Sycamore Avenue Treehouses, Hidcote, KwaZulu-Natal Midlands

When I am among the trees

I love the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands in Winter – think cosy wood fires, full cream sherry, hot bubble baths, and spectacular crisp starry skies. And what better way to enjoy all of these lovely things than in the most characterful of stays - a treehouse. Made entirely of beautifully crafted wood, the treehouses at Sycamore Avenue are magical spaces in which to inspire the soul. The Sycamore Avenue slogan is “If we can’t fly with birds, we can at least nest among them.” They have created the most beautiful nests, each in a private space and nestled up against a large tree. There is something so fantastical about this idea of sleeping in a treehouse – a childhood fantasy and the ultimate escape from the grown-up pressures of real life.

I stay in the Faraway Treehouse, aptly named for its setting in a paddock with views to open grassland and the Drakensburg beyond. A double storey treehouse with two decks - every window, door, step, wall hook and shelf is a bespoke work of art. Curved smooth golden timber meets the eye, and in every space there is a new discovery – some detailing which is as beautiful as it is humorous. The doors and some of the windows have curvy tree shapes laid over the glass. There are creative wooden brackets and hinges everywhere. The upstairs mirror has carved wooden lettering which reads at the top “What a sight...” and at the bottom of the mirror “for sore eyes.”

What I love about Sycamore Avenue Treehouses:

• Individually styled double-storey tree-houses set against lovely old trees
• Creative and artistic detailing
• Fireplaces in open-plan bedrooms
• Private Jacuzzi baths with views of grasslands and the Berg
• Decks, hammocks and picnic tables under trees
• Caring accommodation comforts – heaters, hairdryers, fridges, tea and coffee facilities and en-suite toilet
• Individual parking spaces for each car under the treehouse
• Fabulous meals served in a spacious restaurant with individual tables set against wide glass windows with lovely views
• Warm and generous hosting

Accommodation Experience:

I create my own little Nordic spa experience at the top of my treehouse - with a candle-lit, hot bubble bath in the Jacuzzi and wide open double doors to the winter night skies. I catch myself giving sighs of happiness. After my bath, still steaming from the heat, I go out onto the deck and the sight of the Milky Way and Southern Cross takes my breath away. Being up in this treehouse makes me feel like I can touch the stars and I want to be as free and as spacious as this clear night sky. In her poem, When I am among the trees, Mary Oliver writes:

When I am among the trees,

especially the willows and the honey locust,

equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,

they give off such hints of gladness.

I would almost say that they save me, and daily.

I am so distant from the hope of myself,

in which I have goodness, and discernment,

and never hurry through the world

but walk slowly, and bow often.

Around me the trees stir their leaves

and call out, "Stay awhile."

And light flows from their branches.

And they call again, "It's simple," they say,

"and you too have come

into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine."                                        

Isibindi Zulu Lodge, Rorke's Drift

Under African Skies

When it comes to character stays, these are a few of my favourite things:

• Scenic drives through an interesting geographical environment
• Accommodation in a spectacular natural setting with indigenous fauna and flora
• A respect for local culture
• Interesting and typical architecture
• Individual cottages with plentiful windows and double doors onto private patios with views

And Isibindi Zulu Lodge gets a standing ovation on every one of these categories. Set in the fascinating Rorke’s Drift KwaZulu-Natal battlefields, with legends of Isandlwana, Cetswayo and Blood River rolling off the tongue, there is so much to do and see. The Lodge is in a nature reserve, offering game drives and walks to view giraffe, zebra, wildebeest, jackal, caracal and an elusive leopard.

Accommodation Experience:

Working too hard for too many weeks, I had been holding out for my stay at Isibindi Zulu Lodge to save me from myself. As one leaves the lush Midlands, heading out from Greytown towards Dundee, one gets the sense, like Dorothy in her travels in The Wizard of Oz: “Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore.” The green grass changes to pink and ochre, and the trees become sparse - thorn trees, cabbage trees and bright orange capped aloes. One drives through dramatic ravines and over a wide river spanned by a single-track metal bridge. The architecture becomes traditional thatched rondavels and the homesteads spread out alongside kraals made of low stone walls. This is Africa at its most natural and rugged, and I guess that living out here is not for sissies. Fortunately, Isibindi Zulu Lodge is.

Upon arrival, one is welcomed with a cool, home-made lemonade and a traditional warm face cloth with which to wash the dust off from the trip. One is taken past the infinity-edge pool overlooking a vast gorge, on to the accommodation, nestled into the curve of the hill. The rooms are cosy stone and thatched traditional Zulu round huts, with wooden floors, low curved windows and woven, curved ceilings. Each has its own wooden deck, making the most of the bushveld views.

In the evening we walk down the valley together to a Zulu homestead, and we are treated to a display of Zulu dance, the drum beats pulsing through one’s veins. We are seated around two enormous fires, hot against the cool night. Later a gracious host shows us into a typical round house, with a grinding stone, sleeping mats and a small altar used for communicating with ancestors. We are given a delicious traditional meal of Zulu beer, stew, pap, chakalaka, butternut mash and curried cabbage.

