Cape Town - Two words which fill my heart with joy are “road trip”. Even more so if you put an exclamation mark after them.
For this one I enlisted the company of my friend Cookie and, with heads filled with the promise of whale sightings, we headed off along one of the most beautiful scenic drives in the Western Cape – the road through Gordon’s Bay which eventually takes you to Hermanus. We came back the same way, but we didn’t spot a single whale. Not one, in that great ocean expanse. Not even in the far distance. Clearly they did not get the memo we were coming.
Our destination was Sea Villa Glen Craig, a 24-room guest house in Pringle Bay, but before that we had to have a road trip breakfast. We turned into Pringle Bay itself, and ended up at the Anchor Restaurant where we had eggs, bacon, chips and toast, washed down with a couple of Tequila Sunrises. At noon, because that’s how we roll.
Then, on my insistence, we popped in at the Harold Porter Botanical Garden, where we found ourselves a bench alongside a babbling brook from which to contemplate the beauty of the mountains and the flora, and discuss matters of international importance. It’s well worth a visit. Other attractions in the area include a penguin colony (Betty’s Bay), a top- class golf course at the Arabella, and river rafting. That is another story, for another day… one which did not turn out as anticipated.
If I had known then what I found out later, things would have been very different. Because at Sea Villa Glen Craig, there is a beautiful little dam upon which you can row a boat, or sit on the shore, and once again simply admire the view, perhaps with a glass of wine or a gin and tonic. For the more energetic, there are hiking trails in the vicinity, as well as on the Glen Craig property.
Our – and your – hosts at Glen Craig are Joerg and Julie, and their friendly, personal attention really made us feel as if we were guests in their home, and not just strangers.
The rooms are basic yet comfortable, with all the little odds and ends you need, like tea and coffee-making stuff, a TV, extra blankets, and so on. The soap in the shower room is liquid, so either pack a face cloth or a bar of soap if that’s your preference.
We spent most of the afternoon relaxing at the pool with gin and tonics until sunset, after which we adjourned to the lounge where a roaring fire had been built. We had dinner with Joerg, Julie and two other guests who had just got off the plane from Germany – a three-course affair which was just as convivial and homely as the rest of the stay, and which extended to more red wine in front of the fire.
After a hearty breakfast the next morning it was off to That River Rafting Experience, with the invitation to return to dry off at the guest house afterwards, even though it was well past check-out time. We were also treated to one of Joerg’s favourite childhood foods: apple pancakes with whipped cream. This was hospitality at its finest, and a salve for our physical and emotional wounds. Keep reading Fun Finder if you want to know more…
l Sea Villa Glen Craig, Clarence Drive (R44), Pringle Bay. 028 273 8190, e-mail [email protected], or go www.glencraig.co.za
l Fun Finder reader special offer at Sea Villa Glen Craig: for bookings from now until the end of November there is a 30 percent discount, which translates to R347 a night per person sharing, including breakfast, subject to availability. Pets are welcome.
Weekend Argus