Room to dream
Some plots tell you almost immediately what you’d like to build on them. A simple country house with deep verandahs. Something contemporary and quietly architectural. A family retreat with doors flung open to the mountains and plenty of space for everyone to gather.
At De Vierde Liefde Private Nature Reserve near Wolseley in the Cape Winelands, two adjoining vacant stands offer just that opportunity. Erf 11 measures 5 589m² and Erf 12, 5 479m² – generous pieces of land within a secluded 104-hectare reserve in the Breedekloof Valley.
The views stretch towards the Mostertshoek Mountains and across the Breede River Valley, with fynbos, open countryside and big skies all around. It feels wonderfully remote. In reality, Cape Town is about 130km away.
Country freedom
De Vierde Liefde is an appealing proposition for anyone who dreams of country living but not the demands of running a farm. The reserve has just 24 plots, of which only 18 have been built on, so homes are well spaced and privacy is part of the experience. Both stands for sale are freehold and zoned agricultural, with one house permitted on each plot. There is no deadline by which owners have to build, leaving time to consider the site, find the right architect and create a home that responds to the landscape.
It could become a permanent move to the countryside or the place everyone escapes to on Friday afternoons – close enough to Cape Town for weekends, but far enough away to feel that you’ve properly left the city behind.
For families in particular, there’s a lovely freedom to life here. Space to roam, mountains to explore and a natural environment that invites children outdoors.
Into the wild
The wider reserve is characterised by indigenous Cape fynbos and proteas, with more than 100 bird species recorded, including black eagles.
Walking and hiking trails lead directly into the surrounding landscape, while mountain biking and cycling are popular throughout the valley. Or do very little at all. Watch the light move across the Mostertshoek Mountains. Learn which proteas flower when. Sit outside as evening settles over the valley.
Conservation is taken seriously at De Vierde Liefde. This is a peaceful place by design, with rules limiting noise after 9pm and an emphasis on protecting the natural environment. Controlled access and CCTV add a reassuring layer of security without changing the essential character of the reserve. There are no clubhouses or manicured communal facilities here. The mountains, trails and open spaces are the attraction.
Out and about
Although De Vierde Liefde feels secluded, it is well placed for exploring this quieter, wilder corner of the Cape Winelands.
Historic Tulbagh, with its Cape Dutch architecture, restaurants, wine estates and farm stalls, is approximately 30km away, while Worcester is around 44km from the reserve. Cape Town International Airport is approximately 128km away.
And then there’s Bosjes nearby – reason enough to put aside an afternoon. Its much-photographed chapel has become a contemporary Cape landmark, but the gardens, architecture and restaurants make the wider estate equally worth visiting. Lunch here followed by a slow wander through the gardens is the sort of outing that could become a local habit.
Wine farms are scattered through the surrounding valleys and the mountains provide almost endless possibilities for walking, hiking and cycling. This is still the Cape Winelands, just a quieter, wilder side of it.
Build slowly
Perhaps one of the greatest luxuries these stands offer is time. There is no prescribed building deadline, so there’s no need to arrive with every answer. Spend time on the land. See where the winter sun falls and where summer shade will matter. Watch the mountains through different seasons. Work out where you’ll want the kitchen table, the stoep and that particular chair you’ll gravitate towards at the end of the day. Then build accordingly.
For buyers looking for vacant land for sale in the Cape Winelands, particularly around Wolseley and Tulbagh, De Vierde Liefde offers an unusual balance: more than half a hectare of your own, the protection and shared values of a private nature reserve and a countryside setting that feels genuinely removed from city life.
Two plots. Two opportunities to start from scratch. And a very beautiful place in which to do it.
Written by Sally Rutherford
What are the property details?
- Erf 11 size: 5 479m²
- Erf 12 size: 5 589m²
- Zoning: agricultural
- Building allowance: one house per plot
- Building deadline: none
- De Vierde Liefde Private Nature Reserve size: 104 hectares
- Number of plots in reserve: 24
- Existing homes in reserve: 18
- Security: controlled access and CCTV