Learn about the Durbanville area from a local who loves it.
Co-founder of Nurture, an egg donor and surrogacy programme, Tertia Albertyn voiced her long struggles with infertility through blogging and a published book. When she eventually conceived twins after her ninth IVF, she and her husband returned to Durbanville where she had enjoyed a great childhood. “We rode our bikes, played in the field… The only rule was that we had to be home when it got dark. It was idyllic. And then I went to UCT and suddenly Durbanville was far too boring and suburban. I was now cool and hip and alternative (and a total idiot, but I didn’t know that then!). So as soon as I could, I moved out of Durbanville. First to the Southern Suburbs, later to Sea Point, then when I met my husband, to Table View. However, when I got pregnant, I wanted to move back to Durbanville. I didn’t care about cool and hip and alternative. I cared about big gardens, safe neighbourhoods and good schools,” says Tertia.
“My husband and I built our first home in D’Urbanvale where we lived for six years, and then we moved to Belvedere Estate in Durbanville Central. We lived in our first house there for another six years and recently bought the larger house next door as it was better suited to the multitude of children we now have.
“There are so many things to love about living here! No matter how big Durbanville gets (and it is getting pretty big) it still has that small-town feeling. The car guard at Woolies knows me, the barista at the coffee shop knows how I like my coffee. It is a great place to bring up children and we are spoilt for choice in terms of schooling, with fantastic private schools and excellent government schools. We have all the shops we need, from the ‘ko-op’ selling farming supplies, to the trendy coffee shop and the second-hand clothing store that sells bargain designer dresses. The town is well maintained; the services are great. It really is a beautiful place to live.”
I love that Durbanville has a small-town feel (the personal aspect) with all the big town conveniences and services. Driving home from town on the Vissershok Road you see the whole of Durbanville spread out in the valley; it’s so beautiful.
Tertia Albertyn
About Tertia Albertyn
Tertia is a mother of three children – twins who were conceived on her ninth IVF and a baby who was conceived naturally. When she is not busy mothering the masses, volunteering on the parent-teacher association, writing on her award-winning blog (tertia.org) or sipping on Chardonnay, she helps couples conceive through her egg donor and surrogacy programme, Nurture (nurture.co.za).
Things to do:
- Visit the Sonstraal Dam for a walk and to feed the ducks.
- Discover quaint, quirky shops and restaurants around town playing Pokémon Go.
- Hike in the Tygerberg Nature Reserve.
- Go mountain-biking on the trails in the wine estates and on the reserve.
- Stop and smell the roses at the spectacular 3,5ha Rose Garden.
Best in food:
- Yoco Eatery at Rust en Vrede Art Gallery: for excellent coffee and fresh quality food
- Soet Bistro: for decadent cakes and bistro eats
- Olive Bistro: for pizzas
- Diemersdal Farm Eatery: for excellent lunches in a country setting
- Cattle Baron: for steaks
- Durbanville Hills: for stunning food and views
This article originally appeared in Neighbourhood, Sunday Times.
