Solitude Retreat Centre, KwaZulu-Natal Midlands

At home in Solitude

I have finally managed to escape my busy life by escaping into my very own home and self-catering establishment, Solitude Retreat Centre. In the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Solitude is situated in a tranquil corner of the Dargle valley. I have chosen to retreat in Yellowwood cottage, one of my favourites, as it was built almost entirely from high and wide reclaimed timber doors and windows. It is the golden light which draws me back to this lakeside cottage, a happy result of a setting which enjoys both morning and afternoon sun. The floors and roof of the cottage creak and murmur with the winds and changing temperatures, making it feel organic, alive and involved in my retreat experience.

I choose the oldest, softest cotton linen for my King size bed, and selected enormous towels, the size of baby blankets. It is fun settling back into the familiar space and I enthusiastically unpack my favourite things in their rightful places, including my favourite small dog. I have bought myself a bunch of beautiful pink roses, a small gesture of self care within the larger gift of a week off at home. The tree reaching over the deck at the upstairs bedroom door bends and bows its welcome.

Accommodation experience:

It is Autumn, my favourite time of year at Solitude. I love the sensory experience of this place – from the visual drama of the changing light, to the sweet smells of bubble bath and scented candles, and the softness of the sunken bed and cotton sheets.

It is good to breathe again – really breathe, rather than hedging my breaths. And now, all that remains is to wait, in silence and solitude, for the gifts of rest, contemplation and stillness.

What I love about Solitude Retreat Centre

• The quiet space, with no sounds of traffic or busyness
• The welcoming trees with textured bark and changing coloured leaves
• Dragonflies, fireflies and the gentle, plopping sounds of frogs in the dam
• The colourful wild mushrooms under the trees
• The double storey cottages overlooking the dam, with cosy attic-style upstairs bedrooms and bathrooms, each with a unique design and character
• The relaxed country decor, complete with soft ginghams, subtle florals and striped ticking fabrics
• The fireplaces and wood piles which are essential to any Midlands experience
• The cheerful dogs who include themselves enthusiastically in every activity
• The sense of entering a different world, set apart from the usual hectic pace of life

Hartford House, KwaZulu-Natal Midlands

Midlands Country Style

Hartford House

Mooi River, KwaZulu-Natal Midlands

I am determined to eventually stay in every suite at one of my favourite KwaZulu-Natal Midlands haunts, Hartford House, a member of the Portfolio Collection (see www.portfoliocollection.com). Each time I return I find a new gem at this lush country escape. My most recent stay was at one of the lakeside suites, aptly names Siyabonga (which translates to gratitude or “thank you” in isiZulu).

The lakeside-ness of the lakesuide suites cannot be exaggerated. They really are at the water’s edge and feel part of the natural setting. The expanse of glass windows and doors are high definition screens providing endless amusement from the birdlife, movement on the water and changing light of the surrounding grasslands.

Jackie Cameron’s meals are the award-winning event of the evening. With the lightest of touches, she awakened my pallet with an almost levitating ginger-marinated salmon salad. This was artfully followed by an intense mushroom soup, and a grand rich horseradish beef fillet, balanced by a clever “foraging” tiramisu and finally a local cheeseboard. The meal was a celebration of all that is local and fresh and seemed an apt expression of the passion with which the chef and owners of Hartford engage and belong in their environment.  

What I love about Hartford House:

• The setting of the suites, each in a unique natural surrounding
• The understated luxury which comes without pretentions or ostentation
• That you feel you would be at home here in your latest Jimmy Choo heels or your favourite comfortable old walking shoes
• The characterful decor which pushes the boundaries of the balance between exotic and local
• The oversized baths with views of the gardens or lake
• The amazing food which celebrates local products and leaves one feeling creatively satisfied without feeling too heavy or rich

Accommodation Experience

From my large round natural stone bath, I have a surprising view through the bedroom, right down to the dam and even the hills beyond. Now that I am done with my excited rushing about the room and grounds taking photographs, I find myself slowing and noticing the subtler aspects of my surroundings – the way the light is creating texture in a grassy field beyond the lake, the crows descending onto the pink-red soil of a ploughed field, and the way the Red Bishops bend and bow with the movements of the reeds at the water’s edge.

It is dusk and the ducks are coming in clumsily to land at the lake and the reed birds are finding their places to roost. A great settling is happening all around and even within me – a coming home to myself, which comes with a swell of gratitude for the privilege of being once again in a place of great natural beauty and ease.