Extraordinary Africa>South Africa>The Whale Coast>Coot Club
Coot Club is a collection of cottages and boathouses, centred around an old Victorian farmhouse. It’s a private nature reserve near Stanford. Even to get here you really feel that you’re heading somewhere really rural, driving 9km down an unpaved path from the main road. It’s a fantastic choice for active families or outdoorsy couples.
What’s Coot Club really like?
The main area of the Coot Club is the Clubhouse and pool. Outside, there are pretty lawns and the cosy traditional Stone Cottages. Pathways lead away from here to the five more expensive, but more modern scandi-style boathouses that have lovely views out over the water. There’s a mix of 1, 2 and three bedrooms. Meals are usually served in the clubhouse, and are usually light and informal. Wines are usually local Walker Bay wines. We’d say that, as you are pretty remote here, most people would tend to eat evening meals here rather than take the drive back to Stanford.
What can I do at Coot Club?
South Africans generally live a very outdoorsy lifestyle and this is a great spot for visitors who want to be active. You can try walking in the fynbos, kayaking, SUPing and sailing, swimming and fat biking to Walker Bay beach or into Stanford Village. There’s volleyball and boules on the lawn, board games in the library, table tennis and table football. There’s even wild swimming for the brave (Atlantic waters can be rather chilly) and a pool for the rest of us mere mortals. In season, (roughly July-October/November) this part of South Africa has fantastic whale watching. If booked in advance, Coot Club can also help with babysitting if energy levels for parents and children doesn’t quite match up!
Giving back at Coot Club:
For every guest who stays at Coot Club a contribution is made to protecting the gorgeous, fragile environment it sits on. This includes removing invasive plants, clearing firebreaks to protect from wildfires. Guests can get involved, helping to check camera traps or counting the whales in Walker Bay.
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