The art of slow living in Churchhaven
One of the oldest lagoonside cottages in Churchhaven, Church Cottage is a gem. This gentle West Coast find inside the West Coast National Park, near the village church (of course!), is simply perfect for families and friends. Â
A sudden sense of stillness takes over as you meander your way down the not-so beaten pathway towards the back door of Church Cottage. Having felt obliged to turn your car engine off on the way down, engaging in neutral and free-rolling the gravel road, in keeping with the sounds of what surrounds, you know you have arrived in Churchhaven up the Cape’s West Coast.
This classically styled cottage opens its stoic wooden doors to the heartbeat of the home, where the kitchen, dining and living space stretches itself open-plan. The kitchen cupboards are completely kitted out with all of the practicality one desires when cooking up friend and family feasts. But it’s the whimsical antique whisks, and cheese graters that you’ll have the most fun with in a linen apron on loan. Books, board games and binoculars are there for those moments when you’d rather not be swimming, kayaking, exploring, or sofa-snoring. The large open fireplace in the living room is a temptress at her best for wintry days and nights, but the cottage’s close proximity to the water’s edge will keep your feet yearning for that final evening stroll on the soft, white sand. After which, it’s a toss up over who’s having a long bath in the Victorian tub, who’s starting the pizza oven on the verandah, and who’s pouring the wine.
The joys of a life lived simply…
At night, gentle hues of candlelight flicker from floor to ceiling of the cottage, warming up the shaggy rugs, wide-open armchairs, long sofas and dinner conversation.
You’ll awake to the internal church bells of calm calling – who’s getting married in the morning? You. To the lagoon that you’ve lusted over all night, pondering the depths of its tantalizingly tranquil turquoise waters. You’ll be wearing your kikoi and you’ll look just perfect.
What we love!
- The pizza oven on the verandah.
- The wonderfully warm lagoon waters with the softest white-sand beaches and very safe swimming for the kids.
- The utterly unspoilt, pristine surroundings deep in a National Parks Board Nature Reserve, a bird lover’s paradise.
- The back-to-basics lifestyle in a charming hamlet on the water’s edge.
- The incredible range of things to do and see, from the spring flowers in Postberg Flower Reserve, idyllic beach picnics at nearby Kraalbaai (close to the famous Preekstoel rock formation) and kitesurfing at Shark Bay just outside Langebaan (an excellent place for beginners and to hone your skills.)
- A paradise for hikers, cyclists, mountain-bikers and walkers, with some of the prettiest trails imaginable in spring or early summer. If you’re interested in fossils and archeological finds here, you can do Eve’s Footprints trail, to the site where important fossilised footprints were found in 1995 along the shoreline of the lagoon.Â
What you need to know…
- Only an hour’s drive from Cape Town.
- During your stay, you’ll be living the simple, off-the-grid life you’ve been talking about doing. There is cell phone reception, but no WiFi. Solar power is the majority rule with the romance of wood-burning stoves, fireplaces and of course gas ovens. Always be water-wise.
- Church Cottage, in keeping with the village, is completely off-the-grid and you must take your own drinking water and please use power sparingly.
- Only mobile phones, laptops, music players and the like can be used in the plugs. No hairdryers, hair straighteners or curling irons or any other appliances are to be plugged in as this could cause permanent damage to the electrical system.
- We are unable to offer a cleaning service at Churchhaven. The ONLY cleaning service available at any of our Churchhaven properties is a mid-week linen change if you are staying for 6 nights or longer. Due to being off-grid, Churchhaven houses do not have dishwashers. If this is a problem for you please consider our other West Coast options.
- Please take note of the following gate times for entering and leaving the West Coast National Park:
1 April to 31 August 07:00 to 17:30;
1 September to 31 March 07:00 to 18:30.
No entrance into the park is possible after the gates close in the evenings.
- There is a per person, per day entrance fee due to enter the park. Please check the SANPARKS website for the latest fee tariffs. It may be worth investing in a Wild Card membership.Â
- There is plenty to do in the area: if you’re making a day trip of the journey up, why not stop along the way at !Kwa ttu, the San cultural centre, to learn more about the heritage of the San or Bushmen. Or, if you’re staying a week, take a trip to the recently refurbished fossil museum at the West Coast Fossil Park, an absolute gem for families and not far from Langebaan.Â
- If Church Cottage isn’t available over your dates, browse our signature collection of Churchhaven and Schrywershoek accommodation options or other West Coast hideaways.Â
Reviewed by Colleen Ogilvie
Edited by Michelle SnaddonÂ