Where To Find Canola Fields In Cape Town

It happens every year…the first signs of spring start showing up and I immediately run around celebrating the end of winter. Packing away my warm clothes, shaving my legs and digging out my swimsuits. But the reality is that Cape Town’s summer comes in waves, with winter retreating and coming back a couple more times before summer officially hits towards the end of October. But around August every year, nature shows the first signs of spring with a beautiful yellow display out towards Bot River, just an hour’s drive from the city. This is where to find the canola fields in Cape Town.

Where To Find Canola Fields In Cape Town

I rounded up a couple of friends on Sunday and we hit the road out towards Bot River. Once you’re over Sir Lawry’s Pass and through Elgin, it’s just a few more kilometers drive until you round the final bend and the bright green and yellow patchwork of the Bot River canola fields appear in front of your eyes.

You mostly can’t access the fields from the road, but if you book a table at Gabrielskloof, you’ll have access to the fields right across the way from their entrance. We sat down to a long lunch and tasted all their wines and ate all the food before heading into the fields for some photos. It’s honestly the best way I’ve spent a Sunday afternoon in ages.

Bot River Canola Fields

Gabrielskloof Food & Wine

Gabrielskloof is producing some amazing wines. Their Elodie Chenin really grabbed my attention (actually so did the Rosebud blush and The Blend) and if I hadn’t been driving I could have easily had a lazy afternoon with a bottle all to myself. They also do three different Syrahs – which are grown just a few meters away from each other but in different soils – and all taste wildly different. If you’re into wine and want to taste what exactly “terroir expression” means in the glass, I highly recommend this!

The restaurant has a big porch and outside area and is the perfect space to spend a weekend. We sat in the sunshine, watching kids play in the water features and enjoying the warmth in the air. Although the food is gourmet (and incredibly delicious), the atmosphere is relaxed and easy, which makes for a nice family environment.

Frans and Mariaan, the couple who own the restaurant, source as many of their ingredients as possible from their neighbours, so you’re eating hyper-local produce. Most of their dishes are seasonal, with the menu changing all the time. I love restaurants like this, because it means that you can try something new every time you visit.

Hurry and get out to Bot River this weekend. Don’t forget to book your table at Gabrielskloof ahead. Call +27 (0)28 284 9865 or email [email protected]. 

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