tintswalo
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: A personal touch from Gaye Corbett gluing shells to the bathroom walls • Serious discussions, w
R
ecently Odyssey was invited to attend a re-opening
celebration of Tintswalo Atlantic, reduced by last
But perhaps it should be in co-owner Gaye's words
year's devastating mountain fires to literally a
that Odyssey readers should learn about the other aspect
pile of ashes. Undeterred by the misfortune which had
of the fire that destroyed what they had built – the
befallen this much-loved destination, the owners and staff
recovery of the vegetation on the mountain that looms
of the lodge that had stood in this magnificent location
high above this gorgeous place, tucked as it is almost
overlooking Hout Bay rose to the occasion and rebuilding
invisibly beneath those driving along the mountainside
began almost immediately.
road above.
What has been created is every bit as beautiful, classy
and world-class as its predecessor.
•
DIGIMAG
This is Gaye's story of what happened:
'All the experts constantly assured us that the
Owners Ernest and Gaye Corbett are extremely proud
(fynbos) regrowth would come, and after the first winter
of their 'Phoenix risen' and how, in consultation with Cape
rains in Cape Town, the mountain indeed started to take
Nature officials, experts and their staff, they have not
on a green haze, with some very beautiful red lilies dotted
only rebuilt and even improved upon the old Tintswalo
here and there.
Atlantic, but exceeded even their own expectations of
'After a few weeks of rain the transformation was
how well they could recover from what initially seemed to
spectacular, and added to this the Tintswalo team has
be a devastating and terminal loss.
been hard at work planting a few hundred trees that were
Their story has many parts. The buildings have all
donated to us. Ryno (the lodge manager) got very busy,
been reconstructed (and as before, since it lies in a nature
and with a little help from some of our friends, managed
reserve, all the venue's buildings are made entirely from
to get one hundred trees planted in one week end. I must
wood) but the style and taste which marked Tintswalo
validate them for their hard work in doing their part in
Atlantic when Odyssey first visited a few years back are
restoring our magnificent mountain.
there in their full glory.
ODYSSEY 20
reconstructed and truly 'green' lodge.
'We have planted some large Milkwoods on the water's
The rooms are lavish, views spectacular, and
edge in front of the main area buildings. These trees had
thoughtfulness literally oozes from aspect of the
to go in before the building was laid out as they had to be