Chas Everitt International - Property in Hopefield

Farming depends on a decent water supply-and so it was that Hopefield was founded on the eastern banks of the Sout River.

The town was so named in 1853 for Messrs Hope (chief of customs) and Field (revenue secretary). Langrietvlei was inhabited in 1715 when a Dutch `free burgher´ farmer-settler arrived to start one of the Sandveld´s first wheat farming ventures.Aficionados of fine architecture will appreciate Hopefield´s crudely thatched roofs which are the product of local reeds. Inside these homes, the long-standing West Coast building tradition of combining reeds with mud make for temperature-sensitive living during hot summer months, and warm living during the cold winter months. One such example can be viewed at Hartebeeshuisie.The town bears testimony to the Anglo-Boer War, notably via the English soldiers´ graves, coupled with the fact that Boer Commander Manie Maritz had taken a brief respite here.

Hopefield is a quiet, rural residential suburb nestled between the r27 and N7 freeway along the West coast of the Swartland region, approximately 85 km from Cape Town central.

Hopefield is a residential suburb situated 20 minutes, 40km from Vredenburg, the capital of the West Coast. 35 minutes from Saldanha and 45 minutes from Langebaan.

The Vredenburg / Saldanha region has experienced phenomenal growth because of the steel manufacturing industries and the expansion of the harbour facilities. As such demand for well priced good quality housing have been on the increase.

Hopefield offer good value for money as it is situated near all the facilities that Cape Town, Vredenburg and the surrounding towns can offer. Perfect for retirement or young couples who cannot afford the high prices of housing elsewhere.

Hopefield is half way between Malmesbury and Vredenburg, 115 km from Cape Town. The town is well known for its annual fynbos show. In spring the area surrounding the town, particularly towards Berg River Station and Langebaan Road, becomes a multicoloured tapestry of flowers and heath. The fynbos in this area is unique and attracts large numbers of tourists each year.

The town is situated along the eastern bank of the creek which turns into a river in winter. As a result, it is always attractively green around the town. Fossils were discovered, including the skull of the so-called 'Saldanha Man', a replica of which is part of the display in the information office picturing life in the region some five hundred thousand years ago. The nearby Fossil Park is a treat for all visitors to the west coast.

Before the modern West Coast road was built, the road between Cape Town and Saldanha went through Hopefield. The rail link with Vredenburg passes through the town, and the first passenger train stopped here on 28 February 1903. The rail link with Cape Town contributed significantly to the development of the Sandveld. In 1945 a bridge was built across the Salt River and this significantly improved contact with the surrounding area, particularly during winter. In the same year the first road in the town was tarred.

Flavours and faces combine with fast and leisurely

Hopefield is largely defined by flowers, birdlife and farming, together with a history steeped in archaeological finds...

Fossil deposits from Elandsfontein are on display at the tourism bureau, together with a cast of Saldanha Man.Wheat and sheep farming continue to feature as the town´s mainstay. Honey farming, in turn, is fuelled by the bees´ attraction to the sweet fynbos flowers - 500 species in all!Each spring, the green winter wonderland is transformed to an overnight spectacle of blindingly bright indigenous daisies and fynbos.It comes as no surprise, therefore, that Hopefield hosts an annual spring wildflower show, which takes place every August. Budding botanists will also likely find their feet (not to mention their soul) on the Kerschboschfontein Walking Trail or the Heldervlei Hiking Trail. Apply foot to pedal on the Kopervlei 4x4 Trail.