Bartholomeus klip luxury farmhouse near Cape Town
I fell in love with Bartholomeus Klip 8 years ago when I stayed for the first time, and it was love all over again when I visited last week. It’s a beautiful old farmhouse on a working farm and private game reserve in the Riebeek Valley. At just over an hours drive from Cape Town, this gem of a property is nestled below a mountain range and offers guests a unique experience. It’s as casual as it is luxurious and staff are always on hand to tend to your every need without ever being in the way.
You feel right at home from the minute you arrive with roaring fires and high tea to welcome you. It feels like you could be staying in a family home. The main house has five en suite bedrooms filled with charm.
The cuisine is country fine dining – if such a thing exists, and everything is made in-house from ingredients sourced locally. The food has as much character as the house itself and I was bowled over by it. Breakfasts or brunch is a sight to behold. Tables laden with all manner of fresh, dried and preserved fruit, granola, cereals, cheese, charcuterie and hot dishes from the kitchen. Each day the menu varies, so no boredom or repititiopn here. Dinner is a 4 course affair and our two delcious menus looked like this:
Ravioli:
Braised springbok, pickled red cabbage, toasted seeds, jus, parsley butter, mire pox of vegetables
Paardebosch Pinotage
By bottle only
*******
Soup:
Smoked tomato soup, confit garlic, parmesan foam, basil powder
*******
Lamb:
36 hour lamb neck, sweetcorn sauce, rosemary jus, confit potatoes, semi dried tomatoes, dukkah
*******
Fable Syrah
By Bottle Only
*******
Chocolate:
38% dark, fennel ice cream, honeycomb powder, milk chips
*******
Monday 15th August 2016
Green Salsa Salad:
Green aioli, chilli, fine shallots, nasturtiums, spekboom, lime, leeks
Kloovenburg Sauvignon Blanc
By bottle only
*******
Chowder:
Haddock, fresh parsley, sour cream, potato crumbs, prawn oil
*******
Ostrich:
Pan-fried ostrich fillet, savoury oats, apple butter, cep oil, mushroom powder, shitake jus
*******
Snowy Mountain Pinot Noir
By Bottle Only
*******
Apple:
Granita, roast apple pure, crumble ice cream, apple chips
I was invited to experience Bartholomeus Klip with a group of bloggers and digital influences by Miles for Style which is a website where you can redeem an unlimited number of your voyager miles. Essentially you can exchange your miles for all manner of luxury and practical things available on their site – and there is a lot of amazing stuff. Or, you can trade-in your miles for a stay at Bartholomeus Klip which is what I would do if I had any excess lying around. The great thing about it is if you don’t have enough miles to pay for it all, you can subsidise the purchase with cash. So unlike trying to book a flight with air miles (which is nearly impossible), you can effortlessly spend them on things that you really want. Check it out. From beer & wine, to pamper products, olive oil and kitchenware. It’s all there.
There are so many activities to do on the farm, from various walks in and out of the reserve to game drives, paddling on the lake and mountain biking. This is a perfect place to get away from life and escape into tranquillity. They have the Wild Olive House and cottage which is available to rent on a self-catering or full board basis too. Perfect for families or a group of friends wanting privacy.
Elandsberg Nature Reserve is 10 000 acres big with a number of wild animals, abundant birdlife and unique flora and they are busy with a tortoise rehabilitation programme after the fires of 2012 destroyed a big part of the population. Morning and afternoon nature drives are a pleasure with an experienced game ranger as a guide.
The Riebeek Valley and Wellington have so many things to offer any visitor to the area should you wish it leave the haven of Bartholomeus Klip. Or you can just visit on your way in and out of the farm. Riebeek Kasteel is a stunning town and I can highly recommend a stroll through the village. Kloovenburg is a great place to pop into for a wine, olive, and olive oil tasting too. It’s on the main road just before you get into Riebeek Kasteel.
A summer weekend at Bartholomeus Klip
A weekend at The Wild Olive House Bartholomeus Klip
A past visit to BK and stayed at Heron House
A Spring pop-up dinner at Bartholomeus Klip
I was invited as a guest to Bartholomeus Klip by Miles for Style
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Such a beautiful POST Sam, your pictures make me want to go there now! x
Same here-it looks fabulous especially to an exile in Britain!