From Coast to Countryside
Travelling from the coast, you can taste the fresh mountain air and, as we travelled through the nearby small village, the transition from the tar to the gravel road makes you feel like you have left the chaos of the city life and have entered the calm side of the country and mountains.
Warm Introductions
As we arrived, we were greeted by big smiles from the staff and duty manager, Melanie, who whisked us off for a short introductory tour of the lodge while our luggage was taken to our room. After giving us fresh towels to clean our hands and deliciously fresh brewed ice tea, she then showed us around the lodge, and guided us down to our suite which had a stunning view of the farm as well as the Spioenkop Nature Reserve. From there, we were led to the sundowner viewpoint while dinner was being prepared. There is something special about sitting in a wide-open field overlooking the Spioenkop dam glistening with the Drakensberg Mountain range as a backdrop and the setting sun creating the most splendid silhouette. We sat with two international couples who travelled from London to see the beauty our country offers.
Dining & History
Before dinner was served, we headed down to Simon Blackburn’s, the owner, wine cellar which was located under the stunning history-filled library that was dedicated to the memory of his mom, Molly Blackburn (South African anti-apartheid activist and civil rights campaigner) where we got to learn a lot about her. The library holds more than 3000 books and the underground wine cellar can be booked for wine tasting and dining, for a bespoke experience. We chose which wine we’d like to pair with our dinner from their wide array of carefully selected South African wines. The lounge and dining area was reminiscent of a homely old farm-style inn with a choice to dine inside or on the patio. The entire room is decorated with genuine war artefacts, maps, posters, and old handwritten letters, creating a sort of time warp as you read the cursive script intimately describing the events and the escarpment. Before dinner, you are given a breakfast option list to choose what you would like to eat the next morning and the time you’d like to have it.
We were served a delicious potato and leek soup topped with bacon bits for starters, followed by an amazing crispy crusted chicken parcel, served with creamed sweet potato mash, and salted green beans. Then, to end dinner off, we had crème brûlée served with a berry coulis and toasted coconut shavings. You are offered the option of either dining at your own small table or joining the other guests at a farm-style combined table, we all chose to sit together to continue our chats and learn more about each other and the travel plans they had. With a full tummy, we headed back down to our suite to chill for the remainder of the night, taking in the beauty of the stars shining over us.
Room with A View
Our room was nestled in-between the trees offering privacy and, on entering, you are greeted by a spacious area with a king-sized bed. The bedroom has windows and a stable door that opens out onto the patio, over the edge of the farm into the neighbouring nature reserve, allowing you to view the game from your bed. The bathroom inside the unit has full-sized glass panels with windows allowing you to look out into the valley as you bathe, and a shower so large that I am sure the giraffes in the valley would gladly join you on a hot summer’s day. There are also family-friendly units and for South African travellers, a secret to get the best price is to check on their website for the direct booking two weeks prior to your weekend getaway. You could secure a weekend for almost (if not more) 50% off the rate per person.
Adventure & Exploration
On Saturday morning, we woke up early to get the day started and got to see the sun rising over the hills while sipping on our cups of coffee. Breakfast was fresh seasonal fruit, followed by bacon, eggs, mushrooms, and toasted homemade bread. Following breakfast, we were handed our picnic bag with a blanket, cold water, juice box and a delicious light lunch to take on our adventure to the Royal Natal Reserve (which was just over an hour’s drive away from the lodge). We chose to do the short Cascades hike up to the waterfalls. The walk up was magical with the Drakensberg mountains towering over us, and by the time we got to the top it was midday so we boldly decided to take a jump into the beautiful natural pools before having lunch under a tree while looking out at the waterfall. The lodge has activities like horseback riding, cycling, hiking on the farm trails or guided game hikes into the adjoining nature reserve, and a hike out to the Spioenkop Battlefield.
Sunday morning greeted us with beautiful sun rays shining over the hills. The amazing co-owner, Cheryl Blackburn, escorted us on our game walk in the neighbouring Spioenkop Game Farm, which included a delightful chat with tea and coffee. After a short walk from the Lodge, we entered into the Game Reserve. We were briefed by Cheryl, as she was loading her rifle, that there were rhinos, and should we come across them, we are to remain still, in single file and not to run or make sudden movements. Although we were nervous at the thought of encountering a rhino by foot, we were so excited to see or spot one. Unfortunately, we did not get to see them, however, we got to see zebras, elands, water bucks, many stunning birds, and giraffes. We sat down under a shaded tree to catch our breath and watched the giraffes while they kept a protective eye on their young ones. We even got to see the one young come up to their mother and started suckling on her! Our hearts were full, and we decided to start making our way back to the lodge, where we were greeted by the amazing staff for breakfast, followed by a shower, and started packing our bags and getting ready to leave for home.
Farewell
What an amazing weekend! We loved every minute of it—the food, staff, rooms, views, experiences, history, the library, wine cellar, and everything else in-between. Thank you, Three Tree Hill Lodge, for a memorable weekend!
http://www.threetreehill.co.za
Words: Amy Jenkins + Cristina Govender