Roxanne Reid
  • Home
  • Book author
    • Travels in the Kalahari >
      • Photo gallery: Travels in the Kalahari
      • Book reviews: Travels in the Kalahari
    • A Walk in the Park >
      • Photo gallery: A Walk in the Park
      • Book reviews: A Walk in the Park
    • The Essential Guide to Self-Editing >
      • Book reviews: Essential Guide to Self-Editing
    • Betrayed
    • Book reviews online
  • Editing & proofreading
  • In the media
    • Travel features
    • Health features
    • Online media
    • Media kit
  • Blog
  • Testimonials
  • Links
  • Contact

Where to stay in Swellendam in the Overberg

29/5/2014

2 Comments

 
Frog Mountain, Swellendam
By Roxanne Reid
There’s so much to do in and around Swellendam, smack bang between Cape Town and George on the Garden Route, that you’ll need at least three to five days to do it justice. Where to stay in Swellendam? Luckily you’re spoilt for choice, with everything from camping to five-star country hospitality, and everything in between. 

On a recent visit we stayed at four very different places that give a good notion of the range Swellendam has to offer.

1. Camping
Camping, Bontebok National Park near Swellendam
Share your campsite at Bontebok National Park with birds and a few munching bontebok
If wildlife and nature is your thing, and you love sitting around a braai fire as the sun sets, the campsite at Bontebok National Park makes a good home from home. The park is just 5km south of the N2, so it’s an easy drive into Swellendam to enjoy the many activities and restaurants the town has to offer.

Set up camp within spitting distance of the Breede River. If you have a tent you can snuggle it into a shaded enclave under a tree, but the branches hang too low to get most caravans into the shade. The ablutions are great, but not all sites have power so make sure you state your preference when you book.

In the evening we enjoyed listening to the fierynecked nightjars and woke in the morning to a bontebok and its calf munching on grass just a few feet away. There are walks, a mountain bike trail, and swimming or fishing in the river.

2. Farm getaway
Frog Mountain, Swellendam
Frog Mountain is a perfect family getaway, with lots of space and activities to keep the kids amused
Drive past Buffelsjagsdam and into farmland east of Swellendam and you’ll find Frog Mountain Getaway. Open a farm gate, drive past a pond with blue water lilies, along a road parallel to the river and you’ll come to the end of the road. This is Frog Mountain, as remote and farmy as anyone could wish, yet just 18km from Swellendam.

We were greeted by Tess the golden retriever, who ushered us into a reception building that doubles as a TV lounge where parents can go to watch sport. Kids are far more likely to want to run and play outside.

That’s the secret of this place – open spaces and lots to keep the kids amused. They can ride their bikes, swim in the pool or canoe on the river, use the foefie slide, walk to the waterfall, fish for tilapia in the small dam, watch the cows or simply horse around at the playground where there's a jungle gym, old tractor, trampoline, mini soccer field and wendy house. ‘Our guests are 95% families and lots of repeat business,’ says co-owner Brian Kilpin.

For me – without kids, during the week and out of school holidays – the joy was in the birds, the whistling and popping of frogs, the night-time darkness and the sense of utter peace. It was cold the night we were there. Although we could have lit the little stofie inside, we wanted to enjoy the view so we sat on the stoep of our thatched rondavel and warmed ourselves at a fire in the built-in braai. Luckily wood and firelighters were provided, because we hadn’t thought to bring any.

3. Bed & Breakfast
Impangele B&B, Swellendam
Impangele B&B has wildlife-themed rooms and lovely views of the Langeberg mountains
Run by the bubbly Amanda Shackley and husband Dave, Impangele B&B and self-catering cottage offers three African wildlife-themed rooms in the main house and a budget-friendly cottage for families. We stayed in the black-and-white zebra suite (zebra dressing gowns behind the door, even little zebra hats with ears – ‘if you want to get crazy’, said Amanda), but there are leopards and giraffes in the house too.

The couple were welcoming and friendly without being intrusive. If we wanted to retreat to our room, that was fine. If we wanted to come out into the sitting area to chat and share a few laughs, they were happy to oblige. To my mind, that’s the perfect balance.

Although Impangele doesn’t provide dinner, the Shackleys are happy to recommend one of a host of restaurants in the town, or to let you do your own thing at the braai area. A bonus for hot days is being able to cool down in the converted water storage tank – dubbed the ‘plunge pool’ – on the stoep.

Amanda is on the Swellendam tourism board and knows a lot about the town and what’s worth doing here, so pick her brain. Husband Dave is king of the breakfast stoep with its red tablecloths and gorgeous view across the garden and up into the Langeberg mountains. A buffet of fresh fruit salad, yoghurt, cereals, a selection of pastries/muffins, cheese and cold meats was laid out. Dave took our orders for the hot breakfast and disappeared into the kitchen to magic up a plate of eggs, bacon, sausage, fried tomato, baked beans and mushrooms. Nothing was spared for just four people staying over, so even if you have an enormous appetite you won’t leave hungry.

