Tour Locations | Harfield Village

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LOCATION 1
Introduction and Start of Route
You should be standing in 2nd Avenue. In front of you is the green and purple Thai World. We're gonna take a 30-minute walk around the village, and I'll show you some of the history and charm of th...
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LOCATION 2
McBride Lane / Harfield Village Name
Let's turn left into McBride Lane here.
Narrow little roads like McBride give the village its quaint charm. McBride Lane was named in 1908, most probably after J. McBride. He owned a shop in Se...
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LOCATION 3
Left into Oxford And Dense living
Take a left here into Oxford Square.
This weird little junction of roads has left an unusual shape, a sort of semi-cul-de sac. There's a fair amount of this organic, unplanned street layout in ...
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LOCATION 4
Right into Oxford
You can turn right into Oxford Street here. As you do, take a quick look down to your left at the cul-de-sac. It's a cool little street. It's the other end of the Oxford we saw a bit earlier. You m...
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LOCATION 5
Right Into Princes And Jazz Sessions
So take a right here into Princes Road. You're now walking around the perimeter of a small area called Princes Square. Princes Square used to be the location for Sunday afternoon jazz sessions. In ...
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LOCATION 6
Left into Princes Park
Here's Princes Park on your left. Let's cut through. The GPS will only pick me up again on the other side of the park, so if you want to stop and play on the swings for old times' sake, I won't be ...
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LOCATION 7
Left Into Third Avenue And Forced Removals
Take a left on Third Avenue here.
The forced removals of the 1950s to 1970s saw major changes to the Village, as they did with most urbanized areas. The government saw the area as potentially v...
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LOCATION 8
Hampstead Rd Park
We're now at Hampstead Rd Park. On your right is Cafeen, a homely coffee shop bistro. Cross over into the park now. Step onto the dirt path leading across the length of the park. I want to show you...
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LOCATION 9
Vegetable Garden
Welcome to the Hampstead Park Vegetable Garden! Take a look around it while I tell you a bit about it.
This is one of 4 parks and other key areas in the Village cared for by the Friends of Harf...
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LOCATION 10
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LOCATION 11
Durham Street
Durham street was at one stage a party street. In the 1950s, the row of houses in this street was the location of the Swifts Dance Club. It was called a tickey-bop club because it was so cheap. Twe...
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LOCATION 12
Left into Second Avenue
You can take a left into Second Avenue here and keep walking. I'll catch up with you a little further up the road.
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LOCATION 13
Right Into Lancaster And Zoning Laws
OK, over here you can turn right into Lancaster.
Notice how few double-storey houses there are in the Village. In 2002, the City of Cape Town declared the Village a special area according to zonin... -
LOCATION 14
Early Learning Centre
Wooden picket fences like the one on your right are far more fitting of the character of the Village. This is the Early Learning Centre, an educational pre-school for the kids.
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LOCATION 15
History of First Avenue
In front of you at the top of the road is a really old white stone bollard that somehow survived modernization. And up across the street is the charming Harfield Guest Villa.
Take a left into ...
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LOCATION 16
Village Cafe And Left Into Wesley
On your left up ahead you'll see the Village Cafe.
Anyone born in South Africa before 1990 will probably be familiar with the typical corner shop. Most of them, like this one, had large signboard... -
LOCATION 17
Right into John's Rd
Take a right into St John's Road. I just want to take you around the block and show you my favourite road.
Take a look at the long row of houses on your right. These were most likely workers' c...
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LOCATION 18
Left into Gloucester
Take a left here into Gloucester Rd. Another long run of identical houses on your left. We're almost at the end of the walk now. I want to show you my favourite street quickly, and then I'll show y...
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LOCATION 19
Norfolk, My Favourite Road
Take a left here into Norfolk. Norfolk is my all-time favourite road in the Village. Walk backwards to take a good look down its length. It has bollards and bushes at some points, preventing car tr...
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LOCATION 20
Right into Wesley
So take a right here at the palm tree back into Wesley Street. We're almost at the end of the route. Right up ahead at the end of the road, you can see the brick front of the Kenilworth Methodist C...
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LOCATION 21
End of Route and Goodbye
Take a left back into Second Avenue here. Next door to the church is the Montessori Pre-School. Keep walking and you'll wind up back where we started. I'll say goodbye for now. Hope you've enjoyed ...