My happy place: Rooiels

As much as I love to travel and explore new places, we all need those special spots that we return to again and again, where we can find comfort in the familiar and restore our sagging energy levels. One such place for me is Rooiels, a little seaside village, which lies sandwiched between mountain and sea on the False Bay coastline, just over an hour's drive from Cape Town (outside of peak traffic). 

We don't own a house here, but are fortunate enough to rent a cottage for regular weekends away. And because the weather can be inclement (read 'windy') it is never too crowded. Usually there are only a handful of similarly minded nature lovers around when we do visit. I love nothing more than to hunker down with a book or to sit on the stoep looking out over the sea with binoculars in hand to watch for whales and dolphins.

Here are 10 more reasons why I love it so

1. Across False Bay, of an evening, you can see a blazing ball sink below the horizon over the landmark Cape of Good Hope at the almost southern tip of Africa.

2. If we time the drive to avoid peak traffic, we can be there in just over an hour.

3. The dog can stretch her legs and adopt striking poses on the dunes.

4. We regularly see otter tracks on the beach.

5. The baboons call past too and, if you don't bother them, they won't bother you.

6. The waves truly are wild horses when the sea is up.

7. There's always something beautiful in the miniature.

8. You can see Cape rockjumpers on the mountain slopes.

9. You can go on beautiful fynbos walks on a back road to Pringle Bay.

10. And no two sunsets are ever quite the same.