After a relaxing break in Swellendam we woke to a crisp sunny winter morning. It was time to hit the road for our pre booked accommodation in Slellenbosch. A lovely drive through the fertile valleys flanked by very rugged mountains. We stopped off at the Excelsior Vineyard for a taste and ended up with a bottle for welcome drinks at De Hoek Manor Stellenbosch. The property started out as an ostrich farm, then a horse stud and finally a vineyard. It is also a 5 star B&B. We then drove on past farms with sheep and cattle and also hay producing properties. We stopped at a farm butchery called The Happy Hog to stock up on biltong & dryworst. We passed through several towns which seemed predominately coloured with their very basic style of accommodation. They were obviously there due to the high need for labour to work the orchards, vineyards, wine bottling and farms which meant the place was as clean as a whistle and very organised. We had to travel through the very long Huguenot Toll Tunnel to get to Stellenbosch, where there were plenty of well manicured vineyards, dairy farms, strawberries and orchards. Being so fertile and close to Cape Town it is the fruit bowl of South Africa. We had no problems finding the accom with the help of Gladys, marvellous invention. I don’t think Ros and I would have lived through the map days. Stellenbosch is a seriously upmarket town, Double Bay meets Hastings St Noosa with plenty of fantasic eating establishments and a lovely little English style pub called The Grub & Lettuce. The De Hoek Manor is right in town and a very nice property with a crazy German lady called Elsa, she is a real hoot and lots of fun. After dinner the first night we set the alarm off when we opened the front door, it is now a standing joke and makes it way into our conversations. We are being spoilt here, heated bathroom slate floor, bed tuned down and chocolates and cherry in the room when we return from our nocturnal ramble.
RosandDensTravels 