West Scarborough Lodge Brings Cape Heritage Back to Life Through a Decade of Reuse

SCARBOROUGH, CAPE TOWN — West Scarborough Lodge is welcoming guests to a five-bedroom coastal retreat created over ten years by Russ and Marion Weston. The family project combines reclaimed building materials, locally worked stone, solar power and rainwater harvesting on the mountainside above Scarborough.

The lodge’s story began with salvage. Its materials include 200-year-old Oregon timber recovered from the demolished Simon’s Town Marine Oil Factory, along with elements from an old building on Applegarth Farm in Hout Bay and a colonial homestead in Bergvliet. Russ and his team recovered timber and architectural pieces that now form part of the lodge. The undertaking grew to include a formally registered salvage company.

Skilled stonemasons from Lesotho spent six years shaping rock from the site into walls, terraces and structure. Lighter stones were selected for the interiors and darker stones for the exterior. Solid timber became doors and stairways, while recovered glass was cut and reframed to make the most of the Atlantic views.

Marion brought the interiors together, combining wood, textured stone and comfortable gathering spaces. The finished lodge includes five bedrooms, an open-plan living area and outdoor terraces overlooking the ocean.

The approach to reuse extends to the operation of the property. Rainwater is harvested, filtered and stored in a reservoir beneath the floor. Solar energy and storage give the lodge independence from the electricity grid.

Scarborough lies on the Atlantic side of the southern Cape Peninsula, bordering the Cape of Good Hope section of Table Mountain National Park. Its coastal setting places West close to beaches, fynbos and the protected landscapes of the peninsula.

After thirty years in Scarborough, the Westons see West as a family undertaking with a future for the next generation. Its name refers both to the western side of the peninsula and to the Weston surname.

The illustrated story, West: Reviving History, documents the salvage work, construction and finished lodge, with photography credited to Russ Weston and Daniel Grebe.

Media and booking enquiries: Russ Weston, safariruss@gmail.com. Booking WhatsApp: +27 82 444 8345. Instagram: @west_scarborough. Facebook: West Scarborough Lodge.

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Author: Russ Weston from Greenlife Safaris on behalf of West Scarborough Lodge.