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 towards 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 excellent guide and company alike as we set out for Charlie’s constitutional. 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’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 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 cliche, but there is no other way to describe the glass-sided cube that juts out from the hillside.
Waterkloof offers some lovely wines (and cheeses and olives) and Waterkloof Restaurant is celebrated for its contemporary menu and spectacular setting. Chef Grégory Czarnecki’s inspirational dishes have garnered many awards.
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. But Blue Rock turned out to be 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 waterskiing circuit.
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. 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 foefie slide, a high jump-off point or even paint-ball. It’s a great hang-out with a children’s playground and several swimming areas, completely tucked away and sheltered on windy Cape days.
l Lalapanzi Lodge is a Portfolio Collection “trusted places”. Call 021 702 1236 or visit www.portfoliocollection.com.Visit www.morgenster.co.za, www.waterkloofwines.co.za and www.bluerock.co.za - Weekend Argus