Scrimshaw

Off-grid coastal living in the West Coast National Park

A humble, rustic beach cottage that’s beautifully stitched together in natural fabrics and earthy materials. Soothing tones and textures, and subtle touches of luxury that add to the pacifying ambience of the home. Being completely off-the-grid, your entertainment will stem from the surroundings. Evoking a primal existence that’s harnessed by Mother Nature’s simple gifts.

Natural light flooding through the open living and dining areas, and into the three bedrooms. Warmth coming from the fireplaces and the glorious African sunshine. Flamingos prancing around the shallows of the turquoise waters, where small sailing boats and kayaks glide by in the breeze. Tortoises and ostriches claim their spots along the pathways with the butterflies and the birds. As you claim your positions on the verandah. Around the long tables, in the hammock, on the low built-in benches, or out there gallivanting the West Coast wilderness.

The children will be roaming freely, too. Just as they should. Distant echoes of laughter across the water as the hunt for nature’s treasures resumes. Long walks along the shoreline, dipping in and out of the water. Catching up with the neighbouring community that’s bound by the timeless rhythms of the lagoon. Where days are measured not by clocks, but by the tides.

Back to the bonny basics

When it’s time to retreat indoors, there’s plenty of space for all six of the clan to gather around the fireplace on the comfy sofas. Or seat yourselves at the dining table for some more feasting, chatting and game playing. Reverting to those simple methods of conversing and connecting in accordance with the gentle pulse of the lagoon. Inciting a blissful romance with the holiday you’ve embarked on, in this remote paradise, with a handful of your most favourite friends.

What we love!

• 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.
• 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).

What you need to know…

• Make the most of life on the lagoon… there are SUPS and Kayaks available to rent during your stay.
• Only one hour’s drive from Cape Town, you might like to make a four-day weekend.
• This is blissful off-the-grid living, so there is no WiFi, limited cellphone accessibility, and solar power rules supreme. Most houses rely on rainwater catchment or borehole water driven by solar pumps, and gas hobs and gas ovens are used for cooking. In winter, fireplaces and ever-faithful wood-burning stoves keep things cosy.
• 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 latest fee tariffs.
• Families with young children, please note that the two double bedrooms are both en-suite, but open onto the patio; i.e. they are not inside the main house.
• If Scrimshaw is not available on your dates, browse our full collection of exclusive-use holiday houses in Churchhaven.

Edited by Colleen Ogilvie