekend of September, with this year’s festival taking place from 6 – 8 September 2013. What makes this festival so unique lies in the name which translates to “sitting room festival”. Around 21 performances are staged in a number of Darling residents’ homes. The event holds an element of surprise as ticket holders never know what to expect and even those volunteering their homes don’t know which artist they’re hosting until hours before.
Genres include mime, dancing, comedy, classical, drama, and music. Tickets allow entry to a performance route where up to 26 people are transported by a local taxi on one of 7 routes to enjoy 3 different shows in 3 different homes, before heading to the renowned Evita se Perron theatre. R5 of every ticket sold is donated to the Darling Trust which works towards education and community upliftment. Tickets cost R195 Friday (18h00), R225 Saturday (12h00 and 17h00), and R225 Sunday (12h00) and are available online.
All over Darling. Contact +27 (0)82 321 7542 or omnia@voorkamerfest-darling.co.za
Darling Wind Farm
One of only two significant wind farms in South Africa, the Darling Wind Farm offers 4 wind generated windmills. You can drive fairly close to the wind turbines and get great photographs of the 50m high turbines.
Darling Museum
The Darling Museum was founded in 1978 by the Darling Women’s Agricultural Association as a Butter Museum. Today it houses a collection of artefacts portraying the humble beginnings of the butter making industry of Darling. Exhibits include Victorian clothing, china, furniture, and details about the history of farming.
Pastorie Street, Darling. Contact +27 (0)22 492 3361.
The Marmalade Cat
The Marmalade Cat is a fascinating hotspot for locals and tourists. The charming coffee shop beckons you from the main road to enjoy a tasty breakfast, light lunch, or scrumptious tea and cakes. It is open daily from 08h00 – 16h30 weekdays, and for pizza on Friday nights where locals gather and dance the night away. The gift shop offers an array of trinkets, clothing, and accessories.
19 Main Road, Darling. Contact +27 (0)22 492 2515.
Other details
Darling is a bustling town with good infrastructure. You’ll find everything you need here, from supermarkets, banks, and ATMS, to a pharmacy, schools, and churches. Shopping hours are usually 08h30 – 17h00 weekdays and 09h00 – 13h00 on Saturdays (some businesses close for lunch between 13h00 – 14h00). The most rainfall occurs between April – end August, and the average temperature in summer is around 24˚C.
What places do you recommend visiting while in Darling?
Main Image attributed to Falko One.
