“Cold Baths and Comfry Tea.”
The incredible history of this special Getaway on the slopes of the Cape Point mountains.
Early Years
The plot on which the Mountain Getaway is located has an extraordinary history. In the 19th Century this very spot was used by its first official owner to tether horses in the shade of the blue gums that he planted for that purpose while he and his party from Cape Town went hunting on the mountain slopes and fishing in the then abundant sea.
The Reverend Green
Since then of course the property has changed hands and several colourful and charismatic people have been custodians of this special place. One such character was the Reverend Leonard Green, a naval chaplain who built the first house on the property.
Jane Eliza Hasted McColm
Another well-known character to have owned this property was the author and radio journalist Jane Eliza Hasted McColm, who lived here on her own for over thirty years.
Rosalind Shearing Bean
From 2000 to 2023 the property was in the care of another remarkable woman. It was Rosalind Bean who modernised the beautiful dwellings and enhanced their charm. She enabled the removal of 34 hectares of invasive aliens, effectively restoring the fynbos and setting the Getaway on the path to becoming a Biodiversity Mindfulness Centre. She got the sprawling gardens around the houses to flourish and opened the Guesthouse so that an admiring public could share its exceptional scenic, natural and historic secrets. In 2024 the Roux Family, represented by Saul Alexander Roux and owners of Castle Rock Estate, entered into an undertaking to continue to expand the work on biodiversity and climate to incorporate it into the Estate.
If you would like to read more about the history of the Getaway visit our blog at www.bluegumsfree.wordpress.com