(Photo opposite: dunes stretching to blue/grey mountains.) Winter in the Southern Cape at the southern tip of Africa has some awesome bonuses like frolicking whales off the rugged coastline, bracing walks in clean air and the fynbos.

Fynbos is the vegetation which makes up the world’s smallest floral kingdom located at the southern tip of Africa. It is made up of restia, protea and erica, the latter looks similar to the heaths found in Europe.

It’s worth the drive over the Hottentot Holland mountains, sometimes snow covered on high ground during cold spells. At the top of the pass is a view point from which you can look across False Bay to Table mountain before the sweep down through farmlands and into the area known as the Overberg (over the mountain)

The countryside is a patchwork of wheat fields green in winter, yellow in spring and brown towards the end of summer when farmers sit with baited breath hoping for good rains to fill the dams.

Head toward the coast, where you will find nature reserves like the Kogelberg biosphere, Fernwood and more.

Hermanus is one of the Southern coast towns. It was originally a small fishing village famed for its champagne air, making it a desirable location for recuperation during the Victorian era.

(Photo opposite: Protea, one of the main components of fynbos.) One of my favourite places is a stretch of beach between Grotto beach and Gansbaai called Mierkom. To get there you need 4 x 4 to negotiate the sandy track through the dunes. Its on a map which can be obtained from staff at the entrance to the Walker Bay fishing trail.

Walking along this beach on a blustery day I went to investigate a rock I hadn’t seen before only to have it turn around, jump up and barked at me it was a young seal, most likely from the colony at Dyer Island off Gansbaai.

This part of the coast has one of the world’s highest concentrations of Great White sharks drawn by the proliferation of seals, which hey hunt.

Cage diving to see the sharks is available from both Hermanus and Gansbaai. It is particularly good in winter. At the end of winter the dunes roll in a variegated green swathe toward the blue/grey mountains in the background This time of year they are bursting into life with new green growth and bright yellow daisy like flowers everywhere.

If you’re drawn to the mountains behind the dunes, Fernwood nature reserve offers a variety of trails for all levels of fitness and dogs. Year round this reserve offers a treasure trove of fynbos which attracts birds like the brightly coloured double collared malachite sunbird.

(Photo opposite: Lemoenkop, a gentle walk in Fernwood nature reserve.) I was told the gentle gradient of the trails were thanks to the input of a road engineer and indeed they make for pleasant walking. You can reach the top of Lemoenkop barely breaking a sweat. There are of course other trails like that to Aasvoelkop which provide more of a challenge. Your reward is 360 deg views of the coast and Hemel en aarde (heaven and earth) valley, a premier wine producing area with some pinot noirs scoring 90 plus in the Spectator wine magazine ratings.

So if its heaven you’re seeking you’ll find it on the Cape’s southern coast with your feet planted firmly on mother earth.

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