Rand-stretching getaway: Good Hope Farm, Breede Valley

29 January 2017 - 02:00 By Richard Holmes
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Situated in the embrace of the Riviersonderend Mountains, this farm makes for a great family breakaway in the Boland, writes Richard Holmes

I like traditions, particularly when they involve hitting the open road. In the autumn my family head out for a few days on the Breede or Goukou rivers.

Spring brings our annual break at Langrug Lodge near Cape Agulhas. September is the best time to visit: cold enough to keep a fire blazing in the hearth, but warm enough for the first flowers to be in bloom.

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And now I think I've started another tradition: a summer getaway with friends on a farm that could fast become one of my favourite getaways in the Western Cape.

Good Hope Farm is set at the end of a long and dusty road about 30km from the winelands town of Robertson. The Breede River isn't far off, but in the rain shadow of the Riviersonderend Mountains the landscape is dry and sun-beaten in the summer.

Which makes Taryn Cooper and Tienie Schoeman's home even more of an oasis at the end of a long drive. The pair bought the farm a few years back, and have since breathed new energy into the property. Vineyards lush with leaves and fruit line the dusty roads, while pigs and sheep gambol in the pastures.

The farm offers a range of accommodation, with something for most breeds of weekend escape artist.

Lavender Cottage is quaint and romantic, with a wrap-around verandah looking out over a small reservoir. Beyond the pastures the five Dam Cottages bag front-row seats to the main farm dam.

Kayaks are available for a paddle, while a pool-with-a-view offers respite from the blistering heat.

Come evening, the wood-fired pizza oven is a hit with guests.

Our group of eight adults, with a gang of young kids in tow, were looking for a place to call our own. The Mountain Cottages ticked all the boxes: four self-contained units within shouting distance of each other and the private lapa.

No passing traffic meant the kids could run free, and a (safely fenced-off) pool kept the families entertained from dawn till the midnight hours.

In the mountains there are hikes and waterfalls and gorgeous fynbos to discover, but it was too hot for much more than a stroll down to the farm shop, or to cast a line for bass in the early morning.

The days passed in a happy blur of swims and braais and long-overdue catch-ups. There may have been a few bottles of wine in there too.

As we packed up and headed home on Sunday, the talk was all about whether the same dates would work for us all next year. To my sentimental mind, that's the sign of a great weekend away. And a new tradition in the making.

sub_head_start PLAN YOUR TRIP sub_head_end

WHERE IT IS: In the foothills of the Riviersonderend Mountains, 186km from Cape Town.

WHY GO THERE: To leave the rat race far behind. You'll struggle to get signal, so switch off those screens and gaze up at the mountains instead. Hike to waterfalls, swim in the pools, and entertain the kids with porcine antics at the pig paddock. Rest, relax, recharge.

WHAT IT OFFERS: There are cottages scattered across the farm, from couples-escapes near the farmhouse to a cluster of homely getaways facing the farm dam. The four secluded Mountain Cottages - with exclusive use of spacious lawns, a swimming pool and shaded lapa - are the pick of the bunch.

AND THE FOOD: The cottages are nicely kitted out for self-catering, and there's a well-stocked farm shop for anything you've left behind. Don't leave without a pack of free-range lamb and pork raised on the farm. Wine and cheese-tastings are offered on selected weekends, and catering is available on request.

RATES: Varies according to cottage. Mountain Cottages cost R750 per cottage for two, and R320 per person per night thereafter. Children under-12 half price. Discounts offered in winter and mid-week.

GETTING THERE: Follow the N1 and R60 from Cape Town to Robertson. From the McGregor turn-off, follow directions along 34km of tar and gravel to the farm gate.

CONTACT: Visit goodhopefarm.co.za or call 082-264-1016.

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