Beach tranquility at Oyster Bay Lodge
[caption id="attachment_220577" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Picture: Helen Crooks[/caption]
Sometimes the perfect getaway is one where you can simply sit back and commune with nature, and later luxuriate in curling up with a good book and a glass of wine, snuggled into comfy armchairs facing a roaring log fire.
At other times, it’s great to get away to somewhere which offers a diverse range of activities, some adrenaline- pumping, others a little more sedate.
But what if you could combine the two? What if there was a venue offering not only lush Eastern Cape scenery, but also pristine beaches and magnificent, towering sand dunes, perfect for trying out your sandboarding skills?
Imagine, better still in times of uncertain fuel prices, if such a venue existed, and was not a long drive away.
Look no further than the four-star Oyster Bay Lodge, which is a 90-minute drive and just more than 100km from Port Elizabeth.
The eco-friendly lodge is set in 235hectares of unspoilt countryside and offers an array of accommodation to suit discerning travellers.
[caption id="attachment_220572" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Picture: Helen Crooks[/caption]
There are two types of accommodation on offer – 10 guest rooms and four luxury chalets.
Our home for a recent two-night stay was one of the four luxury self-catering chalets, a spacious affair which effortlessly combines the old with the new. The chalets have a small but adequate, kitchenette should you opt not to dine at the onsite restaurant, and a comfortable lounge area with leather armchairs facing a romantic open fireplace – wood is provided daily, using felled alien trees.
There’s also an intimate dining area with mini chess set provided for enthusiasts, and an open-plan bedroom overlooking the bathroom area featuring a free-standing bath, an antique wash stand with porcelain basin and, in concession to modern times, a large wet room shower.
For privacy, the toilet is the only non-open plan feature of the high-roofed chalet. Welcome modern touches in the cold winter months come in the form of underfloor heating, as well as a heated towel rail.
Completing the accommodation there’s two outside verandahs, one with comfortable chairs and a table overlooking the private beach, a mere 15-minute walk from the lodge.
This is a walk well worth taking, with guests meandering through fynbos and wetlands with a thriving birdlife population – 170 species have been recorded at the resort.
And that’s not the only wildlife you are likely to encounter – there’s bushbuck, bush pig, porcupines and the ever-elusive aardvark. And horses. Aged from two to 25 years old, a total of 15 horses – some born on the farm, others rescued for simply having outlived their original purpose – have free rein of the reserve, and can be rounded up should you care to explore on horseback.
[caption id="attachment_220575" align="aligncenter" width="640"] Picture: Helen Crooks[/caption]
But while they roam free, these horses are not wild and are perfectly safe, regardless of whether you are a beginner or an experienced rider.
Walking (there are several trails varying in length), bike riding, fishing, swimming in the river, lagoon or Indian Ocean are but a few of the activities on offer – and what better way to explore than on an eco-friendly dune safari?
We were lucky enough to be taken on a safari with a difference by operations manager Claire Kloka, whose passion for the reserve runs deep.
Having studied adventure tourism, Claire threw herself into designing some pretty hair-raising “bridges” over the Klipdrift River, designed with team-building firmly in mind.
During our tour, Claire also introduced us to the bush boma, a tucked-away building which is not only home to three-course braais which can be arranged at the request of guests, but which has also hosted a number of intimate weddings.
From there we meandered down to the beach, passing picnic spots along the way where sumptuous bush picnics can be served by guides who arrive on horseback. After a drive down the beach (as mentioned, only eco-friendly Polaris vehicles of which the tracks vanish in a matter of days, are used) we headed up into the magnificent dunes, looking down on the village of Oyster Bay.
And while the village is relatively new, having only been approved by the government in 1961, there is plenty of historical interest, with at least five ships known to have run aground in the area.
The earliest was the Noord, a ship returning from Natal to Cape Town which hit a reef at Klippepoint on January 16 1690.
Finally, having taken in both the modern and historic aspects of life in this haven of tranquility, we headed back to the lodge to enjoy some rest and relaxation – a somewhat forgotten art in today’s modern world.
There is no cellphone reception in the rooms, nor are there TVs and radios, although there is free WiFi, and two TVs, in the main building.
[caption id="attachment_220571" align="aligncenter" width="500"] A weaver enjoying a snack near the lodge Picture: Helen Crooks[/caption]
But who needs modern distractions when you can be lulled to sleep by the sound of the ocean, and woken up by the sweet song of birds?
[caption id="attachment_220570" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Picture: Helen Crooks[/caption] Giving back to community through conservation As is the case with many resorts these days, running a holiday venue is not just about taking, it’s also very much about giving back.