4. Five-star luxury
Schoone Oordt, Swellendam
Schoone Oordt is wonderfully gracious, from the main building to the conservatory, gardens and bedrooms
Schoone Oordt Country House is all about understated elegance. The broekie-laced main building dates back to 1853 and has been painstakingly restored by owners Alison and Richard Walker. It’s filled with comfy spaces, wood panelling, graceful large rooms and well-landscaped gardens with fountains.

The 10 rooms have been built in the garden, with hedges and shrubs to provide privacy. There were welcome touches like a chaise lounge and fireplace in our bedroom, a private verandah with two wicker chairs, divine-smelling toiletries, double basins and underfloor heating in the bathroom. When we got back from a delicious dinner in the Conservatory restaurant, an invisible hand had put a glass cloche with two truffles next to the bed and a hot-water bottle between the sheets.

It all seemed smooth and seamless, like a swan gliding over the surface of the water, even if its legs were working madly under the surface. This is due to the care managers Sonette and Wander Bester take to deliver a quality experience. They’re ably backed up by a small but friendly and helpful staff, including the irrepressible Fidiney Runeasu whose ready smile lit up the Conservatory at dinner (a fine dining experience) and breakfast (a delicious three-course extravaganza).

If you’re looking for value for money (especially off season), quality and attention to detail without fusty formality, then Schoone Oordt is just the ticket.

You might also like:
10 things to do when you visit Swellendam
Where to eat out in Swellendam

Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without permission from roxannereid.co.za
2 Comments
catherine
4/6/2014 10:53:00 am

We have always driven past Swellendam on our trips. After reading your blogs we will definitely make it part of our trip and stay over for a few nights. Love your blogs.

Reply
Roxanne link
4/6/2014 11:05:59 am

Thrilled to hear it, Catherine! There's certainly enough to keep you entertained and well-fed in Swellendam. Many people have been telling me the same thing - that they drive past. They don't know what they're missing!

Reply

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    Get email links to the latest posts

    Buy my books
    The Essential Guide to Self-Editing, amazon.com e-book
    E-book 2017
    A Walk in the Park, amazon.com e-book
    2nd ed e-book 2015
    Travels in the Kalahari, amazon.com e-book
    E-book 2012​

    About 

    I'm an independent travel writer and book editor with a passion for Africa - anything from African travel, people, safari and wildlife to adventure, heritage, road-tripping and slow travel.
    My travel buddy and husband Keith is the primary photographer for this blog.
    We're happiest in the middle of nowhere, meeting the locals, trying something new, or simply watching the grass grow.
    Use this website to discover new places to go, revisit places you've loved, or take a virtual tour of destinations you only dream about.

    Categories

    All
    Baviaanskloof
    Books
    Botswana
    Camping
    Cape Town
    Chobe
    Conservation
    Drc
    Eastern Cape
    Etosha Namibia
    Food
    Free State
    Garden Route
    Gauteng
    Issues
    Kalahari
    Karoo
    Kenya
    Kruger National Park
    Kwazulu Natal
    Lesotho
    Limpopo
    Linyanti
    Malawi
    Mozambique
    Mpumalanga
    Namaqualand
    Namibia
    Nature Parks
    Northern Cape
    Okavango
    Overberg
    People
    Photography
    Richtersveld
    Tanzania
    West Coast
    Western Cape
    Wild Creatures
    Zambia
    Zimbabwe

    Archives

    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    February 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    November 2014
    October 2014
    September 2014
    August 2014
    July 2014
    June 2014
    May 2014
    April 2014
    March 2014
    February 2014
    January 2014
    December 2013
    November 2013
    October 2013
    September 2013
    August 2013
    July 2013
    June 2013
    May 2013
    April 2013
    March 2013
    February 2013
    January 2013
    December 2012
    November 2012
    October 2012
    September 2012
    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011
    August 2011
    July 2011
    June 2011
    May 2011
    April 2011
    March 2011
    February 2011
    January 2011
    December 2010
    November 2010
    October 2010
    September 2010
    August 2010
    July 2010
    June 2010
    May 2010
    April 2010
    March 2010
    January 2010
    November 2009


Copyright © Roxanne Reid - No words or photographs on this site may be used without written permission from roxannereid.co.za

Privacy Policy and GDPR compliance
​* We promise that we take data safety seriously and use your private data only to offer a personalised experience
* If you subscribed to our newsletter, you will receive our newsletters. You can always unsubscribe by following the link in email or by emailing us
* If you gave us your name, it will only be used to personalise the newsletters
* We have never sold, we are not selling, and we will not sell any of your personal data provided to us
* The blog uses cookies to track activity. It is anonymous except for telling us your location and what you did on our blog
​
Photo used under Creative Commons from berniedup