The Western Cape Province has a seemingly endless selection of amazing places you can escape to when you need a break from busy city living. If the beach is your happy place and you crave a much-needed getaway beside the ocean or hiking in the woods gives your body, mind and soul a chance to revive and a cute self-catering cabin is home for a few days; all this and more can be found in my home province. There are literally thousands of unique destinations and locations to create those special memories.
With such a dizzying array of places to choose from, how do you actually make that choice? Well, that’s where I come in folks 🙂 I have spent a fair bit of time travelling near and far within the Western Cape, discovering and sharing some hidden gems with you. If you are looking for the ultimate escape where you can truly unwind in a relaxed ambience, experience elegant country accommodation and dine on organic and locally sourced produce, then White Water Farm near the Overberg town of Stanford may just be the perfect hideaway.
I was fortunate to experience a little bit of White Water Farm’s magic recently with an overnight stay (short, but oh so sweet!). From the moment that Letishia and I arrived, to the moment we left, I felt utterly relaxed and more than a little bit in love with my surroundings.
The scenic drive from Cape Town takes about 2 hours, so the farm makes for an ideal weekend getaway. You can either travel along the picturesque coastal road, Clarence Drive (R44) or via Sir Lowry’s Pass (N2) connecting with the R43 near Bot River.
Located in the beautiful Klein River Valley, this picture-perfect country gem is able to accommodate up to 22 guests in a variety of cottages, suites and rooms and offers a variety of activities to enjoy, either on the farm or nearby.
Arriving on a rather blustery day, we met up with Alex and Rob, along with their 5 sweet dogs. They bought White Water Farm in 2015 and have restored and renovated the accommodation, wedding venue and restaurant to a high standard. They live permanently on the 50 hectare farm while raising their own Nguni cattle. Rob has lovingly created a lush organic fruit, vegetable and herb garden for the restaurant. It doesn’t get fresher than this; farm-to-fork eating at its best! I’ll tell you more about the delicious food later.
THE FARMHOUSE
The 3-bedroom Farmhouse was to be our home for the night. I have had the privilege of staying in some absolutely beautiful accommodation around the world and The Farmhouse features very high up on my favourites list. The style is best described as “elegant modern country”. Exquisitely furnished with eclectic touches throughout, I loved everything about this stylish space. I was ready to move in permanently right there and then! 😉
The front of the house has a lovely patio where you can take in the sweeping countryside views, complete with paddocks with horses grazing lazily and a row of tall cypress trees. Along with 3 lovely bedrooms (2 have en-suite bathrooms); the Farmhouse features a modern, fully-fitted kitchen with not 1, but 2 wine cellars. The wine is part of Alex and Rob’s private collection, but they have an extensive wine list available for guests to purchase wines.
A bright and airy open-plan living area contains a long dining table, comfy couches beside the fireplace and loads of books to keep any bibliophile very happy. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling glass windows is a stunning braai (barbeque) area with patio furniture, the perfect spot for sundowners and a good old South African braai.
THE GARDEN GRILL
Fortunately for us, our arrival coincided with their first Long Table Lunch at The Garden Grill, the farm’s onsite restaurant. Available on the first Sunday of each month, this sumptuous communal feast is not to be missed! Sharing their love of Spanish food with classics such as Patatas Bravas and Seafood Paella, we had the pleasure of tucking into an amazing feast for all senses. And boy, did we eat!
But then, the delectable and generous platters just kept on coming so we could hardly refuse all that deliciousness. I was in seafood heaven with the calamari, prawn and mussel dishes, just to name a few! If the happy chatter and smiling faces of our fellow diners was anything to go by, I would say that they too thoroughly enjoyed each mouth-watering morsel. The setting is very relaxed and all diners are seated at one long table, either inside the lovely restaurant or outside beneath the shade of the oak trees and blue gums (weather permitting). I love the idea of communal feasting, passing the platters around and chatting away.
Welcomed by Alex with a glass of home-made Sangria, this was the perfect start to an indulgent afternoon feast fit for royalty.
Chef Rob, the other half of the charming duo, sources most of the seafood locally and fresh, organic fruit and veggies are picked straight from the farm’s garden. The overall flavour combinations were tantalizing and unique. Until then, I had never tasted White Almond & Garlic Gazpacho. Oh my soul! The incredible flavours sent my tastebuds into overdrive.
