Bound Brook Island Paradise. Modernized Antique Cape.
Wellfleet Vacation Rental - ID 31974

Rare are the places on this Earth that are getting greener. Thanks to President John F. Kennedy, the Cape Cod National Seashore ensures that what had been clear-cut, overgrazed, degraded land has now become a protected haven for all its historic inhabitants. Come experience what Cape Cod used to be: no developments, no suburbs, no crowded streets. This is a place to get away from it all yet be a minute's drive from the restaurants and galleries of Wellfleet center and Provincetown.

This 1734 Old Cape House resides on four perfect acres within the National Seashore on Wellfleet’s Bay side. An original Atwood house, it was purchased by Architect Jack H. Hall, who designed the modern house treasure called the Hatch cottage featured in 'Cape Cod Modern' book by Christine Cipriani and Peter McMahon. Hall modernized the house tastefully, opening up the downstairs yet preserving the original charm of the fireplaces and bedrooms. His daughter added a modern kitchen and ''flying bedroom'' above it, designed by Peter McMahon. This gives a perfect distance between the four bedrooms. A large dining room table seats 12 for big dinner parties and offers sweeping views of yard and garden. On the brick terrace behind the house, a large Mimosa tree attracts hummingbirds. Warblers flutter among nearby Magnolia trees. Nearby lies the outdoor shower and clothesline to hang wet towels.

The original part of the house has one bedroom and one full bath downstairs (as well as kitchen, dining and living rooms) on the ground floor. A steep stair (with railings and rope) ascends the chimney to the second floor, where there is a bedroom on either side and a shared full bath (tub only). One bedroom has two twins and the other a queen mattress.

Walking through the modern kitchen one enters a pantry with laundry and lots of shelving and storage space. In the back of the pantry a door opens to a beautiful varnished staircase to the ''flying bedroom'', a modern gem designed by Peter McMahon. This bedroom offers 360 degree views with a full size bed and a petite half bath attached. The windows all open to allow gentle breeze, the sound of waves crashing in the distance and birdsong in. If you look carefully you may be blessed with a roaming flock of turkey, deer, fox or even coyote! The house is nestled in a hollow after all, and surrounded by almost 200 protected acres.

A short ten minute walk--either up the hill in the back yard or continuing along the road you drove in on--leads to the Bay beach. The road is sand, pine warblers sing overhead, dappled light falls through the locust trees, pine scent fills your nostrils, and you only pass one or two houses. Then over the dune you go to break out onto undeveloped pristine beach and the calm salty waters of the Bay. This beach is thankfully not known to all that visit the Outer Cape, and often in the mornings and evenings you will be the sole inhabitant (along with sea ducks, gulls and osprey). There are two sea-going kayaks available at the house and a wheeled dolly to ease transport to the Bay.

On rainy days, the house offers WiFi, a TV and DVD player with a good collection of Westerns, Thrillers and Kids classics, as well as hundreds of books. Hummingbirds whizz around the blooming Mimosa tree on the terrace in rain or sun and the gardens offer season-round blossoms and beauty.

At night be awed by expansive starry skies and a chorus of crickets and whippoorwills. This kind of Cape is sadly rare and disappearing in this day and age. If this isn't heaven on Earth, I don't know what is...

PLEASE NOTE: The driveway is shared with the owners. There are two other structures on the property, and often (especially weekends) there will be an owner's vehicle sharing the shell driveway. The owner and his sons will not be a bother, but will be available for questions and any unforeseen circumstances. Garbage and recycling will be collected and disposed of during your stay by the owner or manager. Also the owner is a big veggie gardener and will often be seen in the garden weeding and watering throughout the growing season! read more show less

Nearest beach: 1/2 mi Bound Brook Island Beach (Bay Side)