Eventually I slip out of the fun and increasingly heated gender-debate which is being had between the locals and foreigners and end the evening in the silence of my own deck, overlooking the moonlit valley below. The night is quiet and open, and I imagine the slow movement of the wildlife below. The insight into Zulu culture has awakened my senses to the privilege of being in an unspoilt corner of Africa, and I have the sense that the natural environment is essential to this celebration of all that is local.

Sitting out on my deck under African skies, with no time constraints or agendas except to experience this place as fully as possible, I feel a gentle coming home to myself – a simple but profound “click” as I find myself internally re-aligning and centering. John O’ Donohue says “One of the beauties of a landscape like this is the stillness and silence within it. When you truly are present to a landscape you know afterwards that something has shifted or some burden has fallen.”

For bookings at Isibindi Zulu Lodge, please visit www.isibindi.co.za. 

The Old Forge, Wilderness

Naturally restored

What a delight it was to discover the Old Forge, Wilderness. A stylish little cottage on a farm near Wilderness in the Western Cape, the Forge is everything lovely about a restored old outbuilding. The original building has been expertly restored to celebrate its beautiful stonework, while being extended to offer every modern convenience without detracting from its character. In keeping with the natural forest and grassland setting, the architecture is open and earthy, linking the exterior with the interior with a spacious deck style open plan lounge and kitchen area. The bathroom is also open, with privacy and views. Well-made, clear awnings provide protection against the elements.

The bedroom is in the original forge and the textured walls give a sense of cosiness and safety. The polished floors, fresh white linen, wooden furniture and elegant decor bring the look together with finesse. The host’s caring approach to nature, beautiful things, simplicity, comfort and hospitality is felt in every aspect of the delightful space.

Things I love about The Old Forge:

• Sensitive restoration of the original stone building
• Clever design which manages to feel both cosy and connected with the outdoors
• The extensive use of natural wood to complement the original stonework of the forge
• The way the natural materials are complemented with clean white cotton linen and thoughtful decor
• The friendly host who genuinely cares about creating a welcoming space while respecting one’s privacy
• The setting of the cottage on a farm in an area of outstanding natural beauty

Accommodation Experience

I was privileged to stay at the Old Forge while doing some debriefing and training work with a non-profit organisation in George for a week. At the end of each work day, the drive out of George to the Wilderness area was spectacular, and reminded me of expensive Riviera coastlines in Europe. I realised again how world-class our coastline and natural areas are in South Africa. Reaching Oakhurst Farm, I drove through a long avenue of tall Blue Gum trees, which created the perfect transitional space from my emotionally and cognitively demanding work, to a place of rest, comfort and beauty in nature. Spending time in the open lounge, watching the sun set across the adjacent field, was gently restorative, and sinking into the soft bed at night was deeply restful. The natural, grounding, inexpensive, yet nurturing stay enhanced my work experience and passed on to me a calm energy with which I was able to engage joyfully with the people of the region and gratefully receiving wisdom from their experiences and reflections.

Old Mac Daddy Luxury Trailer Park

Glamping at its best

Old Mac Daddy Luxury Trailer Park, Elgin, Western Cape

My parents, the most rugged of safari campers, recently asked me why I do not share their love of the Tent in the Great Outdoors. I replied that while I love being in nature, I do not enjoy grovelling in the dirt, dealing with leaking tents, trekking to the bathroom at night in the freezing cold and sharing grotty public bathrooms with critters of various shapes and forms. By contrast, Old Mac Daddy Luxury Trailer Park in Elgin is everything I love about being in nature in style. This is true glamping at its best.

My luxury trailer, rather sardonically called “Life Before Colour”, is as dinky as it is artful. The theme is of a bygone era reminiscent of black and white colour movies, and everything is beautifully decorated in black and white patterns, down to the wallpaper in the loo cubicle. Clever and fun decorating combined with thoughtful conveniences make the trailer a fabulous design success. The trailer is completely self contained, with a spacious double bed, a full sized Victorian bath, basin, wardrobe, separated toilet, kitchenette and lounge area. Outside there is a deck with far-reaching views of the Elgin valley.

Accommodation Experience:

I felt like a child exploring my interesting trailer, opening and closing all that moved. It took me a while to believe that everything really works – from the pop-up awnings at the windows, to the kettle, to the characterful little Smeg fridge, to the bath, to the flushing toilet.

After a fairytale bath, when I finally snuggled into my bed late that night, everything felt cosy and warm. I looked up and saw that the curved walls in the bedroom area were painted in silvery gold which shimmered in the light. I took a last look down the full length of the trailer, and sighed with pleasure at the perfect balance of luxury and fun achieved in this most characterful of stays.

What I love about Old Mac Daddy Luxury Trailer Park:

• The sense of humour which permeates the place, from the name “Old Mac Daddy” to the individually decorated trailers with interesting names and unique themes
• The surprising luxury of the trailers, where there is a feeling that no effort has been spared in the pursuit of comfort and creativity
• The quirky decor, in which every detail is true to the theme of each trailer
• The self-contained nature of the trailers, where each has its own bed, bathroom, kitchenette and lounge
• The setting and views of the Elgin valley
• The modern eco-design of the communal dining area