When my wife, daughter and I arrived at Weaver’s Nest cottage on Waterfall Farm, seven kilometres outside Citrusdal in the Western Cape, we were all a little wrought so the warm glow emanating from the cottage was calming and very welcome. The exterior of the rustic farm building revealed a somewhat incongruously modern interior, which is plush with a comfortable living room, decadently fine thread-count bedding and a particularly well-equipped self-catering kitchen.
A languid morning sipping coffee preceded what was meant to be a ‘little’ hike along trails through the neat rows of trees heavy with ripe fruit, but the low rumble of falling water and curiosity enticed us up and over craggy red rocks, the rushing ever louder as we approached. When I crested the hill and saw the water falling into a massive pool with a tiny white sand beach, I knew we’d be there for a while.
The morning sun illuminates the red Cederberg range across the valley before its warmth and light creeps back, polishing the luminescent greens and brightening oranges and lemons in orchards below our long veranda – a beautiful sight from the cosy cottage.
There are two other farmhouses set among massive oaks with a cricket pitch-sized lawn between them, a lapa and a reservoir-cumswimming pool. The relaxed atmosphere and charm of the two homesteads, while different from our intimate little cottage, make them perfect for big family gatherings and long stays. Both houses are generously furnished and well appointed and feel down to earth and comfy.
Weaver’s Nest Cottage, Citrusdal, Western Cape
Self-catering from R800 to R2 000 a unit a night (sleeps four to 10).
Tel 021-790-0972, email [email protected], www.perfecthideaways.co.za.
