Last Updated on July 18, 2020 by Lucienne
Christmas this year was in the Western Cape which took us on a road trip from Johannesburg to Cape Town. As long road trips are difficult for our two and a half year old little girl (and us!), we always spend a night in the Karoo on the way.
This year we picked Victoria West as our half way stop on the N1 between Johannesburg and Cape Town. Melton Wold Guest Farm, is about 40km outside of Victoria West towards Loxton. Melton Wold boasts to be the oldest guest farm in South Africa, established in 1935. Their listing on Airbnb immediately sparked my interest.
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We had been travelling for a some hours through the dry December Karoo along the N1. A feeling of relief filled our car as we drove through the farm gates. It had been a long hot day on the road and my daughter was desperate to get out of the car. Just through the gates and few impala scampered across the road. It was if they were saying “You can relax now, you’re on holiday”.
The oldest BnB in South Africa
The reception was around the bend, at the end of the dirt road. What a sight to behold. There was the most charming farm house, wide veranda in front and facing a magnificently green garden with wide lawns. Such a contrast to the the dry surrounds. It instantly made me think of my mother’s magnificent garden and I felt at home immediately.
Stepping inside, we found that this was not a small farm stay at all, but rather a magnificent boutique hotel hidden in the heart of the Karoo. The old English colonial building boasted magnificent wooden floors and a long windowless corridor down the middle of the building. The furniture came from the same era, immaculately restored. The walls boasted the long history of Melton Wold starting from 1838.
Adding to the charm of the old English hotel were two rustic Christmas trees. The Christmas trees where made from materials in the area and fitted the scene perfectly. The first tree was the flower from an Angave Americana. The flower was decorated with green and silver baubles and had fairy lights going up the center stem. A typical Karoo Christmas tree. The second tree was a little more unusual. Fencing poles stacked on top of each other with the length of the poles getting shorter the higher up the tree they were. Simple red ribbons were tied onto the ends of some of the poles and fairy lights strung through the pole branches. The trees had such a rustic feel, I loved them both.
Karoo boerekos
After a quick refresh we went through to the dinning room to enjoy our three course Karoo dinner. The traditional menu started with soup served with blikbrood (tin bread). Blikbrood, round in shape, is bread that has literally been baked in a tin can. The main course was a healthy portion of lamb chops. Being a working sheep farm I was sure the lamb came from the farm itself. The accompanying side vegetable of course included pampoenkoekies (pumpkin fritters) covered in cinnamon – real Karoo boerekos. To finish the feast was an English traditional favourite, tipsy tart.
A quiet starry night
Our bellies full we wandered back to our room taking an outside route through the garden. Used to the Johannesburg city night noises, the Karoo night was such a contrast. The evening was still and peaceful with the occasional rustling noise of small creatures settling down to rest. The night was crystal clear. The stars shone close and bright as diamonds. I felt I could reach up and pluck one right out of the sky. The three of us stood there for a moment taking in the beauty of the still night. Even my daughter was silent for a while as she took in the beauty of the bright stars. Weary from our long hot road trip we turned in for a peaceful night’s sleep.
Waking up in the Karoo
We were woken in the morning with a pot of moerkoffie brought to our door. Moerkoffie is coffee made by simmering filter coffee in a pot on the stove. Every moerkoffie connoisseur has their secret to making the perfect pot and I must say, I have yet to experience a bad cup of moerkoffie. It seems to always be delicious.
We settled back in our beds looking out onto the green expanse of the lawn stretching in front of our room. We listened to the old fashioned radio that was on the wall above our bed. This fascinating piece of technology from yesteryear was made with beautiful wood and chrome buttons. There are only two channels on the radio, English or Afrikaans.
The breakfast was as impressive as the dinner the night before. Again, a three course meal fit for any king – bacon, eggs, sausage and the works. My daughter, being her inquisitive two and half year self, made her way into the kitchen. My husband followed to retrieve her and he was most surprised to see that the cooking methods were as historic as the rest of the building. Everything was cooked on/in Aga-style coal ovens and stove tops.
After our splendid breakfast we took some time to explore the expansive garden in front of the old hotel. The garden featured the original slave bell that was used in the time of slaves. A rose bed with hundreds of rose bushes, the sort of rose garden I dream of having one day. Much to my daughter’s delight a trampoline, which she promptly renamed to a jumpoline.
Carrying onto Cape Town
After tearing my daughter away from the jumpoline we loaded ourselves back into our small car. We had 700km of road to reminisce about our night in the Karoo. I am glad that we had our Melton Wold experience. The English colonial building had given me many ideas to include in my own Cosy Garden Cottage back in Johannesburg.
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This is so interesting, a lovely description of a gem in the Karoo.
Thank you Deborah, I do recommend the experience the next time you travel down to the Cape.