It’s a long and winding road that leads us through the Golden Gate. From the gently rolling hills of KwaZulu-Natal we’ve wended our way around Sterkfontein Dam and up into the foothills of the Maluti Mountains. The ancient San people called these lonely valleys ‘QwaQwa’; ‘whiter than white,’ for the snow-capped peaks of what is today the Ukhahlamba-Drakensberg National Park; a World Heritage Site.
We leave the Drakensberg behind through and head up into the Golden Gate Highlands National Park, where jagged sandstone outcrops guard the narrow valleys. It’s an easy route for self-drive touring as the tarred R712 runs effortlessly through the park, but if you have time on your hands there are wonderful scenic drives to explore. If you want to stretch your legs, these grassy hills also offer spectacular walks ranging from 45-minute meanders to strenuous two-day trails. Ask for a map at the reserve office.
“But it’s a National Park,” I hear you say. “Won’t it be dangerous?”
Not at all… the unique landscape is what’s being conserved here and you won’t find any of the Big Five in the Park. That said; keep your binoculars handy, as the Park is home to a variety of antelope as well as colonies of the rare Bearded and Cape Vultures.
If you’re staying in the Park, or perhaps in nearby Clarens, it’s well worth visiting the Golden Gate at sunset. Pack a few sundowner snacks in a picnic basket, chill a bottle of South African chardonnay and find a quiet spot to watch the waning sun set fire to the sandstone cliffs.
Clarens, 17 kilometres from the park, has become a popular tourist spot in this corner of the Free State; an artists’ enclave where stressed-out city folk from Gauteng come to slow down for a few days. Some slow down so much they never leave, and end up running one of the town’s many restaurants, B&Bs and craft shops. The village is also famous for its art, and boasts over a dozen galleries showcasing local and national artists.
If wandering through a gallery sounds a little tame stop in at Mountain Odyssey Tourism, the specialists in all things outdoors. There’s quad biking in the surrounding hills, horse riding, hot-air ballooning and river-rafting to enjoy. The area is also popular with fly-fishermen, and there are well-stocked dams and rivers to cast a line in.
Clarens can get crowded during holiday season and at weekends, so if you’re looking for a little more space you should simply make a date with Destiny.
What started out as a businessman’s folly that lay in ruins for years has been transformed into one of the country’s most delightful small hotels: Destiny Castle, just half-an-hour from Clarens.
Built out of local sandstone high on a plateau, the Castle blends almost seamlessly into the surrounding landscape; just a ripple on the waves of rock that flow around these lush valleys carpeted with lucerne fields.
Heavy wooden doors – carved with the Destiny Castle motto: “Love-Risk-Persevere” – swing aside to reveal a sheltered courtyard beneath bright blue skies. To the left, carefully tended rose bushes and a gurgling fountain welcome us to a second courtyard leading onto the four bedrooms, thoughtfully set apart from the main castle. The flagstones radiate heat in the early summer sun, but the thick walls of stone ensure that indoors the rooms remain blissfully cool.
The Gothic-style bedrooms are wonderfully over-the-top, with just enough dramatic flourishes to ensure a memorable stay without falling into kitsch. In each room a grand four-poster bed has pride of place, leading onto a small lounge and then valley views beyond. About the only hiccup is the open-plan bathroom, which may not be to everyone’s taste.
By the fireplace, deep leather armchairs tempt you to spend afternoons with that long-awaited book; or enjoy quality time simply gazing out at the horizon, enjoying the silence. Rates at Destiny Castle are all-inclusive, so make yourself at home and celebrate your escape act with a glass of wine.
With just four bedrooms Destiny Castle is ideal for secluded holidays with family and friends, or intimate celebrations in style. While the bedrooms are all in one wing of the Castle, the three-storey main turret is where you’ll spend much of your time.
A grand ground-floor dining room turns meals into an occasion, especially at dinner when a seven-course feast awaits. Wine racks set into the two-metre thick walls hold a good selection of Cape vineyards, and guests are encouraged to browse and select a bottle. Crystal glasses and silver service set the tone for the grand European-style cuisine from the kitchen of chef Urs Nydegger.
In the floors above the dining room you’ll find a private cinema and top-floor lounge to while away lazy afternoons. On the walls, portraits of Jan Smuts and Emily Hobhouse look down; a nod to the Anglo-Boer War history that you’ll find in the surrounding hills. There are also exceptional San rock art paintings to explore nearby, if you like your art a little more ancient.
But the highlight of Destiny Castle is surely the stone turret’s rooftop deck, a crenulated lookout offering spectacular views over the surrounding countryside and away to the distant mountains of the land-locked kingdom of Lesotho.
It’s a fabulous sundowners spot any day of the week, and when the weather plays ball you can even enjoy a gourmet barbecue beneath the Milky Way. The distant lights of small towns may shine in the distance, but otherwise it feels like you have this undiscovered corner of South Africa all to yourself. The road here has been long, and the night is warm, so sit back and savour the moment… remember, it’s your Destiny.
Travel advisory:
Destiny Castle provides all-inclusive accommodation for a maximum of eight guests. Rates breakfast, lunch, a 7-course dinner, drinks (including spirits and champagne), cigars, all activities and use of the spa. For rates, packages and more information, visit www.destinycastle.co.za or call Devlin Fogg on +27 83 799 3003.
First published in the Blue Train magazine; March 2010
|
