Clifton Charm

Gazing across the powdered blonde sand of one of South Africa’s – make that the southern hemisphere’s – most fashionable beaches to the distinctive peak of Lion Head’s, this three-bedroom property offers photogenic proof of the old maxim: Location, Location, Location.

Gloriously private, yet just steps above the sand among lush vegetation on the prime perch of Clifton 4th Beach ridge, the house’s understated interiors meld natural earthy hues, wood floors and rustic furnishings with design pieces that nod to its African location: Zimbabwean baskets, Malawian rugs and lamps, Ivorian antique stools, all garnished with carefully curated works by highly respected, Cape-based artists.

With its open-plan kitchen, dining, living area and floor-to-ceiling windows opening onto a spectacular glass-walled deck, the house offers a wonderfully breezy coastal vibe, along with three supremely comfortable ensuite bedrooms, all with access to outside space. The air-con, braai and al fresco beach deck dining table are summer essentials, while underfloor heating creates a cosy bolthole for Cape Town’s low-crowd, high-value winters.

As well as offering memorable views, 4th has the calmest sea of any of Clifton’s glamorous beaches, making it perfect for swimming – or perhaps just a cold-water plunge! You’re also in pole position for hiking and cycling around the peaks of the spectacular Cape Peninsula.

Of course, you can simply just kick back, inhale the vibrant atmosphere and people watch – it’s a rare day when Clifton isn’t hosting a fashion shoot. It’s only a short hop to the Mother City’s world-class restaurants, acclaimed galleries and historical attractions, with several renowned vineyards within an easy drive.

Want a private chef, surf lesson or yoga class? Our house manager’s here to help. All you need do is settle into your beach house, take a deep breath of fresh Southern Atlantic air and savour the sensational setting and sublime sunsets.

INSIDE

Bedrooms and Bathrooms

Master

Guest rooms

Living Area

Living / Dining Space

Kitchen

To Do

Water Activities

Kayaking

Clifton 4th Beach’s  more placid seas make it ideal for swimming and water sports, with Kayak Clifton (www.kayakclifton.co.za) offering rentals and organized tours from just below the house.

Surfing

Expect slightly warmer waters and more reliable surf on the False Bay wing of the peninsula where Gary’s Surf School (www.garysurf.com) in Muizenberg has been teaching beginners and improvers for 35 years, with private individual and family lessons available.

Prefer to stay closer to home? Try Stoked Surf School (www.stokedsurfschool.com) in neighbouring Camps Bay, which drives you out to catch the swells at Muizenberg and Bloubergstrand, and also rents wetsuits.

Fishing

The South Atlantic off the Western Cape is home to some serious fish and superb angling. Contact Cape Town Fishing Charters (www.capetownfishingcharters.com) just down the coast in Hout Bay, to head out in search of Yellowfin Tuna, Marlin and Swordfish.

Health & Fitness

Cycling

The views on the 31-mile route (62, there and back) from Clifton to Cape Point are as good as any ride on the planet! Head parallel to the awe-inspiring 12 Apostles then take the famous cliff-hugging road of Chapman’s Peak – trust me, you’ll never forget first sight of Noordhoek beach – before passing Kommetije’s white sands and rising into the Table Mountain National Park for epic view of the Cape of Good Hope and False Bay.

Hiking

Hire a guide for a yomp up the spiral route of Lions Head, and / or one of the tracks up to the iconic flat top of Table Mountain. The five-hour Skeleton Gorge trail bisects shaded indigenous forest on the mountain’s eastern slop to summit at Maclear’s Beacon, 3,563 feet above Clifton 4thBeach. I challenge you to find a more beautiful climb!

Other great hikes worth considering are Cecilia Waterfall and Forest, Chapman’s Peak Summit and the Pipe Trail from Kloof Neck with memorable panoramas of Camps Bay.

