Under Milkwood

When my children were young, about 3 and 6, we used to have family holidays in Knysna for two weeks in June every year. What fabulous times they were! Granny and Grandpa, my sister and I, her husband and all the grandchildren - we hired the front cottages at Under Milkwood on the Heads, right on the lagoon, It was a private paradise. The cottages back then were very simple, with tiled floors for practicality and no television or microwaves. Almost like luxury camping. We knew the owners so well because we booked the same cottages year after year, and my father's first task when we arrived would be to fix the toaster and the kettle. They really seemed to rely on him for that and it became a bit of a joke.

The weather was always perfect, as it is in the southern Cape in winter and twice a day, the tide would ebb and flow so that there would either be miles of sand exposed for us to walk across to Leisure Isle or wavelets lapping at the promenade in front of the cottages. Paddleskis were available for the energetic and plenty of fun was had pumping prawns for fishing down at the Heads. To get the prawns, you put an empty tin upside down over a prawn hole and push down hard with your foot. A prawn shoots out of another hole (you never know which one) and much hilarity ensues as everyone is splattered with the accompanying projectile of mud! I don't think we ever actually caught a fish. It was such a safe place for the children, ranging in age from 3 to 15, with the adults lounging in the sun outside the cottages while the kids played on the lagoon in front.

No holiday was complete without tea and scones at the Pink Umbrella on Leisure Isle and at least one walk right to the top of the Heads was compulsory every day. If we were lucky, we would spot the Knysna loerie in the canopy of trees, or a school of dolphins passing by on the sea side of the Heads. Walking has always been a feature of our holidays and coming from a family of keen birdwatchers, a lot of standing as well!

I doubt whether we will ever have those days again. The cottages have been upgraded now and a lot of the freedom to just be kids has disappeared along with the old jetty, but the ebb and flow of the tide and those long sunny days on the stoep can never be taken away. It is still a magical place to be.