How long until we get there? I should have checked the booking site for messages from the host before we left Williston, I thought, but it was too late. When in holiday mode, the thought did not even cross my mind. There was no cellphone signal, and no amount of checking my phone would change that – not in this part of the world with its lone farmhouses few and far between… Luckily, I switched Google Maps on just before we left Williston, just in case multiple main roads left the town.
If you ask your friends if they know where the town of Carnarvon is, many will have no idea. We didn’t know either, but found peace and tranquillity at a dusty turnoff just 30km outside Carnarvon. Carnarvon is in the Northern Cape of South Africa, 133km from Williston. Driving through Carnarvon after our stay gave us the idea that not much happens there, but we did not exactly explore – perhaps next time. Because this destination is a place we will return to, one way or another.
The Stuurmansfontein Corbelled House was exactly what we wanted on our honeymoon. Our honeymoon accommodation criteria were that it had to be in nature and not the usual guesthouses or hotels, so ideally something different. We only made one mistake when booking this heritage house. That was making the booking for a single night only. It is a location where one night will never suffice. But perhaps making this mistake made us appreciate it even more, as we immediately started reminiscing about our return.
About corbelled houses
Corbelled houses look a bit like igloos with their dome-shaped structures, built with rows of flat stone, each layer slightly inward to form the dome shape. The top is a flat stone, probably to release smoke. These designs also make roof maintenance possible without a ladder. The outsides are often whitewashed.
Nobody knows much about this building style in South Africa, but it only occurs in a little area in the Karoo around Williston, Carnarvon, Fraserburg and Loxton. Elsewhere in the world, some examples still stand in Spain, Italy, and France, among others.
An isolated escape
The Stuurmansfontein Corbelled House might not be for everyone because of the isolation. We came from Williston, and once we left Williston, we soon found ourselves without cell reception (MTN at least). This is what makes the Stuurmansfontein Corbelled House such a great option. You go there to get away from it all. Here, Mother Nature calls the shots. There isn’t electricity either. To visit a place without electricity knowingly may seem bizarre, but Stuurmansfontein takes you back in time, making it extremely special.
This heritage house is 5km from the main farmhouse, but because I did not check for any instructions before we departed, we continued past the farmhouse searching for our destination. The instructions in the message, which I read much later, mentioned to stop there first. We met Charmain, our host, the next day, on our way out and vowed to return one day. To experience true Karoo hospitality, you have to linger longer. We appreciated the freshly baked bread and a bottle of red wine on the table when we arrived. It was a nice little touch.
At Stuurmansfontein, you can sit outside while watching the Karoo sky turn to shades of pink while you light a fire and pour a glass of wine. You will hear sheep bleat in the distance and birds in abundance, but apart from this, silence falls over the landscape. You will not hear your neighbours because there are none. On cold nights, you could cook inside on a gas stove or cook and bake in the coal stove. The only thing missing from this historic house, and yes, it is declared a national monument, is a fireplace inside. I imagine this addition would have been so cosy on a cold winter’s evening. But in the old days, people spent their time around the kitchen table with the coal stove taking care of the heat, not in front of a TV in the living room.
Stuurmansfontein offers massive open spaces, and you can walk around and explore the surroundings. I walked up the nearby koppie at sunset, but I know there is a lot to explore with more time on your hands. I can imagine taking in the geological features properly and spending evenings stargazing. The moon was too bright during our visit, so this wasn’t an option.
The Corbelled house has a bath and an outdoor open-air shower. An old farm dam is the perfect addition for those hot days. Having such a quick visit meant we skipped the outdoor shower, and there was not enough time to take a dip in the pool either.
We were sad that our stay had to end so quickly. We enjoyed our morning coffee at the table outside, taking slow sips while enjoying our surroundings a little longer. I’m not done with this place, not by a long shot. I am sure a proper story is still lurking somewhere on the horizon…
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