Durban - Nestled between Mtubatuba and St Lucia, in KwaZulu-Natal, surrounded by lush green hills and mountains, lies Chane Cheese Farm and Lodge, a small family-run cheesery, offering a range of exceptional, high-quality South African cheeses.
At midday, there is a tour that includes a demonstration of milking a goat, which hops up on to a platform and allows children to try their hand at milking. There is also a short presentation on how the cheese is made.
And, who can then resist a trip to the curios/coffee shop, where organic cheeses are on sale – made either from goats’ milk, or milk from the farm’s herd of Jersey cows.
The dining deck beside the swimming pool has some unusual dishes on offer, such as a savoury muffin with sweet chilli and biltong. The pièce de résistance, inevitably, is a cheese platter (for one or two) which includes six kinds of cheeses, olives, biscuits, grapes and pineapple relish.
For those looking for a peaceful and reasonable spot to spend the night, the farm’s self-catering accommodation is located beneath a big, spreading tree.
Each of the four small two-bed rooms has different and attractive decor. There’s a small gas plate for cooking, a kettle, TV, fridge, crockery and cutlery.
With the Isimangaliso Wetland Park not far away, there are plenty of activities to fill the days.
The owner serves dinners and breakfasts on request in the restaurant.
l The farm is open Monday to Saturday, from 9am to 3pm. A cheese tour costs R60 for adults, R30 for children. Accommodation costs R170 each, but this goes up over Christmas and Easter.
Contact: 082 321 5000; e-mail [email protected]; see www.cheesefarm.co.za - Weekend Argus