Seats are limited so make sure to book in advance to avoid disappointment. At just R375 per head, this is a foodie experience that you will be talking about for a long time. The colours, flavours and textures are sublime and just so damn delish! Keep an eye out on their social media pages for each month’s menu as it is subject to change. The next Long Table Lunch is on Sunday, 2 December and will appeal to meat lovers – What’s Your Beef? Tip – Come hungry and make sure you save space for dessert 😉 They also have a very good wine list. Corkage is charged at R50 per bottle should you wish to bring your own. I recommend that you try some of the local wines that are available.
Another tip is to take a short break between courses to make room for dessert. We did just that and took a stroll around the grounds. Walking through lush gardens, we made our way to the dazzling swimming pool. It was very tranquil with gorgeous mountain views and day beds that looked so inviting. Pity there wasn’t enough time for a quick nap! Swimming in the farm’s dam is another option. If you are staying at the farm to relax and unwind, arrange to have a rejuvenating massage treatment in your suite (pre-booking required).
For the more active and adventurous, you can enjoy a vigorous hike at neighbouring Philipskop Private Mountain Reserve, horse-riding on the farm (pre-booking required) and mountain biking. If you have the time, then a visit to historic Stanford and the surrounding area is a must. Wine lovers can go to nearby wineries such as Stanford Hills, Raka and Boschrivier for tastings and to stock up on their wine collection.
Back at The Garden Grill, we ate our dessert and joined some of the other guests outside for a glass of wine before returning to the beautiful Farmhouse. By now, the weather had completely changed and the scent of rain lingered in the air. The Farmhouse provides the perfect space to relax and feel right at home. That afternoon, I indulged in an afternoon nap for the first time in years and it was heavenly. I’m guessing that the heady mix of fresh country air, delicious food and wine had something to do with it, but it was pure bliss and I loved it. Also, the bed was extremely comfortable so it was bound to happen 😉
I honestly didn’t think I would be able to eat another morsel that day, but Letishia and I shared a cheese and charcuterie platter that went down a treat. With full tummies (again!) and happy hearts, we finally crept into bed around midnight.
After a delicious English breakfast and caffeine boost at The Garden Grill the following morning, we joined Rob in between the rain showers for a quick tour of his amazing 4 000 square metre organic garden. He has poured a lot of sweat and some tears into this abundant garden and speaks of it with much love and obvious pride.
This country gem has so much to offer and really does make for a perfect escape. Alex and Rob are gracious hosts and they enjoy getting to know their guests, stopping to chat about farm life and their travels.
Without a doubt, I know that I would love to return for a longer stay with my family; and definitely for longer then 1 night. This gorgeous farm deserves a much longer stay! Have you stayed at White Water Farm? Or perhaps said “I do” in the barn chapel? I would love to hear about your experience, so please feel free to comment below.
COMPETITION ALERT!
I have a fabulous PRIZE to give away to 1 lucky reader and their partner. The awesome folks at White Water Farm are sponsoring a 1 night stay for 2 people in the Dairy Suite including breakfast. How stunning is that? Want to win? The answer is YES I DO! Here’s how to enter.
- Like the Living It Up CT Facebook page. Comment on the Living It Up CT Facebook page and tag the lucky person you will take along should you be the lucky winner. Sharing is caring, so please share the competition with your friends. Only one entry per person please.
- Subscribe to my blog www.livingitupct.com to receive notifications of new articles and exciting competitions. This will be verified, so please make sure you are a subscriber or you won’t be in the running to win.
3. Like White Water Farm and The Garden Grill on their Facebook pagesT’s&C’s
The competition opens on 28 November 2018 and closes on 12 December 2018. The lucky winner will be announced by 14 December 2018.
The prize is valid for a midweek stay (Sunday to Thursday) from 1 June 2019 – 30 Sept 2019 (low season). If you choose to make a weekend of it (highly recommended), you may use your prize on a Friday or Saturday if you book an additional night at your own cost i.e. staying on both Friday and Saturday night.
The prize is a 1 night stay in the Dairy Suite for 2 people including breakfast (subject to availability).
Competition is open to all South African residents over the age of 18 years.
The prize cannot be exchanged for cash or any other items.
Transport to and from White Water Farm is not included and all other food, drinks and activities to be settled by the guest directly.
Judges decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
Happy entering and good luck!
Yours in Travel, Food & Wine
xoxo
Please note – This is not a sponsored post. I was invited to stay at White Water Farm by Letishia of Queen Bee Marketing for review purposes and kindly hosted by Alex and Rob. All views are my own and based on personal experiences. Images are my own unless otherwise indicated.
Show White Water Farm some more love by following them on Twitter and Instagram.
