The Manser Family’s Ice Cream Mile: A South African Road Trip

The Manser family, known for their ambitious adventures, recently traded the open ocean for a different kind of exploration: a culinary journey down South Africa’s False Bay coastline. Dubbed “The Ice Cream Mile,” the family’s latest road trip contest involved sampling ice cream at five different parlors between Strand and Gordon’s Bay. The endeavor, documented by Riaan Manser, follows the family’s return from a transatlantic sailing trip to Brazil.

Manser described the craving for ice cream as a constant companion during their weeks at sea. “Being in the middle of that big, blue wobbly thing day after day, life could be pretty Spartan,” he wrote. “One thing we constantly spoke about during our travels was the craving we had for ice cream. It was driving us mad. I was even dreaming about ice cream.” The Ice Cream Mile was conceived as a way to satisfy that craving, and to create a fresh family tradition reminiscent of a popular pie-tasting contest they undertook last year.

Drawing a parallel to Manchester’s famed “Curry Mile,” Manser playfully declared the False Bay coastline “The Ice Cream Mile.” The rules were simple: one soft serve and one traditional ice cream at each location, chosen based on the owner’s recommendation, both served on traditional cones. The family prioritized local, “mom-and-pop” shops, eschewing global franchises in favor of an authentic, high-street experience.

Their first stop was in Gordon’s Bay, where they sampled a vanilla-strawberry mix soft serve, earning a “Wow!” and praise for its creaminess and generous portion size. They also tried “Tin Roof,” a flavor recommended by the shop owner, finding it “tasty, nutty,” though perhaps not the standout recommendation. The cost was R50.

The journey continued to Strand Circle, where the options were limited to vanilla soft serve. While deemed “okay” and “mid-creaminess,” it didn’t quite reach the heights of the Gordon’s Bay offering. However, a Bar One vanilla milkshake proved a hit with the younger members of the family, though a bit too sweet for Manser. A near-purchase of a 7kg yellowtail fish from local fishermen added an unexpected element to the stop. The cost was R75.

N’Ice, with multiple locations along the route, provided a mixed experience. The soft serve was considered less creamy than the first stop, but Vasti Manser enjoyed it. The blueberry cheesecake flavor stood out as a genuine after-dinner treat, despite the higher price of R75.

Hibernian Towers ice cream offered a standout soft serve experience, with a zesty strawberry flavor and visually appealing presentation. Despite feeling full at this point, the family continued, sampling the choc-mint flavor, which, while intensely minty, proved divisive. The cost was R45.

The final stop, Marcel’s Frozen Yoghurt, proved to be the most expensive at R90, but also a surprising highlight. Manser, initially skeptical, found the caramel soft serve’s combination of sweetness and the yoghurt’s tang to be unexpectedly delightful. He praised the authentic yoghurt flavors, suggesting they were more pronounced after sampling more traditional dairy products.

The family concluded their Ice Cream Mile adventure with a sense of satisfaction, recommending the experience to others, even those who haven’t recently crossed an ocean. Manser wryly suggested limiting ice cream consumption to one scoop per person.

Riaan Manser’s involvement in this project also marks his new role as editor of News24 Outdoors, driven by Ford, signaling a continued focus on outdoor adventures and exploration.