Lyndsay Castle Noetzie

At a glance

Accommodation: Sleeps 12 maximum in 6 bedrooms

Restrictions: No pets

Bedrooms: 5 doubles, 1 twin

Housekeeping: Daily maid service – Monday to Friday (weekends on request).

Services: Solar-powered electricity, gas, rainwater tank, water filtration system, ADSL internet & full DSTV package....

The castle sits within the Noetzie Conservancy, established in 1999. Its remote but stunning location offers total privacy and seclusion, far removed from the hustle and bustle of 21st century living.

Just 20 minutes from Knysna, the castle’s oceanfront location and eccentric ‘mediaeval’ turreted design makes it something of a national treasure. It overlooks one of the country’s most beautiful and unspoiled sandy beaches where rocky outcrops harbour mussels and wild oysters. Here the gentle Noetzie River meets the sea, meandering between the towering fynbos-covered cliffs that are an integral part of this prime conservation area.

Ideal for nature lovers, ‘twitchers’, artists and photographers, sightings of dolphins, sharks and whales (in season) are almost a daily occurance. Several species of sea birds (including oysters catchers) and raptors abound in the area. Noetzie is also home to baboon troops, bushbuck and the occasional leopard! Minimal light pollution makes stargazing an unforgettable experience.

Prepare to be amazed

The extensive accommodation at Lindsay Castle is arranged in a most unusual fashion. Sleeping up to 12 people, it resembles a medieval castle and is full of comfy, well furnished rooms with beautiful views over the rocks and sea from its many turret windows.

Accommodation

The accommodation comprises 3 bedrooms accessed from the main castle and 3 more via steps built against its outside walls. All bedrooms offer wonderful views of the beach and Indian Ocean.

The North Turret bedroom – with a queen-size bed and en-suite shower room, accessed via steep wooden steps.

The downstairs bedroom – located just off the main lounge and with a king-size bed that can be converted to 2 single beds, plus separate shower room also reached from the main lounge.

The South Turret bedroom – a queen-size bed and en-suite bathroom accessed from the main lounge via steep wooden steps.

The Honeymoon Suite is accessed via steep stone steps on the outside of the castle’s west wall. It features a king-size four-poster, sleeper couch and large en-suite bathroom.

The Hemmingway bedroom has queen-size bed and en-suite shower-room. This room is accessed externally via a set of steep steps up from the main garden area

The Tower bedroom is at the top of a set of steep wooden exterior steps, also off the main garden area. It features a queen-size bed, en-suite shower room and wood burning ceramic stove.

Access & parking

Whilst Lindsay Castle is a very special property, it does come with some caveats:

The private road down to the castle is steep and unsuitable for front wheel drive cars with small engines. Although most vehicles will manage the incline / decline, the management team will have a vehicle and porters available for carrying luggage down to the castle for check-ins and check-outs.

The steps from the castle car parking area to the front door are also steep and unsuitable for those with mobility issues. Regret no pets allowed.

The castle relies solely on solar power. This is perfectly adequate under normal circumstances (i.e. if guests keep their usage to a minimum and conserve power where possible.) If usage is high and the weather not very bright then the generator can be used for emergency back-up, together with candles and lamps.

There is no municipal water supply and the tap water cannot generally be drunk. Water is delivered to the castle via natural run-offs and dams. As with the electrical supply guests are expected to be conservative regarding usage at all times. A limited amount of bottled drinking water will be provided.

Please don’t expect lots of electrical gadgets or appliances which use a lot of power such as hairdryers! Please expect natural spring water which is characteristically brown in colour due to the natural tannins in the roots of the surrounding fynbos.