Arriving at the alluring little Southern Peninsula village of Noordhoek, is like stepping into an Enid Blyton’s storybook of a picture-perfect family life in an urban farming community. Only a thirty-to-forty-minute journey from the centre of Cape Town, along one of the most spectacularly scenic drives in the world – either side of the mountain – this bonny little hamlet awakens every joyful childhood memory of play and stirs them back to life. Surrounded by mossy green mountains that are veined with winding lanes of old farmhouses, village centres, vineyards, paddocks and stables, soaring oak trees and open fields where horses and hounds, chickens and children gleefully saunter and skip alongside each other; a long, magnificent stretch of sand with its beautiful blue waves holds centre stage to its audience of beach cottages freckled about the hillsides that slope down to meet the sea.
Atop the fynbos covered dunes of the SANParks Nature Reserve – sitting adjacent its paternal homestead of Noordhoek Beach House – Chapmans Beach House looks out over the natural vegetation, all the way out to sea and up towards the mountains. Set on two levels of lucid white walls and muted grey floors, French wooden shutters and glazed double-doors, refined furnishings, clever cabinetry and quirky home essentials, consciously curated mementos & prints – sourced during the travels of the photographer / interior designer owners – this contemporary hideaway authentically puts the word beach beside house as it settles itself onto the sand with a subtle statement on style, and lets the magic of what’s happening outside do all of the talking. The three queen bedrooms – one on the ground floor along with a separate shower room and a bathroom, while the other two sit upstairs separated by a spacious landing with wash area – flank the helm of the home where the open-plan kitchen and dining space opens out onto a deck that wraps around the house and gently cushions itself into the verdant fynbos and wild olive trees. A cosy living room sits separately with a TV, a decent collection of inspiring literature and a little writing desk. Not that you’ll plan on much desk action during your stay at Chapman’s Beach House.
For when the sun starts to rise you’ll be out down the sandy footpaths for a gentle amble along the beach, witnessing the neighbourhood walking their hounds or trotting along on their horses. After a steaming hot shower on the deck outside you’ll enjoy your second brew down the road in the village. It’s up to you whether you opt for a hike up the mountain or a long cycle into the wilderness, catch the surf or simply settle on one of the wooden loungers on the deck and listen to the sounds of the shoreline breeze through the wide open doors of the cottage. It’s almost time for that late afternoon glass of local Chenin, as the chilled lounge tunes echo a Mediterranean moment, accompanied by an antipasti platter-come-tapas extravaganza of heaven – sourced from the village deli down the road. The clan’s back from the beach and though you had a grand intent of sitting at that desk and getting an hour done, there’s always tomorrow. Today you’re still in the pages of Enid Blyton’s Seaside Family. The sun is about to set, the birds are sweeping the skies, the waves are curling endlessly and the merry banter around the table is all that matters right now.
What we love!
- The views of the beach, the natural surroundings and the mountain ranges that transform in colour with each sunset. The property is perfectly positioned so that you can walk out onto the dunes and down the pathways to the beach – from the entrance to the garden – in under a minute.
- Though this cottage definitely has the owners’ signature stamp of style and taste, it is not overly cluttered or hoarding beach house paraphernalia unnecessarily. Every room is furnished with intent and adorned with simplicity.
- The wood-burning fireplace in the kitchen warms and cosies up the place perfectly for those slightly frostier Noordhoek winter nights – welcoming the dark clouds above the ocean that dramatically transform the seascape.
- Whatever the weather, a hot shower on the outdoor deck is a beautiful way to start and end the day.
What you need to know…
- Chapmans Beach House sits adjacent the larger home of the owners – Noordhoek Beach House. Chapmans has its very own entrance and is perfectly secluded from the main house. Access to the beach, however, can only be achieved by leaving the property and taking the nearby sandy footpath through the dunes.
- Noordhoek Farm Village is only a 5-minute drive away from the property where Chef Franck Dangereux’s Foodbarn Restaurant is, together with coffee roasters, decadent ice-cream makers, a pub and a playground, a delicatessen, souvenir shops and a yoga studio too.
- For a pint or two of a delicious craft beer, Aegir Brewery is no more than a 3-minute walk away, where the fabulous Italian eatery Limoncello also sits, beneath the milkwoods.
- All major supermarkets and large convenience stores are located at the Long Beach Shopping Mall – a 10-minute drive from the property.
- The entire property remains functional during extended load shedding, apart from the electric oven and the geyser (which is well-insulated and easily capable of keeping the water piping hot for many hours).
Reviewed by Colleen Ogilvie