HEED THE CALL OF DRUMS

Tamboerskloof, on the edge of the City Bowl, is pricey with some manor-type homes, but it offers views, schools, parks, trendy pubs, proximity to beaches, and is within walking distance of the CBD

FORMING part of the City Bowl, the sought-after suburb of Tamboerskloof rises up the slopes of Signal Hill and Lion’s Head. When the Dutch arrived in

1652, lookout posts manned by spotters were established on the hills and mountains around the Cape Peninsula, including the crook at the top of Kloof Nek.

These spotters drummed the news of an approaching ship from one lookout post to the next until the farmers in the surrounding valleys heard the drums (tamboers) and would know to get their harvests to the harbour.

While the estates in the Gardens area, with their mountain streams and springs, were largely developed for vegetable production, those on the Signal Hill side were not so well watered and were planted with vines to became vineyards.

There are many advantages to living in Tamboerskloof, not least because of the mountain and sea vistas.

“Another plus for this area is its convenient location, just off the main route that runs all the way from the V&A Waterfront to Camps Bay, and within a few minutes’ drive of the CBD,” says Adel Louw, co-owner of the Chas Everitt International City Bowl franchise.

“Residents averse to driving in traffic can also use the excellent My CiTi bus rapid transit service that runs over Kloof Nek between the city centre and Camps Bay.”

Property prices begin around R1.75 million for one-bedroom sectional title apartments, and at around R4.5m for two-bedroom freehold homes. At the top end of the market, asking prices for ultra-modern four and five-bedroom homes range from R19m to around R25m, and those for the modernised Victorian mansions, which are more typical of the area, from R12.5m to around R16.5m.

“There is perennially strong demand, and statistics from property data company Lightstone show the average house price in Tamboerskloof has risen by 54% on the back of this over the past five years, from R3.95m to R6.09m currently.”

Over-35s are in the major-

A view from Tamboerskloof across the City Bowl, with the Molteno Reservoir in the foreground and the controversial Disa Park towers at the foot of Devil’s Peak. PICTURE: LEON LESTRADE