And Oyster Bay Lodge certainly does that – in spades. At R350, guests can be taken on tours of the nearby township and, while this may seem like a lot of money, it’s not as all profits are ploughed back into the local community.
So much so that a new classroom was built for the Klein Klaas primary farm school through these funds, as well as from guest donations.
This outreach programme has proved so successful that one particular overseas guest returns for two months every year, ploughing her skills into Early Childhood Development, working with children who come from troubled backgrounds.
Financial aid and training is also provided to the Kokkewiet creche in the Oyster Bay township of Umzamawethu.
Children from the schools are also treated to regular visits to the resort where they particularly enjoy geocaching – a modern-day treasure hunt.
Partly a result of this commitment to the community, and partly due to their commitment to the development and training of staff members, the lodge was granted a Free Trade in Tourism award in February of this year – one of only a handful of Eastern Cape resorts to qualify.
Criteria are based on only using locally sourced staff, food and furnishings, promoting gender equality and reducing consumption of water and energy.
The lodge uses borehole water and is largely powered by solar panels, with the plan being to go totally off-grid in the next five to 10 years. Recyling is also part of the criteria, as is playing a responsible role for staff members, who stay on site in comfortable accommodation and undergo regular training in the hospitality industry.
Conservation is also part and parcel of the award, and as such, all alien vegetation is slowly but surely being removed – and sticking to the eco-friendly theme, recycled as firewood!
[caption id="attachment_220576" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Sunset at Oyster Bay Picture: Helen Crooks[/caption] Food, glorious food With any getaway, part of the relaxation is having someone else in charge of the cooking responsibilities. But when a surprise element is thrown in, the experience just becomes so much better.
Venturing into the expansive and unpretentious dining area at Oyster Bay Lodge, the immediate impression was one of a laid-back restaurant with with a holiday vibe.
There was no clue whatsoever of the extremely high standard of cuisine we would enjoy. On arrival we were greeted by attentive restaurant manager Grant Olifant, who invited us to a pre-dinner screening of a DVD highlighting all of the activities available at the lodge, which were certainly extensive.
After enjoying a glass of wine at the bar while watching the DVD, we were led into the dining room for what turned out to be an unforgettable meal.
We chose to forego the three-course dinner and instead focused on the main, which was a sumptuous beef fillet served with either a blue cheese sauce or a blueberry and balsamic reduction.
I opted for the latter and wasn’t sorry, the sauce was the perfect balance for the fillet, which was served with an assortment of veggies, including the best potato croquettes I have ever eaten.
The next morning we woke up early and headed to the restaurant for breakfast. There was a wide selection on the breakfast menu to choose from, and a two-course hot and cold breakfast is included in the cost of your stay.
I decided on a single-course hot full English breakfast comprising crispy pancetta, scrambled egg and fried baby tomatoes, while my travel partner lapped up the scrambled eggs and salmon offering.
Later that day, we headed back to the restaurant looking to partake in a late lunch and, since it was a beautiful winter day, we chose to dine al fresco. What better place to do that than poolside on a sunny day? The outside dining area was well protected from the elements and hugged a large and tempting-looking swimming pool.
It was in this easy-going and relaxed atmosphere that we ordered a simple plate of chips since we weren’t all that hungry. But had our appetites been larger, we could have chosen from a broad selection of dishes such as calamari, Italian sandwiches, a variety of ciabattas or a chocolate and roquefort salad.
However, we were perfectly happy with our chips, which were actually potato wedges fluffy on the inside and crispy on the outside – as good as chips get.
For supper that night we chose to have a starter and dessert, skipping the main meal, which was hake. The starter was a rich butternut soup served with toast.
Dessert was a medley of berries with homemade vanilla ice cream in a crispy shell. I am not a huge fan of desserts, but found this one to be quite enjoyable since it wasn’t too sweet. In fact the tartness of the mixed raspberries, blackberries and blueberries was perfectly complemented by the sweetness of the vanilla ice cream.
The next morning it was almost time to say farewell, but the experience was rounded off at breakfast by restaurant manager Grant, whose attention to detail was impeccable.
He remembered my preference for coffee and orange juice and brought these items to the table without my having to ask. Bliss. As was the second full English breakfast which sent us on the road home with many happy memories.
[caption id="attachment_220573" align="aligncenter" width="630"] Picture: Helen Crooks[/caption] Need to know Day visitors are also welcome to enjoy the activities on offer, while guests are also welcome to stay on the reserve after check-out.
The restaurant is also open to non-guests, but prior reservations are required.
E-mail: info@oysterbaylodge
Website: www.oysterbaylodge.com
