Cape Town - Nobody could tell me much about Lalapanzi Lodge, so it was with some trepidation that I drove there through Sir Lowry’s Pass village and on to the Wedderwill Estate. But, as the lodge appeared, I grinned in delight.
Lalapanzi Lodge is set on 240ha of forest and fynbos in the lee of the Schapenberg mountains and on the edge of the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve. It has stunning views over Gordon’s Bay and across False Bay toward Muizenberg, and the mountains behind. It is a wonderful place to unwind, and in the company of Ian Schaap and Charlie the beagle, I quickly did.
Ian proved both excellent guide and company as we set out for Charlie’s constitutional walk. We walked past their vineyards and down a tree-lined dirt road until we came to a clear dam which overlooked the renowned Vergelegen Wine Estate.
At sunset I enjoyed a dip in the pool, which is a short walk through the trees from the main lodge, adjacent to a lapa and close to the two private self-catering cottages.
Chef Adrian Boll prepared a lovely meal in the evening in the upstairs dining room – the vanilla pannacotta with Kahlua cranberries was outstanding – accompanied by the delicious family wine, Skaap. Ian Schaap’s wife, Marie Helene, explained the wordplay (Skaap, Schaap, Schapenberg) between sips of shiraz and also gave me pointers on other attractions in the area.
After a peaceful night and delicious breakfast the next morning, I headed down to Somerset West. Vergelegen and Morgenster share an entrance and it was to Morgenster that I went.
Owner Giulio Bertrand’s Italian flair has reaped rewards galore. He moved from Italy in 1992, bought Morgenster and now Morgenster wines include delicious, light Italian style varietals. More significantly, Morgenster extra virgin olive oil was, on December 1, awarded the top score of 98 points out of a possible 100 in the international Flos Olei competition that assesses the world’s best olive oils.
In the very “tastefully” designed tasting room, on the terrace overlooking wetland and river, I sampled the Italian and Bordeaux style wines, the flagship olive oil and some more select variants – white truffle, for example. They also have special balsamic vinegar, olives and gorgeous olive pastes. I departed with a selection of goodies including my favourite wine to date, Morgenster’s Stellenbosch 2001. Bertrand’s “quality without compromise” philosophy was evident in every sip.
The visit whetted my appetite and it was back to the pass and up the winding road of Waterkloof Estate, past slopes of rehabilitated fynbos towards their “restaurant in the sky”. Cutting edge may be a cliché, but there is no other way to describe the glass-sided cube that juts out from the hillside.
Waterkloof offers some lovely wines (and cheese and olives) and Waterkloof Restaurant is celebrated for its contemporary menu and spectacular setting. Chef Grégory Czarnecki’s inspirational dishes have garnered many awards. The best way to sample wine and food is the delectable degustation menu.
Czarnecki explained: “The degustation menu is the finest way to experience all the flavours, textures and combinations that we create in the restaurant. And, when each dish is combined with the Waterkloof wine for which it was created, one truly experiences the pleasure of food and wine pairing.”
On my drive to Lalapanzi I had noticed a sign advertising a surf shop. While the beaches and relatively warm waters of Gordon’s Bay and the Strand are not far off, this was on the wrong (mountain) side of the highway. Blue Rock turned out to be something rather unusual.
What was once the biggest quarry in the Western Cape is now known as Blue Rock Lake, possibly the clearest lake in the Cape. There is a casual eatery and bar and something I had never seen before, a cable water skiing circuit. It’s almost eerie. The operating system has the capacity of 25 boats, only the cables make almost no noise. You do not need to be sporty or fit for cable skiing. Kneeboarding is an easy way to start if you’ve never skied before.
If you have, the main difference is that you don’t use a boat’s wake to gain height for tricks but the tension of the rope. If skiing isn’t for you there is a great foofie slide, a high jump-off point or even a paintball course. It’s a great hangout with a children’s playground and several swimming areas, completely tucked away and sheltered on the windy Cape days.
Lalapanzi Lodge is surprisingly sheltered considering that the upper reaches of the pass has one of the windiest winding sections of road I have encountered. Around the lodge are plenty of paths and you may want to hire a mountain bike and try to keep up with the Schaaps, or simply savour the views and tranquillity.
Lalapanzi Lodge is one of Portfolio Collection’s trusted places to stay. Call 021 702 1236 or visit www.portfoliocollection.com
Visit www. morgenster.co.za, www.waterkloofwines.co.za, www.bluerock.co.za - Sunday Tribune