There's Always Hopefield
go! - South Africa|February 2020
A storied past, a hopeful future and people who will make you feel like you’ve always been here. Sitting on the shoulder of the R45, Hopefield is worth slowing down for.
Kieran Legg
There's Always Hopefield

I’ve overshot the town. Zipping along the R45 with wheat fields going past my windows in a golden frenzy, I barely notice Hopefield hunkered in its shallow basin. Before I know it, I’ve missed the next turn-off, too. In the space of less than a minute, my short glimpse of the town (a blur of low-roofed houses) is replaced by more open fields, scrubby bush and white-barked eucalyptus trees. Thanks Hopefield, nice knowing you. Residents will confirm that it’s easy to miss. (“The R45 doesn’t run through like main roads through other towns. It’s an issue, but it’s not – it’s why we like the town so much,” says John Smuts.) But the town’s invisible existence isn’t only a consequence of geography. The journey from Cape Town to the West Coast had put me in a meditative state. Once you’ve made it through the snarl of roadworks in Malmesbury – the unofficial capital of the Swartland, which seems permanently under construction – and traded the busy N7 for the more scenic R45, your mind tends to drift. From the rustling wheat fields to the looming wind turbines that spin at a hypnotic pace, to the sweet harvest air coming through the car windows, it was as if the world slowed down around me.

This story is from the February 2020 edition of go! - South Africa.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the February 2020 edition of go! - South Africa.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM GO! - SOUTH AFRICAView All
The wilder shore
go! - South Africa

The wilder shore

The final leg of a 30-day trek across East Africa sees lan Tyrer and the Africa - Wild & Untamed crew explore both shores of Lake Malawi. Get ready for an overloaded ferry, a croc attack and being surrounded by elephants...

time-read
10+ mins  |
February/March 2024
A river runs through it
go! - South Africa

A river runs through it

Sabie is onthe Drakensberg escaromentialongMpumalanga’s famous Panorama Route. Want a weekend away surrounded by forests and waterfalls? Here's wnat you need to know.

time-read
10 mins  |
February/March 2024
TAKE A HIKE
go! - South Africa

TAKE A HIKE

Harkerville's mini Otter

time-read
5 mins  |
February/March 2024
Sweet & juicy!
go! - South Africa

Sweet & juicy!

This issue's recipes all include lush seasonal fruit like nectarines, plums and apricots. Enjoy!

time-read
6 mins  |
February/March 2024
Big mountain magic
go! - South Africa

Big mountain magic

On a clear day, as you approach the Cathedral Peak Hotel, it happens involuntarily: You start to grin. You'll be standing up there soon, gazing over this valley, and the scuttling of ground-level life will seem irrelevant. Join us on a five-day adventure into the heart of the high Drakensberg

time-read
9 mins  |
February/March 2024
Your next weekend away
go! - South Africa

Your next weekend away

A self-catering house in the Tankwa, a campsite next to the Orange River, a guest farm near the Drakensberg... Toast Coetzer travelled a lot last year: Here are six of his favourite places to stay if you're planning a road trip or weekend escape.

time-read
6 mins  |
February/March 2024
A life through binoculars
go! - South Africa

A life through binoculars

If the name Hugh Chittenden sounds familiar, it's probably because you see it every time you use your Roberts Bird Guide he's one of the co-authors. He lives in Mtunzini on the KZN coast and birding is as much part of his day as a cup of coffee.

time-read
7 mins  |
February/March 2024
Wanderlust in the park
go! - South Africa

Wanderlust in the park

All great cities have great parks, writes Dara Kell: spaces where you can exhale and slough off the stress and grime of urban life.

time-read
5 mins  |
February/March 2024
The Kalahari remembers
go! - South Africa

The Kalahari remembers

The Kalahari is a place of magic and heartache, where drought is an ever-present threat. Drive a loop from Upington to the Kuruman River and discover soulful landscapes, brilliant skies and resilient people who never give up.

time-read
10+ mins  |
February/March 2024
Take a Hike
go! - South Africa

Take a Hike

Hug a baobab in the Bushveld

time-read
3 mins  |
October/November 2023