The finest fibres in all the land
JUST BEYOND the Rooihoogte Pass on the R43, north of Villiersdorp in the Overberg, you’ll find a road that turns off to ‘Koppies’. One kilometre down that road, you’ll encounter Helderstroom Alpacas, a handsome farm owned by Christopher and Alison Notley. They raise alpacas, turn their fleece into yarn, and make some of the finest alpaca products you’ll find anywhere in South Africa.
‘We took over Helderstroom in 2002, and then spent six months renovating the house. Once a hunting lodge belonging to Cape governor Lord Charles Somerset, the property’s history really endeared it to us,’ explains Alison. ‘Our alpaca journey began in 2004 with the arrival of five pregnant alpacas from Chile. It has been fun being part of a brand new agroindustry in South Africa, with all of us pioneering our way forward.’
Alpacas are rare and have some of the finest animal fibres on the planet. Longer than cashmere, and far finer and stronger
