I don’t know about you, but I love getting out of the city and heading for the country for the weekend. Long weekends are even better! Please don’t get me wrong – I absolutely adore gorgeous and vibey Cape Town, but sometimes you just need to get away from city life and recharge your batteries elsewhere for a few days.
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And that’s exactly what we did – combined the fun Wine on the River festival in the picturesque Robertson Valley with a two night stay amongst the vines at the stunning Burger Family Cottage. This self-catering cottage is ideally situated on Goudmyn Farm, which is on the R317 with neighbouring farms De Wetshof and Van Loveren.
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The beautifully decorated cottage has a lovely tranquil atmosphere, surrounded by glorious vineyards and spectacular mountains. A city slicker could seriously get used to living the country life!
We made it a girl’s weekend and left our kids and hubbies at home – a very rare chance to shake off those family responsibilities and have some fun! Our lovely hostess, Elizabeth Burger, was delightful and her genuine hospitality shone through. We settled in and whilst having drinks on the patio watching the most amazing sunset, she personally dropped off 2 bottles of Rietvallei Wines to welcome us.
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Whether you are attending one of Robertson’s famous festivals or simply want a relaxing break with family and friends, then the Burger Family Cottage is the ideal place to stay. The luxurious and stylish Cottage is a three bedroom house with two bathrooms. The two main bedrooms both have a king size bed and the little room has a bunk bed, perfect for the kids.
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There is a large kitchen stocked with all mod cons. You literally just need to bring your food and drinks as the Cottage has everything you need. There is also a lounge area with possible plans to add an indoor fireplace, perfect for those cold, winter nights. There is no TV or radio but who really needs that in a peaceful and relaxing environment? Outside you will find a large undercover patio with a built-in braai, the best place to be to watch the sun set over the mountains. Kids can run around freely on the grass and there’s no need to worry about them getting lost among the vines as the Cottage is fenced in.
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After a yummy cheese and wine evening, we woke up to a beautiful Saturday morning ready for Wine on the River! It was our first time at this very popular festival, but certainly not our last. This picturesque festival takes place on the riverside farm, Goudmyn (about a 5 minute drive from the Cottage) and you can taste more than 250 wines from 30 wineries – yes please!
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This idyllic, open-air spring festival offers tastings of wines from the regions of Ashton, Bonnievale, McGregor and Robertson. There is something for everyone to enjoy. You can feast on a host of gastronomic delights (I had the most delish pulled pork wrap for lunch!), brush up on your wine knowledge with tutored tastings with local wine makers and soak up the sounds of live jazz and blues.
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Shop at the farmers’ market, choose from a wide variety of children’s activities, wander through the arts and crafts area or take a leisurely cruise down the river. We were going to do the river cruise but once we found a spot to sit beside the river, we were far too relaxed and chilled to move, other than to top up our wine glasses! Some people had clearly quaffed more than their fair share of ‘grape juice’ yet miraculously no one ended up in the river.
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We were only a 5 minute drive from our accommodation, but we did the responsible thing and ordered a taxi service to take us back. There were also shuttles departing from designated areas for festival ticket holders so there really is no need to drink and drive. This festival is incredibly well organized and we enjoyed every moment – lots of laughs, fun and divine wines and bubbly.
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Before we knew it, Sunday had arrived and it was time to leave our Cottage (yes, we became very attached in a very short space of time!) and the lovely Robertson Wine Valley. We thanked Elizabeth for her wonderful hospitality on our way out with promises to return as soon as possible.
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We were in no major rush to get home so we popped in for lunch at Nuy on the hill just outside Worcester. If you’ve ever travelled on the R60 between Worcester and Robertson, you can’t miss it as it stands out like a beacon, a welcoming one at that. The place was packed upon arrival (always a good sign) and while we waited for a table, the friendly and knowledgeable Louis educated us with a wine tasting.
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Serving a wide range of bistro and deli fare, light meals, pizzas and delicious looking cakes, we were spoilt for choice. We eventually decided on spring rolls, two beef burgers with real roosterbrood and I had the cauliflower pizza base topped with bacon, mushroom, avo and rocket.
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The spring rolls and two burgers were a hit, whereas my pizza was ok but lacked the real taste of a proper thin crust pizza base. I thought I’d try the Banting version even though I don’t bant, but it’s not for me.
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All in all, we enjoyed our lunch so pop in whenever you’re in the area for fresh, tasty home-made food with friendly service. It’s a child friendly establishment with an outdoor playground. If you can, try and get a table at the windows as the mountain views are breathtaking. Or enjoy the views at an outside table.
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We enjoyed ourselves so much that we will definitely return as soon as we can. If I were you, I’d book the Burger Family Cottage now as I have no doubt this lovely spot will be very popular in no time. And at only R1400 per night (sleeps 4 adults and 2 children). What a bargain! I’d love to know if you stay there and what you think about the place – show me your pics too.
Contact Elizabeth Burger on 082 225 6038 for bookings.