Food & Restaurants

You’re spoilt for choice. Cape Town and it surrounds offer some of Africa’s finest food from markets to casual cafes and fine dining…

Kitchen Supplies

Stock up on local seasonal organic ingredients for the beach house at Oranjezicht City Farm (www.ozcf.co.za) where you can also dine on communal tables, and at SANS (www.sanscommunity.com) in Sea Point.

Coffee and Casual

The Pottery (www.campsbay.thepottery.co.za) is a wonderful local coffee shop, wood-fired pizzeria – ask for the Glen Beach – and cocktail bar. Just 25 minutes’ walk away in Camp Bay.

Pauline’s (www.paulinescoffee.com) at Sea Point, owned by SANS has terrific coffee, patisserie and a more than decent brunch.

Restaurants

Il Leone Mastrantonio (www.mastrantonio.com) offers classic Italian fare – try the prawn-rich Linguine Portofino – in an attractive heritage house in Waterkant.

Reverie Social (www.reverie.capetown) delivers on its convivial promise with dishes of local sustainable seasonal produce served on one communal table. Great food, great fun.

The Pot Luck Club (www.thepotluckclub.co.za/home) is tucked away on the 6th floor of an old biscuit mill in Woodstock. Sharing plates like pork Penang belly, coconut & peanut curry have seen it listed in the World’s Top 50 Restaurants but it’s not scaling its previous heights.

Salsify (www.salsify.co.za) just five minutes’ drive away offers award-winning fine dining with contemporary seasonal dishes like smoked springbok, porcini and goat’s cheese mousse, with a side serving of dramatic Atlantic views.

Chef’s Warehouse at Beau Constantia (www.chefswarehouse.co.za/beau-constantia) is simply exceptional. Take time out to explore Constantia’s fabulous wineries including Beau Constantia where this restaurant with open-plan kitchen, terrace and floating pod celebrates bold global flavours with the likes of churros and smoked snoek; and coal-roasted pumpkin with Madagascan caviar, gorgonzola cream and smoked macadamia.

La Colombe (www.lacolombe.restaurant/food) offers more exceptional Constantia vineyard dining, this time at Silvermist Wine Estate. Last year it was voted South Africa’s best restaurant for its exquisite dishes with minimalist names including nitro citrus, and Karoo lamb, turnip, harissa. If Michelin covered Africa, La Colombe’s a shoe-in for three stars.

Other Activities

Drive past Cape Town and head spend 45 leisurely minutes driving northwest into the Western Cape’s dreamy mountains interspersed with quilts of splendid vineyards. Historic towns like Stellenbosch and Franschhoek are also worth visiting for their elegantly gabled Cape Dutch architecture.

Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa (www.zeitzmocaa.museum) helped cement Cape Town’s position as an important fixture on the global art scene. The extraordinary cathedral-like conversion of a former grain silo on the V&A Waterfront contains a series of galleries exhibiting contemporary works from Africa and its diaspora.

99 Loop Gallery (www.99loop.co.za) in the central City Bowl area was the source of the acclaimed artworks displayed in the beach house. The contemporary art space focuses on paintings by established and emerging local talent, and offers worldwide shipping.

The Strangers Club (www.thestrangersclub.co.za), laced through an atmospheric early 19th-century farmstead in Green Point, provided most of the beautiful African objects in our property. Established by a well-travelled couple, it sells African artefacts, art and heirlooms, alongside clothing and jewellery. A unique venue, it also has a nice café with a cool buzz.

Newlands (www.newlandscricket.com/newlands-cricket-ground). If you’re with us in summer and fancy spending a relaxed day watching top-class sport, then Newlands – beneath the eastern slopes of Table Mountain – is arguably the world’s most beautiful cricket ground.

Location

The Fourth Beach Bungalow is in Clifton, 15 miles from Cape Town International Airport. Transfers can be arranged but if you’ve picked up a hire car, it’s pretty straightforward. Follow the airport approach road to the N2 and then onto the M3 to Hof Street, from where you pick up the M62 to Camps Bay, followed by the short signposted hop to Clifton.

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