Victorian old lady in rural Stanford, South Africa home swap

Our old lady sits on its 1 100 sqm plot, near the boundary to quiet Caledon Street, We gave her new life, guided by a gifted architect, when we moved to Stanford in 2004.

Her heart is the stoep, or verandah, which overlooks our established garden, with the majestic Klein River Mountains as a backdrop. This is where we spend quality time with family and friends. The large lounge, kitchen/dining room and master bedroom (with en-suite bathroom) open through french doors onto the stoep.

This level also has a 2nd double bedroom, communal shower room, and off the kitchen a scullery and a drying yard/kitchen herb garden. The house is entered from the street via an open verandah on the road, and an entrance hall.

Upstairs is an open-plan loft comprising a TV room, office alcove and large sleeping area with 3 beds, one of which is a child`s bed.

In the garden are a double garage, external ablutions and a toolshed. The garden has a large lawn, and includes a fishpond and potager.

About the location

Our home is in the core Conservation Area of Stanford, which is protected to preserve its old-world ambience and streetscapes. It has a Village Green at its centre, the scene of much village life including pony shows, fairs and a monthly market which is a social highlight. Local businesses provide basic groceries and local produce at weekly food markets, plus a wide array of collectables and niche items. There are a number of restaurants in the village and on surrounding farms, including one with 3 Michelin stars.

The Klein River runs through it, providing space for kayaking, river cruising, swimming for the brave, and wonderful vistas from the “wandelpad” which meanders along its bank and through the village. A walk can take a long time, as people stop to chat. Stanford is also a bird watcher’s paradise , with over 100 species spotted in the village alone. There is a keen birders’ club.

Conservancy Areas cover much of the surrounding land, where the magnificent endemic and prolific “fynbos” thrives. There are many walking, hiking, horse riding and cycling opportunities in the mountains and along the coast. The Stanford and surrounding Wine Routes offer fine wines nurtured in the mild coastal vineyards.

Stanford is on the picturesque Cape Whale Route, with world-renowned whale watching in Hermanus and Gansbaai, both about 20 km from the village, at either end of the Walker Bay Marine Reserve where whales come to calve every year in its shallow protected waters. Gansbaai is also a shark watching centre, and has a penguin sanctuary. Different vistas open up in every direction from the village, from the rolling hills of the northern Overberg to the southern coastal plains, all nestling in the dramatic Cape Fold Mountains, to provide a visual feast.

Stanford is 90 minutes from Cape Town Airport, 2 hours from the City, and just over an hour to the southern Tip of Africa.

Conditions of home exchange

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