Howick · 农家仓房 · 5室11床4.0卫 · 可住12人 · Hillhouse Guesthouse in Dargle
We offer a wonderful country escape, the entire house is yours, and you will love the open space and light from the large glass windows and entrances on either end of the building. There are beautiful walks where you will see many species of buck, birds and other wildlife. If you are more than 12 people you may also book Lakehouse (sleeps 4 ) Hillhouse is a large converted barn on a 24Ha farm, in the beautiful Dargle countryside, 12 kms from Howick. Enjoy the indigenous forest walks, clean air and and vast views overlooking Midmar Dam. Sleeping up to 12 people, this is a perfect venue for large groups of family and friends. There are four bedrooms on an upper level and there are four bathrooms. The main bedroom has a queen sized bed and ensuite bathroom. Three of the bedrooms have a pair of single beds (please request if you would like them to be put together) and one of these bedrooms is at the top of the landing (not a private space). Three private rooms in total. There is a dorm type area on an open mezzanine (above the lounge) which has four more beds, better suited to children and teens. Please note that the bedroom walls are wooden and sound does travel between the rooms. If you need more private rooms you may book Lakehouse as well as Hillhouse. You will enjoy being in this large, comfortable, light filled space - an opportunity to experience something a little different and out of the norm. Couches, woven carpets and large dining tables lend it to big family get togethers with long, lazy lunches and evenings by the fireside. Hillhouse has a fully equipped kitchen, and a braai. There are warming blankets on the beds for cold winter nights. Fine cotton bed linen and bath towels are provided. If you would like the house to be serviced, a staff member can come in and tidy up in the morning. You can pay her directly.
My family and I had an awesome time. My kids loved the space and the setup of the rooms. The views through the big windows were amazing. The design and decor of the place was eclectic and beautiful. And Mandy was very friendly and helpful. We wish we could stay longer and would definitely return. Thank you for a awesone stay.
Even though the listing has photos, I think it was a bit more rustic than we were expecting. The spaces are very large and great for large groups but not easy to heat in the winter. The bedrooms are very close together and none of them have full walls so you can hear all noises and talking from any bedroom. The ones in the loft are even more open but that was as was described. The bathrooms are fairly basic but clean and the showers are very good. We appreciated getting some laundry washed while were there and found Mandy very helpful and easy to communicate with. Our teenagers enjoyed the trampoline and it is a very peaceful and beautiful spot. It's not far from other Midland attractions but you just need to be aware that the road is quite rough and not sure what it would be like after some rain.
We are in the heart of the Kwa-Zulu Natal Midlands, which is rural countryside.
Howick is the closest town - 12kms away.
There are plenty of places to visit and activities available in the area - cycling, fishing, horse riding, golf, canopy tours, sailing, water skiing. There are also world class restaurants and shops in the area. There is wonderful local produce - meats, cheeses, breads, beer and wine for you to fill the fridges and stay home to enjoy the farm.
Things to do and places to go:
Our closest petrol fill up on the R103 has general store called The Everything Shop, which has everything from milk to charcoal, bait, ice, bread and enamel kitchenware.
Visit The Old Mushroom Farm in the Karkloof, where the buildings have been converted and repurposed into work space for artisans and small local businesses. Home to Rock Paper Scissors shop, Homeslice Cafe, Big Slice Bakery. A beautiful and inspiring place to get early morning coffee and breakfast.
The Karkloof Farmers Market is open from 07h00 to 11h00 every Saturday, on the Karkloof road. Great for fresh locally made and grown food.
Midmar Dam resort (just 6kms to the gate or 2 kms as the crow flys) is great for picnics, sailing, swimming and gentle bike rides.
Fishing at Midmar Dam, or for the more serious fisherman at St Ives.
Piggly Wiggly is close by and offer a lot for children including Mini Steam Train for rides on weekends and holidays.
Horse Riding with Karkloof Horse Adventures. Enjoy the beautiful Midlands countryside on horseback.
Mountain biking - ride the best single track in SA from the Karkloof Country Club . You are in mountain biking paradise.
The Karkloof Canopy Tours takes you on a thrilling zipline adventure through the second largest indigenous forest in South Africa.
Birders will enjoy the beautiful birds seen right here on the farm or you can drive to the Crane sanctuary at the Karkloof Conservation Centre which offers a haven for 3 species of cranes. Walk to the hides where you can sit in silence and commune with nature. A must for bird lovers.
La Petite France (Karkloof) and Swissland Cheese (Balgowan) make the best handmade Brie, Camembert, Blue, Tilsiter and Feta cheese. The cheese is made from their own grass fed cows(La Petite France) and goats (Swissland Cheese). Buy directly from their farm shops.
We highly recommend a walk in Umgeni Valley Nature Reserve.
Karkloof has a number of waterfalls, 2 of them being Karkloof Falls and Grey Mare’s Tail, which are Karkloof’s best kept secret. They are the most beautiful settings for picnics at the river and walks through the cool indigenous forests. These are both breathtakingly beautiful.
Howick Falls, seen from Howick is also spectacular.
Visit the monument at the Mandela capture site, to view the remarkable sculpture which from a distance, 50 steel poles of varying heights simply look like a random collection of poles, but as you approach to within 35m of the sculpture, they merge to form an image of Mandela’s face. The apartheid museum is also there. Well worth a visit.
Treat yourself at Brookdale health hydro or Fordoun Spa
Boschhoek golf club in Nottingham Road and Sakabula Golf course nearer to us.
Wine tasting at Abingdon Wine Estate
Groundcover in the Curry’s Post for beautifully crafted leather shoes and bags.
Beer tasting and locally crafted Beer at Lions River Craft Brewery and Nottingham Road Brewing Company.
Our favorite restuarants: The Treatery (Howick), La Lampara (Balgowen), Caversham Mill (Caversham)
You will need a car as there is no public trasport. There is about 8 kms of dirt road to travel, but easy for any vehicle to drive.
The first 4 kms of the dirt being a wide well used road. The last 4 kms the road becomes a small farm road and if your vehicle is low, you will need to travel slower. Do not follow the GPS it will take you to the farm next door (being the quickest but incorrect route).
自我介绍
I’m a mother, a gardener, artist and Iyengar Yoga teacher. The guesthouses on our farm are lovingly created by my husband and myself. We have lived here for over 30 years with our children and I’m looking forward to sharing our beautiful part of the world with you.
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