Cape Farmhouse
A multi-cache set around Wildschutsbrand Farm, one of the oldest farms in this area with an interesting history starting around 1738
Note: the above coordinates are for the parking/start location
The History of Wildschutsbrand Farm
The recorded history of Simon’s Town and the ‘land behind the hills’ begins soon after the 1652 arrival in the Cape of Jan Van Riebeeck and ninety employees of the Dutch East India Company. By 1657 it became clear that there was more work at the Cape than could be done under central direction by the company's employees. Van Riebeeck proposed that it would be more effective to release married men from their contracts and give them their own farms to cultivate. This was approved by the company and the independent farmers become known as free burghers.
This together with the establishment of Simon’s Town as a harbour in 1741 after many shipwrecks in Table Bay, led to expeditions to Cape Point and farming on the land behind the hills of Simon’s Town becoming common occurrences. Van Riebeeck noted aspects of various expeditions in his official Journal.
Wildskutsbrand Farm is first mentioned on 14 July 1738 when Gearge (Jurgen) Schoester (1691–1758) was granted a license to graze sheep in the area which became known as the Veld Coronetsy of Wildskutsbrand. Schoester must have been well known in the area as several places have been named after him, eg. Schusterskrall near Scarborough.
A Dutch frigate HMS Holland commanded by Captain Willem Silvester, was wrecked near Olifantsbos Point (just south of Scarborough) on the night of 11 May 1786 while sailing from Holland to Java with the loss of eight lives. Johannes Soublee, a Swiss who lived nearby helped save the rest of the ships crew and most of its stores. For his brave deeds, the then Governor of Dutch East India Company colony Cornelius Jacob van der Graaf granted him Wildskutbrand Farm. The deck of the wrecked ship was used in making the farmhouse ceiling and the curved profile can still be seen.
Soublee and his mistress Hester lived on the farm ‘near the fountain’ (water spring) until he died in 1801. Just before he died Soublee, with the assistance of Simon’s Town Resident Magistrate Christoffel Brandt (who was present when the governor made the compensatory grant) applied to have this land grant validated in writing. Sir George Young (the British Governor of Cape Colony 1799-1801) was asked ‘to confirm the grant, made by Governor van der Graaff, or in default thereof to allow him to occupy the place on loan, he paying the usual rent of four and twenty six dollars for the same’.
In 1808, Hester allowed Barend Muller to cultivate the land since she had become too old to manage it. The same year he made application for and was granted the land on the quit rent system (a form of land tax). The rights of the fountain were to be shared with Nicholaas Sertyn of the nearby Klaver Valley Farm.
The adjoining land was farmed by Aaron Moses until 13 February 1824 when Andries Albertus Bruyns took over the quit rent arrangement. On 28 July 1877 David Gabriel Malherbe purchased the properties from both Muller and Bruyns and the combined property became known as Wildskutsbrand.
In February 1982 Malte Schotte bought the farm from the Malherbes.
The Kopfer family bought the Farm in 1992 and since 2003 runs the Cape Farmhouse Restaurant (daily 09h30 – 17h00). The Farm also has a local jeweler (Casimi), an African curio shop (Red Rock Tribal) and Zimbabwean Sculptures (Little Piece of Africa) and is the venue for Saturday afternoon family-friendly open-air rock concerts showcasing top local bands. Camp Africa the only accredited Eco-Centre in the Western Cape is adjacent to the Farm.
To find the cache:
Park anywhere near S34° 12.323 E18° 24.513
Step 1: At S34° 12.334 E18° 24.466 you will find a fascinating sculpture of an animal. At the rear of the animal you will see an upside-down part for a Swedish car. If the part was the other way up, the last figure of the 8-digit number = A
Step 2: After checking out the curios, head to S34° 12.3A(3-A) E18° 24.5(A-1)(A+1) where you will see some old wrought iron decorations above you. The number of points on each one of the stars in this decoration = B
Step 3: At 34° 12.3(B-1)(B+1) E18° 24.5(A-2)B, you will find a decorative garden feature. How many meerkats are there basking on the centre rock? (= C)
***Note: the trio of meerkats which were there have since run away . . . ***
Step 4: Time for a stroll – head first for S34° 12.3B(C-3) E18° 24.5(B+2)(A+3) where you will see a large and old specimen of a very recognisable and widely distributed plant with edible fruit and pads. Using alphanumeric value (ie. A=1, B=2, C=3 etc) of the second letter of the name of this type of plant = D
Step 5: Now stretch your legs a little more as your make your way to S34° 12.(A+D)(Cx3)(A+C) E18° 24.(A+C)(C-D)(A-D) passing an unexpected sight/structure along the way! (To reach the jeep track to this location you may be able to find a route for the short distance from Step 4 or you can return to the back of the farmhouse and pass through a door to the right of the stage at the back of the outside covered area). Here at this hidden graveyard with previous occupants of the Farm, you will find the final resting place of David Gabriel Malherbe who took over the Farm in 1877 which was subsequently owned by this family until 1982. During this time the farm had a kalkhok (Afrikaans: literally ‘lime cage’ = lime kiln?) where shells were burnt to make lime for building purposes and a blacksmiths shop where metal bands of wagon wheels were repaired. There were also abundant orchards as well as ‘white clay’ (kaolin) deposits. The day (date) of the month when he was born (. . . and when he died) = E
Step 6: @ S34° 12.(D+E)(C-A)(C-D) E18° 24.(Cx2)(E-C)(B-D) is a wooden post with a functioning water tap. The number of large circular holes bored into this post = F
The cache, a small cylindrical camo-container, is located amongst the boulders at:
S34° 12.(F-D)(E-B)(D+F) E18° 24.(A+C)(C-D)(B+E)
A short walk west from the cache will take you to an interesting spot where you may see a good selection of birds . . . enjoy your stroll!
