Coot Club

Product Information

I enjoyed the sailing and birding adventures and all the new characters, especially the Admiral and her pug, William. Dawn is the best time to possibly catch sight of the notoriously shy caracals or, if you’re lucky, the resident African wild cat.

Tom wants to plan the last two weeks of the holidays and go cruising, but Starboard says that they are to crew Flash on the day after tomorrow . Tom accepts an invitation for a week’s cruise to teach his new friends, Dick and Dorothea how to sail. The living room is at the front, complete with sliding glass doors onto the deck, sofa, and a small smart tv with wifi. The interiors are light filled and inspired by a contemporary nautical theme, you can fall out of bed and directly into the lagoon for your morning swim (or kayak).As a birdwatcher I had a particular fondness for Ransome’s books that focus on birds including Great Northern and this great read, Coot Club. I did find the characters of the three “pirates” blurred together, as did the twins a bit, but kudos to the author for keeping his sequels fresh and interesting. The three boathouses (sleeping 4-8) are contemporary constructions set along sandy pathways and slightly away from the main area, so they feel more secluded. French barges and some wide-beam boats feature wheel steering from an outside position on the upper deck rather than the stern tiller which is a feature of all narrowboats (see below). The well-equipped kitchen has an electric cooker with 4 ring hob, oven and grill, a microwave oven and a fridge with small freezer compartment, plus crockery and cutlery to cater for four.

It contributes to the tourist industry in the Lake District and Norfolk Broads areas of England, where many of the books are set. Centre steering position the wheel in these boats is in the main cabin in the middle of the cockpit area. I am tempted to re-read it again but with over 100 books as yet unread on my Kindle I doubt if I will get around to it.

The first has a double bed while the second is a bunk room with bespoke L shaped bunks and both offer great views of the river where those staying can watch boats gently drift along throughout the day. Each Boathouse has a spacious and airy open-plan lounge, dining and kitchen with a fireplace and bedrooms leading off this space. Straddling the shores of the Klein River Lagoon in the Western Cape, with the Maanschynkop mountains towering ahead, you also have pristine Walker Bay (a famous whale nursery) glittering beyond the dunes. Explore the surrounding area and enjoy meals at the Coot Club Clubhouse with it’s daily menu for lunch and dinner utilising local fresh produce. It is the fifth book in a "series" of novels by Arthur Ransome, about sailing in and around England.

Explore on foot, quadbike or kayak; swim in the lagoon, one of two pools, or dip into the bracing Atlantic – untouched Walker Bay Beach, overlooking the most important whale nursery in Africa, is a few minute’s drive from Coot Club (best done as part of a Coot Club sundowner outing).With a nod to the sailing fraternities; the Boathouses, Port and Starboard, are fabulous nautical-themed homes ideal for relaxed holidays on the water. We reserve the right to make reasonable amendments or additions to these terms and conditions without notice. Tucked into the fynbos along the lagoon shore with stunning views of the mountains beyond, the Boathouses blend into their surroundings and have been built within the strict guidelines of the local area. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. He wanted to go cruising as he had fitted up the Titmouse for sleeping in, but Starboard says Anyway not the last week of the hols.

In the event that you notice damage in your accommodation please let us know immediately so that we can take the appropriate action. We were there for 4 nights and could have stayed for a week more had we known in advance how well this lodge tailors for the needs of sporty families that want to get away from busy ordinary life! The author’s illustrations and maps are a nice addition, but the maps are hard to read in the ebook version.As always, the writing in this book is impeccable, and though I missed my beloved Walkers and Blacketts, it didn’t take long for me to delve into this new segment of Ransome’s world which he so carefully and wonderfully describes. The cast grows with each new story, but every personality is fresh and new, and I never have trouble keeping track of who is who.