The Barn, Yzerfontein

A Modern Barn with Big Ocean Views on South Africa's Western Cape

Enter through oversized sliding barn doors into a laid-back country home that exudes the best of simple rural living with a jolt of understated industrial cool. The raw, textural space offers vast ocean views from its windowed, coast-facing façade. A warm hearth anchors the living area, the rugged pitched ceiling soars double height overhead, and a generous farm table with delightfully mismatched chairs sits at the center of the great room. Décor is a subdued but intentional selection of artifacts and country collectibles. With its soft whitewashing, abundance of wood, and invitingly textural linens, the home is a serene spot to steal away to.

There are two bedrooms with king-sized beds, one of which has a deliciously deep window seat overlooking the ocean. There’s an alfresco dining deck out back, and the open country kitchen features a woodfired bread and pizza oven.

The property is not suitable for small children (under the age of seven).

Around

Tucked into a swathe of natural fynbos, a belt of shrubs or heathland that's characteristic of the Western Cape area of South Africa, this contemporary barn stands in the small harbor town of Yzerfontein on South Africa’s west coast some 90 kilometers north of Cape Town. The town is known for its Sixteen Mile Beach, South Africa’s longest sandy stretch, extending from the town’s municipal sands to the West Coast National Park. Additionally, Dassen Island, some 10 kilometers offshore, is a nature reserve and sanctuary for endangered seabirds. Scenic and unspoiled, the fynbos-striped coastline here is made up of a series of long bays and deep blue ocean, and south of town, wild, rugged Table Mountain rises in the distance.

Because the town is part of a protected nature conservancy, raised walkways and well-defined paths allow for exploration of its coastline. The area is known for its bracingly cold water, resulting from the Benguela current, but it remains a popular spot for swimmers, surfers, wind surfers and other water sports enthusiasts. Schaap Island and Main Beach are the two most popular surf spots, and birdwatchers will find active life in the abundant coastal wildflowers and fynbos up and down the coast. There are two walking trails that follow a hill over the Atlantic, and the area is also a favorite for cyclists, who can travel its uncrowded roads.

Whale watching in season draws wildlife lovers, and dolphins frolic in the bay year-round. The Schaapeiland Hiking Trail extends for two kilometers from the village towards the harbor, and a rocky outpost along the trail is home to a colony of dassies (also known as hyrax, rock rabbits or coneys).

Location

Yzerfontein, Western Cape, South Africa. Nearest airport: Cape Town International (60 miles)

Best time to visit

December to June