Glencairn

Very nice and peaceful. Very friendly people around there. Awesome views and a lot to do.

Its has an awesome view,your home away from home. It makes you wanna stay indoors just to enjoy the house. The place its just has a warm feeling and the owners are just as great. Had a blast while visiting Capetown.

A quite and peacefull place, crime free next to everything u can think of. 5 min walk to the beach shops. it is fantastic place every one would wish to visit. i loved the place i wish to go again during the next holidays.

Glencairn offers a tranquil haven from the hussle and bustle of Cape Town. Take a walk on the family friendly beach, or check out the tidal pool and rock pools. Stroll around the vlei birdwathing or try your hand at a bit of fishing with the children. For the more energetic, and for panoramic views, hike up Elsie's Peak or one of the other well marked footpaths. Have a relaxing meal in one of two popular local restaurants, or enjoy a pint in the pub. Of course, Simon's Town and Fish Hoek are both just 5 minutes drive away or a short hop on the train which follows the waters edge.

Glencairn owes its name to a bagpipe playing Scotsman who originated from the real Glencairn in Scotland and who was rumoured to play his pipes while exploring the valley. Glencairn enjoyed a brief spell of fame when in 1902 the first glass manufacturing factory started production here. The Cape Glass Company Ltd had been established by the Norwegian founder of Ohlsson’s Brewery and was probably the first glass factory in the southern hemisphere that produced bottles by machine. Every 24 hours 10 000 bottles were manufactured. The factory was considered a failure by 1905 and production ceased. All that remains of the factory is a street named Glass Furnace Rd and a few collectors’ item glass bottles, which my family found in the dunes on the slopes of Elsies Peak. GB Kipps (nicknamed Kippy) was the headmaster of the South African College School (or SACS as it is affectionately known) which was originally based in Orange Street in Cape Town. Having been founded in 1829 it is the oldest school in South Africa. He was headmaster from 1903 to 1936. A man who loved the outdoors, Kippy had explored many rural areas on the Cape Peninsula, planning to build a weekend and holiday house. He eventually decided on Glencairn. It had a stunning white beach, a pristine river and vlei (wetland) system and his beloved ocean and mountains all in close proximity. Getting to Glencairn for the weekend from Cape Town in the early 1900’s was no easy task. It was well before the railway system to Simonstown was built, and the typical mode of transport was horse and carriage. All provisions had to be transported by the family on a Saturday morning and they returned to Cape Town on a Sunday afternoon. Kippy and his wife Annie married in 1905 in the quaint fishing village of Kalk Bay. They had three sons over a number of years, John, Billy and Arthur (my grandfather). The family spent most weekends and holidays at Glencairn, exploring the mountains and living the beach lifestyle. In 1913, Heath’s grandfather, Arthur Kipps (also Kippy) was born. He was educated at SACS and matriculated in 1930. He studied medicine at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and eventually became Professor of Medicine there until he retired. It was his love of the outdoor life at Glencairn that inspired him to build the first phase of Sea Fever in 1963, with uninterrupted views of the beach, the mountains and the vlei. Named after the well known poem by John Masefield, Sea Fever has been the gathering place of the family for a century. Kippy introduced Heath’s mother Jayneen (also nicknamed Kippy) to the sea and beach at an early age. Various well known Cape Town families used to own brightly coloured bathing boxes (like the ones at St James and Muizenberg) including the Noakes’ and Waring’s. Only the concrete steps remain as a clue to where the beach boxes used to be. Follow the path from the beach to the tidal pool and you will get a glimpse of the steps. A favorite pastime of many of the Glencairn children was to swim across the bay from the rocks on the one side to the rocks on the other side. The challenge was to not put your feet down or stop the whole way (approx. 400m). Once completed, you were inducted into a gang of local kids called “The Loafers!” The prime sunbathing-spot rights at the beach were at stake. A tradition that remains amongst the Kipps/Keyser kids till this day. Jayneen’s love of the water was evident in her achievements as a swimmer. In the early 1960’s, there were not many swimming pools for training so her coach (Austrian Clara Aurik) organized galas in Kalk Bay harbour. In fact, Jayneen was invited to compete in the Olympic trials for backstroke, although she didn’t qualify. Many tales of swimming amongst the seals in the harbour were met with disbelief from her children. Jayneen’s brother Shirwell Kipps (also Kippy), was one of the original surfers in False Bay and a local at Glencairn. One of his boards is still displayed in Heath and Belinda’s home, and is a collector’s piece. Shaped by one of the fathers of surfing in Cape Town, John Whitmore, it has been in the family since 1959. With Jayneen marrying Heath’s father Bill Keyser in 1969, four boys were born over a period of 14 years. With the advent of grandchildren, Arthur decided to build a second dwelling on the property in 1975. He and his wife Audrey moved across to the new house and the family had the use of the original “cottage”. Audrey was a talented potter and had a kiln in the basement where she produced and sold many items of pottery. She founded the Potters Market in Wynberg in the early 70’s which became so popular that it eventually became the forerunner of the Flea Markets we know today. Brothers Billy, Hermann, Heath and Rudi were all educated at SACS but spent every weekend and school holiday at Sea Fever being educated by their grandfather through his appreciation and love of the ocean, mountains and lifestyle that “Glennies” offered. All accomplished watermen, the beach provided them many hours of activities including surfing, body surfing, surfski paddling, skim boarding, fishing, snorkelling and various open water swim events. Funnily enough, both Heath and Rudi swam under the guidance of Jayneen’s coach Clara, almost 25 years later. Cape Town really is a small place! Even Heath’s wife Belinda, has become a well known face in the water as a surfer, surfski paddler and open water swimmer. And yes, one of the first family challenges she faced was to become a “Loafer” by swimming across the bay! Added to this she also joins Heath in the annual Fish Hoek Mile Swim. They married in October 2004 and the wedding reception was held in Kalk Bay, 99 years after GB and Annie wed there in 1905! Heath and Belinda moved permanently to Sea Fever in 2007 to live the “Glennies” lifestyle, marking 106 years of family life in Glencairn. What a privilege to wake up with the sunrise, hear the waves crashing and smell the salt in the air! As John Masefield so aptly wrote: “I must go down to the seas again……”

