Escape to exclusive fully furnished hide-away Oak Manor in Newlands

ACTIVITIES

A little history about our suburb Newlands: In 1700 Governor Willem van der Stel was granted land some 9km outside Cape Town, which he named De Nieuwe Land or Nieuwland and developed as a country residence. Today however it has become synonymous with the world of rugby and cricket, Newlands is known as Cape Town’s ‘green’ suburb – located against the eastern slopes of Table Mountain only 15 minutes’ from the centre of Cape Town city. This leafy, upmarket suburb has some gorgeous homes that back on to the mountain and lie virtually on the perimeter of Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens, offering sought after views. Newlands is the heart of the ‘South African’ rugby and cricket experience – both the renowned Newlands rugby stadium and cricket grounds are located here – the latter in particular offering some stunning views of Devils Peak from under the canopies of old Oak trees. Lazy afternoons are whiled away here, if cricket is your thing! Newlands forest, just off Rhodes Avenue, provides locals with a wonderful haven in which to exercise their dogs, and the walk from here to Kirstenbosch is a good four-hour trail, steep at some points, but you recover on your way into Kirstenbosch, where you can stop for breakfast or tea at one of the restaurants. A number of restaurants in Newlands have earned accolades in the ‘eat out’ guide, and local coffee shops and bistros provide good opportunities for informal business meetings or morning tea. The Montebello Design Centre is also in Newlands and has a sculpture garden, a number of local art studios, a craft shop and restaurant as well as the first contemporary Bushman Gallery. The Centre is one of Cape Town’s best kept secrets with over twenty arts and craft studios and workshops, a historic greenhouse and nursery, a forge, and stunning restaurant and organic deli farm shop. The Centre is the result of a financial and property bequest by Cecil Michaelis. The Project is situated in the farm buildings of the historic site of Montebello. These buildings and land have a colourful history, being the birthplace of Ohlssons Brewery and Continental China. Ohlssons Brewery is still located next to the rugby grounds and the only remainder of the original brewery is the Josephine Mill, which used a water wheel to grind the grain for the brewery. This is now a historic monument. The pipeline from the Table Mountain spring which supplies the Newlands Brewery runs under the historic Cardiff Castle Building which is in Newlands Village. Montebello Design Centre is a Non-Profit Company, with a number of commercial tenant studios on sight. The suburb of Newlands is home to several schools, including the oldest school in the country, South African College Schools (SACS) Junior and High Schools as well as Groote Schuur High School and Sans Souci Girls’ High School. For more reading: www.sahistory.org.za.
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