|
|
About an
hour's drive from Cape Town, on the way to the
Garden Route and not more than fifteen minutes'
drive from Hermanus, Flamingo Lake is hidden deep
inside the Middlevlei Nature Reserve.
This is an ideal spot from which to explore the
Overberg region. |
Fringed
by a huge lagoon and an endless sandy beach lies
an exclusive private estate. In a secluded
enclave in this estate Lee has arranged the usage
of a select group of rondavels and Bush Cabins.
|
 |
|
|
|
The place
is quiet, incredibly beautiful, safe, secure and
close to nature. The loudest noise will be the
sound of the sea. From your rondavel you can
watch the birds on the lagoon, stroll through the
estate, cross the romantic footbridge to the
beach, swim in the swimming pool or enjoy a game
of tennis. |
| A fifteen
kilometer beach of deep, fine, shining white sand
merges imperceptibly with the wetlands dunes.
It's not a great swimming beach: there are
stunning swimming beaches ten minutes from here.
This beach is for walkers, fishermen, and lovers
of nature and beauty. You will see seagulls and
terns, perhaps a pair of endangered
Oystercatchers, and in season perhaps some
whales. And you'll find space and time to catch
your breath and enjoy the beauty of sand, sea and
mountains. |
|
 |
|
|
Small
game in the area are not often seen, but might
include grysbok and duiker, grey mongooses,
genets, caracal, porcupines and honey badgers.
Francolins will forage around your very own
private garden and (if you're lucky) you might
see one of the largest gatherings of flamingos to
be found anywhere in South Africa - there can be
as many as a thousand gathered on your doorstep.
The lagoon and its edge is one of the top birding
spots in South Africa. |
The 1000
hectare lake is an estuary at the mouth of the
Bot River. It's fairly shallow, and the mouth to
the sea is usually closed. Water levels vary,
depending on the rainfall. Every few years the
mouth breaks open, and the whole lake empties
into the sea.
It's usually good for boating and swimming, and
always beautiful. |
|
|
|
|
Our 15km
Beach
There are beaches for swimming, for picnicking,
for exploring; but this is a beach for walking,
or just sitting and admiring the view. It's a
super walking beach - long and level, with
mountains looming around the bay, and interesting
detours over the dunes into the wetlands beyond.
Keep your eyes peeled for interesting footprints
- there are quite a few different species of
small game leaving their tracks in the sand. And
keep an eye on the sea - you are likely to see
whales in season. |
The
Horses of Sandown Bay
Many years ago, so the story is told, a local
farmer, tired of farming, sold all his cattle and
turned his horses loose into the wilderness.
Somehow these horses survived in the wetlands,
and even thrived.
They were once so seldom seen that many people
doubted their existence. We (and our guests) have
seen them several times. They are a little shy,
but not aggressive or dangerous. You might see
them yourself when you walk along the beach. |
|
|
|
|
We are
right inside the Middlevlei Nature Reserve. Don't
expect to see elephants and lions on your
doorstep. It's not that kind of Reserve! But it
does keep houses and factories a long way from
us, and is an encouraging development in the
management of our environment.
We are surrounded by rolling sand dunes and
wetlands, slowly recovering after being strangled
for years by alien trees. |
| We are in
the heart of the unique and famous Cape Floral
Kingdom. Botanists have recognized six Floral
Kingdoms throughout the world, shown on the map
(right). Five of these are enormous, but the tiny
sixth has such a rich variety of different trees,
shrubs and wild flowers that it warrants a
Kingdom all of its own. This is the Cape Floral
Kingdom, and the whole Hermanus region falls
within this area |
|
 |
|
| The magnificent
and beautiful setting of Flamingo Lake self catering
accommodation provides a stunning gateway to the Western
Cape's Overberg, the Garden Route and to Cape Town.
Located near Hermanus, inside the Middlevlei Nature
Reserve where the Bot River estuary meets the sea and the
mountains provide a dramatic scenic backdrop, this is a
quiet, romantic and very private getaway. Remote,
peaceful, secluded and secure, this is a nature lover's
paradise; a place to explore the wild and lonely beach,
to stroll through the wetlands past hidden pools behind
the sand dunes to find wild flowers, flamingos, many
birds on the water and in the bush and forest, and some
of the wonderful biodiversity of the Cape Floral Kingdom.
You probably won't see them, but amongst the dunes are
grysbok, duiker, grey mongoose, otter, porcupine, honey
badger, genet, and caracal. Leopards have been reported
nearby, but no sightings confirmed in our area. Whales
are often seen from the beach. |