Glencain is a beautiful place, quite and safe. The atmosphere is to die for. Regards, Thembi.

Glencairn is the jewel in the crown of Cape Town's majestic South Peninsula. Nestled on mountains slopes with magnificent hikes, it boasts a pristine beach, tidal pool and wetland with rare African birdlife and adventure trails. Alongside its natural beauty and breathtaking views across False Bay, it offers the convenience of a train station, supermarket and bakery, bottle store, laundry, tourism agency, scuba diving centre, selection of neighbourhood pubs, restaurants and take aways, all within easy walking distance. Walk out the door to hikes with panoramic views of the Atlantic and Indian oceans, or stroll down the beach to swim, relax, surf, windsurf, kiteboard or fish. Explore the rocks and tidal pools with the kids, or jog and walk along the shores of False Bay watching the whales frolic in season. Within a few minutes drive are two world class golf courses, horse riding along Noordhoek beach, a wide selection of restaurants and funky shops in the villages of Kalk Bay and Simonstown, the world famous penguins, Cape Point, Chapmanspeak drive, vineyards and extensive shopping malls. Cape Town International Airport, the Waterfront and Stellenbosch are all an easy drive through beautiful scenery. Glencairn combines magnificent natural beauty with convenient access to Cape Town's many attractions and makes a perfect getaway for family holidays or romantic getaways.

Glencairn is well positioned and close to the sea and the train. It is a pretty village. Perhaps if a better stocked spar was situated there rather that opposite the busy main road it would be great.

Beautifull, quite and crime free destination.

Glencairn is a lovely little sea side location. It makes you feel far away from the city life, but is conveniently placed close to shopping centres and only 40 km from Cape Town CBD. The valley is warm and boasts stunning views of the ocean.