TOTAL relaxation was always the plan. Weekends away sometimes run the risk of becoming over-thought, with every minute and every hour accounted for with an itinerary of eating, drinking, activities in the area, and whatnot. Sure, you can do all that at Penhill Farm but you don’t have to.
“It’s rare to find a country retreat as unique and authentic as Penhill Farm Estate. A scenic 75-minute drive away from Cape Town, you’ll spot its towering twin palms long before the outcrop of white-washed buildings set on endless emerald lawns comes into view. This stunning oasis set in the Nuy Valley offers guests a perfect escape into Karoo living,” says the website’s home page.
First of all, I don’t know what speed those people drive, or from whence they depart, but the drive is closer to two and a half leisurely hours including at least one pit stop. There’s about five kilometres of gravel road at the end of the journey, and I wish every gravel road was as nice as this one. Lawdy, I hate those rutted ones which threaten to shake your teeth loose, never mind what it’s doing to your car which is not a farm bakkie.
My expectation for this trip was to do as little as possible. For example, on the second evening I took the cheeses and accompaniments out the fridge, put them on the kitchen table and declared supper was ready. The wine was already open and poured.
Penhill has a four-bedroomed Manor House, and four two-bedroomed self-catering “cottages”; cottage is defined as a small house so that’s entirely subjective. Our cottage, Pepper Tree, is bigger than what I call my house, where I live. Pepper Tree is set away from the other accommodations. It overlooks a dam in the front, and the mountains at the back, with a private garden, swimming pool, Weber braai, and a wood-fired hot tub which became Yolandi’s mission for the duration of our stay.
Pepper Tree is the oldest dwelling in the Nuy Valley, built from mud bricks, poplar beams and thatch. The living area is open plan, with a well-equipped kitchen and closed combustion fireplace. Both bedrooms are en-suite, and there’s an outside shower. The second bedroom can be set up with twin beds, or pushed together as a double.
When it comes to food, you can obviously do your own thing, but you can also amble over to The Cellars restaurant by arrangement where Frikkie Janse van Rensburg will prepare you a meal of epic proportions, served family style. On the Friday night we dined on bread with local butter and silky chicken liver pâté, followed by oxtail, chicken roulade, samp with parmesan, green beans, and aubergine with crispy onions. Dessert was a massive chocolate lava cake with whipped cream.
The next morning we were back for breakfast; I said Frikkie didn’t need to bother with the fruit and muesli and yoghurt for me, I would go directly to the hot option. Which was thick slices of French toast with bacon, fresh figs and syrup. Other than going to Nuy Winery for lunch, that was about the sum of it. We read, Louise hunted bugs, Yolandi nurtured the hot tub and also went for a walk in the mountains at some point, making her the most active of us. We drank a bit, kuiered with Frikkie (whom I’ve known since before he came to Penhill), made fires in the kitchen and hot water bottles (thoughtfully provided) for bed time.
The peace, the quiet, the sheer beauty of it – plus the company of most excellent friends, the comfort and luxury – made for one of the best weekends away in a long time.
Winter and off-peak season means discounted rates, and the weather really shouldn’t discourage you. We had both kinds: warm and sunny, cool and rainy, and both were equally appreciated.
- June 2023 – 15% off
- July 2023 – 25% off
- August 2023 – 15% off
- September 2023 – 10% off
Ts&Cs
- All cottages and Manor House have a 2-night minimum stay during these months.
- Restaurant closed 7-14 June 2023 | 19-23 June 2023 | 1-31 July 2023 | Ready-made freshly frozen meals available when restaurant is closed | Full bar available.
- Book via [email protected] or WhatsApp 0788005155.
For more information, click here.
- Pics by me on Instagram @biancaleecoleman
