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• Places to stay on the Garden Route       

Once overlooked in favour of its more commercially-established Garden Route siblings Knysna and Plettenberg Bay, Wilderness now has some of the finest accommodation, restaurants and things to do on this popular stretch of coast.

The town is built between long stretches of white beaches, lush green hills, forest and fresh-water lakes. Activities include the beach, canoeing, walks in the forest, swimming in river rock pools, bird-watching and hiking in the hills or along the coast.

GG’s favourite places to stay in Wilderness are some of our favourites in the country and well worth a visit.

Moontide Guest: Lodge Southside Rd, Wilderness

Call: 044 877 0361

Situated right on the banks of the lagoon, its wooden decks shaded by 400-year-old milkwood trees, Moontide’s position is hard to beat.

Here you can sit with an evening drink and watch giant kingfishers diving for fish – birdlife is profuse on the lagoon. The beach is a two-minute walk from the house, but you can also take a canoe up the lagoon into the Touw River, then walk along forest trails to waterfalls and fresh-water rock pools.

But it’s always a pleasure to return to your sanctuary to play cards or get lost in a good book. I was delighted with “Milkwood” because I’m a sucker for dozing under thatched eaves, with river views by my head.

Since we descended en masse, Maureen has built herself a tree-top sanctuary. The deck, day-bed and free-standing bath look out across thatched roofs to the river. Sportingly, she’s decided it’s too nice to keep for herself.

Serendipity: Freesia Avenue, Wilderness

Call: 044 877 0433

Where else can you dine in arguably the best restaurant on the Garden Route and then wander upstairs to snuggle into bed beneath goose-down duvets?

Brushed up for dinner after a three-chapter-long soak in the bath, I stepped on to the balcony to watch geese flying across a sunset lagoon. Then it was down to the lounge for an apéritif, where Rudolf, husband to head chef Lizelle, gave a sensuous description of a South African-inspired menu combined with European haute cuisine.

Agonising, I finally plumped for snoek mousse and loin of springbok, variously interspersed by an amuse-bouche of kudu carpaccio and delicious butternut soup. For dessert I cracked into a fruity crème brûlée. The restaurant discreetly backs on to a fireplace flanked by sheer windows looking out on to the water.

Following a three-course crumpet-driven breakfast in the sun, I found myself discussing semantics and champion deep-sea angling with owners Elsabé and Phillip, who had originally planned to run only a guesthouse… before they invited their daughter to cook.

Porcupine Pie: 10 Mile Lane, Wilderness Heights

Call: 083 447 6901

You really are on top of the world here – even the air smells different. Porcupine Pie, at the end of a winding, climbing road, has breathtaking views. The Wilderness Nature Reserve and the Outeniqua Mountains unfurl before you and a wedge of blue sea looks out between its peaks. A rare commotion of birds provides possibly the best on-site birding around. You don’t even need to leave the deck, just whip out your binos and watch.

I arrived on a freakishly hot winter’s day (30ºC), so I braved a swim before warming up in a candlelit bath.

Each bedroom unit is a stilted wooden chalet with a patio that hovers in mid-air. During the home-made supper of chicken stuffed with feta, I had to ask, why Porcupine Pie?

The morning after they laid the guesthouse path, John explained, they had found a small pair of porcupine prints in the wet concrete. So really the place named itself.

They do all the cooking (don’t miss Judy’s bran muffins), including portered picnics in the river valley below. Dozing off that night with the French windows wide open, the bush-frogs ribbited me to sleep. It was the best night’s kip I’d had in months.

Whale’s Way Ocean Retreat: 858 6th Avenue, Wilderness

Call: 044 877 0482

Jaco and Mies admired Whale’s Way Ocean Retreat for four years before they bought it. Something about the high wooden verandah jutting out to sea attracted them whenever they ambled past. Now they spend every waking moment in their new venture.

Mies gets up at 5am to prepare her breakfast of home-spun titbits, including cottage cheese with strawberries, home-made health breads and dinky cheeseboards.

Their pride and joy are the pristine penthouse loft rooms, Ocean and Sky, both offering sea-facing private balconies and rear Outeniqua mountain vistas. But my ground floor Beach room had its own charms with its white pine bed and private entrance. Plus, it was closest to the plunge pool.

Jaco and Mies have been Wilderness locals since swopping their Belgian motorbike business and adore the relaxed feel of the area.

After a day on the beach, precious little beats pulling up a pew with these two and discussing tomorrow’s agenda.

- Cape Times

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