Bartholomeus Klip

Situated just outside of the peaceful town, Hermon, bordering the Elandsberg Nature Reserve and Elandskloof Mountains.

The farmhouse has four luxurious rooms and one separate suite. They are elegant cream canvases, with light-wooden floors, crisp white linens and high ceilings, splashed with vibrant colours, from the red pillows, blue trimmings and scene-depicting headboards. The free standing bathtubs and French doors add a chic twist to the en suite rooms, while the original family antiques and paintings make them feel very homely.
Great for families, Wild Olive House is the farm’s self-catering lodge, with its own exclusive pool, veranda and outdoor cooking facilities perfect for sunset braais and quality time together.

We’ve fallen in love with the sumptuous French food whipped up by chef Louise Gillett. Taking a huge helping of inspiration from the local area, dishes are made up of sustainably-farmed this and locally-sourced that. The butter, milk and cream come straight from the farm itself, while the lamb (poured over with sweetcorn sauce, rosemary jus, confit potatoes and semi-dried tomaotes) and kabeljou (on a bed of cauliflower pure, poached baby vegetables and vanilla jus) come from the Riebeek Valley.
A late brunch is served after your morning nature drives and is a massive spread of fruit, cereals, cold meats, cheeses and freshly baked pastries. A full English breakfast can be ordered, along with hot toast and muffins; however, make sure to leave room for the delicious high tea, companied by scones with whipped cream and homemade jam, miniature quiches, exotic sandwiches, melt-in-the-mouth tarts and a spectacular array of cakes.

There’s a rack of mountain bikes at your disposal if you are the adventurous type, otherwise we’d recommend taking a dip in the swimming pool for a relaxing afternoon.  

Though there isn’t much ‘big game’ in the reserve, the guided walks and game drives are great for discovering the rare and unique fynbos as well as for spotting Cape mountain zebra, tortoises, wildebeest, eland, buffalo and springbok, as well as over 300 species of bird. You can go on a tour of the farm, to watch the sheep being mustered and cows being milked, or join Louis and her team in the kitchen for a cooking demonstration. Fly-fishing and clay pigeon shooting can also be arranged but if you’d prefer to tone the activity done, consider floating along the nearby lake in a canoe or kayak, with fish eagles and a bottle of local wine keeping you company.