Vergelegen and a Mountain Cabin

Combining a visit to a historical wine estate and a sleepover with friends in a mountain hut makes a pretty good weekend - at least that's our opinion. Last weekend we checked out Vergelegen, and then stayed at the Mountain Club Hut in the Hottentots Holland mountains with friends from Kuils River for one night.

Vergelegen is a beautiful wine estate in Somerset West, with a big Cape Dutch house and extensive gardens, situated at the foot of the Hottentots Holland mountains. It was established by Willem Adriaan van der Stel in the 1700's, the son and successor of Simon van der Stel (governor of the Cape Colony in the late 1600's).

Unfortunately Willem Adriaan's best interests did not lie with the welfare of the Cape Colony, and he used the Dutch East Indian Company's extensive resources to build up his own private estate and wealth, as well as passing grossly unfair laws concerning the free burghers (independent farmers). He was corrupt, and dismissed from his post and exiled to the Netherlands by the Company in 1707.

The original estate was divided into four farms (Vergelegen, Lourensford, Morgenster and Cloetenburg) and sold off. Vergelegen is now a productive wine estate owned by a mining company, and is definitely worth a visit (even if you skip the wine tasting).

The maize-like herb garden. 

Beautiful, historic camphor trees in the gardens, believed to have been planted in 1700. 

All the buildings had the same Cape Dutch style. 

 The 'Royal' Oak, planted in 1928. This tree's acorn came from one of the last of King Alfred's oak trees at Blenheim Palace in England. Plenty of royalty has also come to see it, including King George VI and Queen Elisabeth II.

I figured a thousand or more people must have taken this picture before me, but not one that has these two boys staring at the pond like they're seeing a giant tadpole with three tails. 

All that remained of the old Water Mill was one barely-standing wall. 

Crossing a natural stream. 

A stroll in the Yellowwood forest. 

More big, dramatic trees. 

The rose garden. 

After Vergelegen, we drove to the mountain hut with our friends. After a short hike with all our stuff awkwardly over shoulders and arms, we were relaxing with great views of False Bay, the mountains in mist behind us, and the laughing sound of a mountain stream in the background.
We were soon joined by two other members of the Mountain Club and had a great time with them, playing cards, chatting, and braaiing (in the fireplace, because the wind would have blown the fire, person trying to braai, and 'wors' (sausage) away outside). Thanks for the 'kuier' everyone!

On the way to the hut. 

Already at home. 

A Garden, some Big Rocks and a Monument

Last Saturday we visited Babylonstoren, one of the oldest Cape Dutch farms and now rather famous for its big, well planned and interesting garden (see some good aerial pictures of the garden here on their website). We also checked out Paarl Rock and climbed Bretagna Rock in the Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve, then had a lovely full moon picnic at the Afrikaans Language Monument ('Die Taal Monument') with friends.

Babylonstoren farm dates as far back as 1692, and with its eight acre garden as a focus point it is now a venue with two restaurants, a Hotel and Spa, a Farm Shop, etc. The gardens are divided into 15 sections whch contain different fruits, berries, plants and lawns, with interesting features such as a prickly pear maze, a hanging pumpkin tunnel and a Mulberry Meditation corner.

Patterns of lettuce. 

The prickly pear maize - we doubt anyone would try to cheat in here.  

Mom got some inspiration for her future garden. 

And I got some photography inspiration. 

A tiny sleeping hedgehog found in the 'Almonds and Bees' section. 

Family picture with the hanging pumpkins (it really is pumpkins). 

The 'Puffadder', just an interesting shadow tunnel. 

The enclosed Mulberry Meditation corner. 

'Kalkoene en pampoene' (turkeys and pumpkins). 

Then we drove to the Paarl Mountain Nature Reserve, where we had a good view of the Paarl from suitably named Paarl Rock.

(Click to view large). 

 Maarten with a canon they used in the old Cape signalling system. 

Looking up at Bretagna Rock. 

My two 'Supermen'. 

Then came the topmost Bretagna Rock and Gordon's Rock. It was a very short but slippery walk up, and we only realized the size of these solid granite rocks when we got there.