STATION VACATION
LOCATION
As its name suggests, the lodge sprawls around the old railway station in Calitzdorp, the country’s capital of “fortified wine” — we’re not allowed to say “port” anymore. The station last saw a proper working train in 1993, so it’s as peaceful and bucolic as a railway station can be.
STYLE
Standard Cape railway station architecture from the 1920s — tin roofs, a gloriously polished wood floor in the former booking office (now the master bedroom) and acres and acres of platform, where you can park your car or have a braai.
There are a couple of beds in the booking office, which is a big, open-plan room. If privacy is your thing, head for one of the four safari tents pitched in the station yard. Just be sure to have mozzie repellant. I heard one mosquito say in the middle of the night: “Shall we eat him here or take him back to the swamp?” Back came the reply: “Nah, if we take him there, the big guys will steal him from us.”
SERVICE
Nothing is too much trouble for Cheryl, the owner and host. Call to let her know when you’ll be there and she’ll show you around.
HOW’S THE GRUB?
There is no food at the station but there are places to eat in town. Try Die Handelshuis in Queen Street, a place that feels like an old platteland General Dealer-turned-coffee shop and restaurant, with lovely simple food and a couple of friendly shop cats.
ACTIVITIES
The goods shed has been repurposed as a bar stuffed with all kinds of memorabilia — it also has a pool table. Outside, on the stillintact station tracks, are two hand-pump trolleys of the kind once used by rail-track inspection crews, which you can race up and down the rails. Just do that before you go on one of the fortified wine-tasting tours, of which there are many in the area.
BEST TIME TO GO
Summer can be fearsomely hot in this valley. Autumn is lovely but can be damp. Spring is best, anywhere in the Little Karoo.
FACILITIES
No en-suite bathrooms but there is an excellent communal bathroom in one of the repurposed station buildings. Then there’s the goods shed with its pool table. And the pump trolleys, oh yes, the trolleys.
RATES
The ticket office is R280pppn sharing, safari tents are R200pp and camping is R110pp.
CONTACT
Call 081-473-3232 or e-mail calitzdorpstation@telkomsa.net.