The Water Tower

The Water Tower is a circular double-storey building with an interesting past. It was originally constructed as a water tower and later served as a Buddhist meditation room. With its whitewashed walls and wooden floors, it provides a calm and clean space from which to enjoy the famous Karoo sky, both during the day and at night. The Water Tower is situated in a pleasant garden in the heart of Nieu Bethesda.

The accommodation sleeps two guests on a queen-size bed in the upstairs room, which adjoins a sun deck. The kitchenette is located downstairs, and a private shower and composting toilet are housed in a separate outbuilding. Guests can enjoy stargazing on the deck before retiring to the crisp cotton sheets, lamb's wool duvets, and mohair blankets provided.

Life in Nieu Bethesda proceeds at a leisurely pace, much as it did 130 years ago when the village was founded. Stone water furrows still line the wide, dusty streets, and the night sky remains unpolluted by streetlights, with the air remaining fresh and clean. Nieu Bethesda has a working network of furrows, with water supplied daily from a spring on the plateau above the village. Residents channel water into their gardens using smaller gated funnels, and visitors can hike along the furrows up to the spring or prearrange hikes up Kompasberg mountain or through the Canyon on one of the surrounding farms.

The area around Nieu Bethesda offers opportunities for both leisurely and challenging mountain biking rides. Guests can wake up early to conquer one of the two mountain bike routes in the area or stroll around town exploring the many galleries and eateries dotted around the village. The Water Tower is not suitable for the aged or infirm.