Weekend escapes to Heidelberg & game reserves

Weekend breakaways within two hours from Johannesburg (July 2008 issue).

De Rozenhof B&B, Heidelberg
(1 hour away)

The low-down:
Just 30 minutes from Joburg, Heidelberg is for those who’ve given up on the thought of a quick weekend escape from the Big Naartjie. Magda Deysel runs this delightful spot, where the rusks are baked fresh and the welcome is genuine. It was she who welcomed chef and restaurant critic Braam Kruger (and his partner) with a chicken pie when they moved into town. The nice thing is that she does that for everyone – provided she knows they’re coming! Most of the accommodation is in outside rooms, just as attractive as the historic main house and extremely well appointed. Magda knows everything about the town, so it’s a good base for firsttime visitors exploring the area.

Food:
Full English or continental breakfast is served.

Children:
Welcome.

Need to know:
Magda is a true professional, with years of experience in the business and takes good care of her guests

$$ R250 a person sharing B&B. R100 a child sharing with parents. Contact: Tel/fax 016-341-3550, cell 083-556-5387, e-mail derozenhof@absamail.co.za.

Hayani Country Stay, Heidelberg
(1 hour away)

The low-down:
Waking up at Hayani, the sun comes streaming into your room if you’re on the eastern side. Roughly 10 kilometres east of Heidelberg, it’s well situated for those partial to the rolling hills of the Highveld. Under the previous owners, it was a farm with 60 dogs, no birdlife and few indigenous trees. However, the environmentally-aware team of Aneleen Grove and her husband Gerhard have given it a welcoming touch: the dogs are gone, the birds are back and the trees – both existing and newly planted – are labelled.

Food:
Self-catering facilities with the option of full breakfast, from cooked to cereal, yoghurt and real filter coffee. Dinner on request. There are braai sites for each cottage.

Children:
Welcome.

Need to know:
Expect to see wild cosmos in March, various species of aloe in winter and veldflowers in spring. Look out for the rare Heidelberg copper butterfly. Other activities on the farm include birdwatching, hiking and swimming.

$ to $$: From R580 B&B for the studio (sleeps two) to R600 for the stone cottage (sleeps four) and R800 for the farmhouse (sleeps eight). Under 12s are half price. Contact: Tel 016-342-2101, cell 083-308-1358, e-mail bookings@hayanicountrystay.co.za, web http://www.hayanicountrystay.co.za.

Mahala View Dinokeng (north of Pretoria)
(2 hours away)

The low-down:
If you’ve never seen Barbary and Cape lions, this is your chance, as owner Leon van Biljon has two of each on his hillside woodland property that sits below the Bobbejaansberg. Whichever accommodation you opt for, the experience will be leonine. Guests can sleep ‘with the lions’ in a house inside their sizeable enclosure, enlivened by the thrill of their evening roars, or they can choose a wooden chalet among the acacias a little way back. Game drives around the broader property are on offer to see plains game. Archery packages are also available.

Food:
Self-catering, although meals are available on request.

Children:
Welcome.

Need to know:
Without drawing parallels to last year’s Krugersdorp tragedy in which the owner was killed by lions with which he was familiar, Leon spends much time in the enclosure with the lions, saying he knows when not to be there.

$$ From R280 a person sharing a night (chalets sleep three, the house in the lion camp 10). Under 12 years are R200 each. Day visitor fee is R100 an adult and R50 for children (includes lion lecture and observing feeding time).

Contact: Tel: 011-735-1111, 083-327-9570, e-mail mahalaview@absamail.co.za, web http://www.mahalaview.co.za.

Somabula Nature Reserve, Cullinan/ Rayton Road
(2 hours away)

The lowdown:
With a variety of free-roaming plains game and accommodation for both lovers and families, this is a beautiful 400-hectare Highveld nature reserve within easy reach of Joburg. Accessed via the R515 (off the Pretoria-Witbank N4 highway), Somabula offers a variety of sleeping arrangements, from the authentic, thick-walled and suitably sparsely decorated Pioneers’ Cottage to covered oxwagons and two-storey chalets. There aren’t too many other places where you can walk and ride among game in relative peace and quiet.

Food:
Self-catering only.

Children:
Great place for families.

Need to know:
If you have seduction in mind, Pioneers’ Cottage is a great discovery. If you’re alone, it could be quite depressing.

$ to $$: From R75 a person a night camping to R220 a person a night (chalets sleep four each and the four ox-wagons two each). Under 12s are half price and children three and under stay free. Day visitors R35 a person, game drives R45 a person and horse rides R70 a person.

Contact: Tel 082-550-1892, e-mail info@somabula.co.za, web http://www.somabula.co.za.