Good Hope Farm, near Robertson, provides a tranquil weekend getaway

We spent the Valentine’s weekend, celebrating my dad’s 62nd birthday, on Good Hope Farm. It is about a 2-hour drive from Cape Town (during relatively low to no traffic). Travelling on the N1, through the Huguenot Tunnel, you will pass Goudini Spa, go through Worcester and Robertson and cross the Breede River, where the farm is a little oasis at the end of a gravel road, at the base of an amazing mountain range. The route is scenic and lined with loads of vineyards and you pass quite a few wine farms on your way to the farm.

You don't get more rustic than a vintage petrol pump

One of the cottages on Good Hope Farm

The mountains go on forever and ever... framed by marshmallow clouds.

A digital detox

We reached the farm just before sunset and as soon as we entered the gate my google maps app lost connectivity. I was surprised, and in hindsight, pleasantly so that there was no signal on the farm and no internet in the cottages. We connected to the WIFI at the main farm house to use FaceTime. It is amazing how much time we spend on our mobiles, without realising it, and this weekend allowed everyone to detox from technology and enjoy the surroundings.

My five-year old nephew went from room to room looking for the TV and even asked the owner, Taryn “Excuse me, excuse me, where is the TV?”. She responded that they encourage people to connect with each other and enjoy all the activities rather than be stuck indoors glued to the screen.

Activities that will appeal to the whole family

There are lots of animals (sheep, turkeys, chickens, pigs, peacocks, goats, a pony and a donkey) around and some of them roam freely on the farm. We stayed in the Farmhouse, which is in walking distance from the dam, where you can burn some calories canoeing or relax on the bank and catch some fish. There are a number of swimming pools in close proximity and you can enjoy a refreshing dip when the sun is at its hottest. There are mountain biking trails and a number of hiking trails as well.

On Sunday morning, we went on a hike; the first part was easy enough for my 90-year old grandmother to do, before she turned around and was escorted back to the house. The rest of us continued the hike, which got a bit more intense as you had to cross the river a few times (granted that at some points it was a dry river bed).

At the end of the trail we reached a crystal pool with a waterfall. There were two floating rafts we used to get us across the pool to a ladder and a rope that you can use to get yourself up the rock to the top of the waterfall. We took a dip in the slightly, chilly water and just relaxed and enjoyed the tranquility of our surroundings. You get the feeling that it is 5 ‘o clock in the afternoon the entire day.

Accompanying my gran, Ouma Haja

Just chilling!

My husband pondering the meaning of life

Zubair and Muzzafar

Very attentive and detail-orientated hosts 

birthday chocolates

Taryn, who owns the farm with her husband Tienie, is very attentive and focuses on making your stay extra special. When I booked she enquired about the reason for our getaway and since it was Valentine’s Day they arranged complimentary red velvet cupcakes from Louretta’s Cake Boutique and Sparkling Grape Juice from Ashton Kelder. She also discovered that it was my dad’s birthday and he received a box of Quality Street chocolates. These small gestures made the weekend even more special.

Valentine's sparkling grape juice

Louretta's red velvet cupcakes

So if you are looking for the perfect weekend getaway, give Taryn a call. You can visit their website for more details.

Where is your favourite weekend getaway spot? Share it in the comments below. I'd love to check out your suggestions.

Take care,

Imtithaal