Detour off the fast lane and head to Raptor Rise, just 6km outside of the pretty rustic village of Tulbagh.
Here on this working olive farm, set at the foot of the Winterhoek Mountain range and surrounded by neighbouring vineyards and fields of delicate fynbos, balmy days flow into one another in a haze of simple blissful living.
Check in: Raptor Rise offers a variety of self-catering options – all with fully equipped kitchenettes. Choose from the gorgeous en-suite bedrooms in the converted stables, a secluded mountain-facing cottage, or the family apartment with private patio – you’ll find yourself at ease in no time.
On warm afternoons, enjoy a dip in the estate’s swimming pool and settle into one of their loungers afterwards for a quiet read. Then rustle up an evening feast in your private braai area, before settling beside the fire – or grab dinner on the sun-dappled stoep at Reader’s Restaurant in the village nearby, where fresh produce and local game are the heroes on a swish menu.
Time out: Take a stroll around the estate through its shady olive groves or, if you’re up for an easy-going adventure, explore the village. Tulbagh, founded in 1743, is a historic landmark in the Western Cape and boasts the country’s largest collection of Cape Dutch, Edwardian and Victorian heritage buildings in a single street.
Travel back 200 years with a visit to the Ou Volks Museum in Church Street – a fully-furnished Cape Dutch pioneer cottage depicting the life of the first European settlers (for more info, call 023 230 1041). The town also finds itself within one of the Cape’s oldest wine-producing regions, and if you fancy visiting a few wineries, why not go by bicycle?
Vindoux Farm, located 5km out of town, offers a ‘Wine by Bike’ tour that’ll send you along quiet rural roads through superb countryside to sample some of the area’s top wines (R100pp excluding tastings; see vindoux.com). Best of all, you can bring a few bottles back on your bike as each is fitted with a nifty four-bottle pannier!
Claim your special offer:
Quote ‘#W&H’ when making your reservation to receive a complimentary olive product hamper – including a bottle of extra virgin olive oil and four tubs of infused olives in a variety of flavours – to the value of R200 on arrival. This offer is valid per booking, not per person, and for stays of two nights or longer between 1 December 2016 and 31 August 2017. Standard T&C’s apply. To book, email [email protected] or call 072 555 3782; see raptorrise.co.za
