Close to home

While the sparrows flock to Europe in search of warmth in the winter, locals know that hiding in plain sight are hideaways ranging from safari stays to country cabins - that highlight the best parts of the cooler, quieter months of the year.

- JULIA FREEMANTLE

NAUTICAL AND NICE 

Coot Club, Stanford

Built around camaraderie and the childlike wonder that being in the outdoors inspires, Coot Club is the perfect place to hit reset. With a few different accommodation offerings on the property (a magnificent 464-hectare slice of land with 1.5 kilometres of water frontage on the Klein River Lagoon, ranked sixth most important for birdlife in South Africa) its newly added Boathouses are the ideal combination of charming nostalgia and the very best in contemporary comfort.

Designed to be sympathetic to the setting – raised to enjoy the view but painted dark to blend into the fynbos and mountain backdrop – they come in permutations that sleep up to eight (max six adults). Nautically inspired (a nod to the aquatic setting), boating references, natural materials and a calming, cheerful palette makes for uplifting but elegant spaces. Wood-burning fireplaces and carefully thought-through details (kitted-out kitchens, spaces to work, read and nap) make winter sojourns here extremely cosy.

Coot Club aims to re-kindle the spirit of adventure in all ages and celebrate old-fashioned family values and simple, primal pleasures (good food, wild swimming, campfires and beach walks) in spectacular surroundings. With activities centred on the lagoon (and at the nearby coast) you have your pick of land and water-based pursuits from birding, walking and mountain biking to sailing, kite surfing, canoeing, and whale watching).

Flexibility is key here – the cabins are self-catering but you can also have meals at the clubhouse, allowing you to choose what suits your idea of ‘holiday’ best, and whatever makes it easiest for you to reconnect with family and friends.