Hout Huisie is enviably positioned all on its own near the tip of a little peninsula in Schrywershoek and backed by a marshy wetland. With no shops or restaurants to distract you, this is a place to unwind and let your days be governed by the moods of Langebaan Lagoon and the gentle rhythms of life in this West Coast hamlet.
Centerpiece of the community is a small Anglican church and a picturesque graveyard where one gravestone inscription reads, ‘Sakkie Pieterse, a man who would give his last fish.’ There are three clusters of whitewashed, chalkstone cottages strung along a bluff overlooking lagoon beaches where boats are drawn up on the sand. The older buildings, many dating from the 19th century, have end-chimneys, reed ceilings, window frames and rafters fashioned from the timbers of wrecked ships and interiors full of flotsam, antiques and lagoon memorabilia.
In the 1960’s Theodore Wiehahn bought Schrywershoek, a large farm that extended across the peninsula from lagoon to Atlantic. The blue-roofed timber bungalow is a distinctive landmark sitting alone on a sandy point just south of the hamlet of Churchhaven. The interiors are rustic chic, with two bedrooms and a lovely deck that’s only a few paces from the beach. The sweep of white sand at your doorstep is effectively a private beach, never frequented by more than a handful of others from distant cottages.
Humble yet charming and comfortable
The cottage is filled with the presence of the lagoon, its quiet lapping a dreamy constant, its kaleidoscopic blues and greens a balm to the eye after the harshness of the surrounding veld in summer. One of the privileges of staying at Hout Huisie is that guests have sole access to the southern end of the lagoon, which lies within the farm’s borders. You can wander for hours along these pristine shores, impossibly rich in bird life, and not see another person.
Guests spend their days watching the parade of flamingos that stain the lagoon rosy pink, picnicking on the beach, cycling in the national park or walking the lovely paths through marshlands and fynbos covered dunes. Evenings here, in this remote West Coast haven, are simply ethereal. Take a seat in the spectacular braai lapa at the water’s edge and crack open a cold one as meat sizzles on the grid. The wind has dropped and the sky’s palette is reflected in the water. You watch as an old timer rows his fishing boat into the deeper blue of the channel. Soon the night sky – free of light pollution – is thickly packed with stars, their pinprick lights mirrored in the lagoon.
This cottage provides a perfect family hideaway throughout the year: each season has something different to offer. Take your bicycle, kayak, running shoes, hiking boots, bucket-and-spade, loads of reading material … and let this magical corner of a magical lagoon help you unwind, re-evaluate and recalibrate.
Hout Huisie is currently available for photo shoots, versatile in its ability to echo beach or island locations in Greece, the New England coast, the Caribbean or just about anywhere in the Mediterranean. And if you’re seeking a castaway, Robinson Crusoe chic experience, look no further!
PERFECT HIDEAWAYS in SOUTH AFRICA: Book 3
Hout Huisie is one of the hideaways featured in our beautiful Perfect Hideaways in South Africa coffee table Book 3.
Our latest book celebrates our most treasured hideaways, each one embodying what it is that makes a holiday home ‘perfect’.
From bush to beach, from city to wilderness, PERFECT HIDEAWAYS IN SOUTH AFRICA is a collection of the most extraordinary havens offering unique experiences, architecture and interiors in exceptional destinations. Travellers today are embracing a new narrative for regenerative travel: how and why we travel, and how much time we choose to be surrounded by our family and closest friends, has become ever more important. But over the years, like that proverbial leopard, our Perfect Hideaways has not changed many of its spots.
PERFECT HIDEAWAYS IN SOUTH AFRICA is a tangible journey into the evolving landscape of our homes, mapping our ways back to the soul. Evoking a renewed vigour with the ways we wish to travel, yet retaining a nostalgic sentiment to simplicity.
Reviewed by Justin Fox
Edited by Michelle Snaddon