Rosendal
The eastern Free State is big sky country, yet one of its best-kept secrets is among South Africa’s tiniest towns.
Precisely midway between Ficksburg and Senekal, and just two hours from Bloemfontein, some folks like to say the tiny town of Rosendal is set to become the next Clarens. Its residents, though, find the notion absurd. They say their village is way too small to become that kind of tourist hub, and in any case they prefer its status as a low-key, off-the-radar gem.
Besides, they say, Rosendal is just slightly further from Johannesburg than the regular weekend out-of-town crowd wants to travel.
But for those who make the effort to push on for an extra half-an-hour – especially if they prefer their getaways peaceful and unadulterated by commercialism and big crowds – Rosendal is a godsend. Situated amid the foothills of the Maluti Mountains in the midst of remote, rugged farmlands, there are many who consider it to be one of the prettiest places in the country, blessed with big skies that stretch towards eternity. And it has a distinctive personality that’s unique and totally disarming.
“It’s impossible to pinpoint what’s special about this place,” says artist Michèle Nigrini, who was the first “outsider” to move to Rosendal 11 years ago. She says when she arrived in the eastern Free State, it took her by surprise. She’d never heard much about the place, but picked the small village for a year-long sabbatical from the city. After a couple of days it had grown on her so much, she decided she’d never leave. Like many who’ve since moved here, she says it’s the kind of place that gets under your skin and into your blood.
Life, she says, is simple, but busy. The lack of facilities means everyone has to keep active in order to sustain themselves. With no supermarkets (there’s one farmer’s co-op and three spaza shops for basic provisions), no malls, and not even an ATM, people need to be quite self-reliant. Most residents grow their own vegetables, and there’s incredible socialising, since connections between people are the town’s lifeblood. “We play cards a lot,” says Michèle. “We make time to play. We arrange dinners, or theme parties. We play boules in the streets. It’s a town of happenings.”
“It’s not for everybody, though,” she says. “You either love it or hate it, find it depressing or absolutely exhilarating. After the city, I found it was like being in a fairytale – a bit unreal.”
Michèle isn’t alone in thinking Rosendal is a special place. She’s one of six artists in the village who have galleries where they exhibit and sell their own work. Her gallery, Meerkatkolonie, shares space with Dahla Hulme, who fashions exquisite functional art and furniture using recycled wood and old farm implements.
There may not be supermarkets, but there are a few quirky shops, such as Turksvy Trading. It started as an antique shop and has evolved into a museum-like store, filled with all kinds of vintage marvels, including many throwbacks to a completely different era.
Beyond browsing the galleries and poking through its offbeat shops, visitors need to be comfortable doing relatively little, says Michèle, because Rosendal’s appeal doesn’t lie in any “overt” activities. There are no tour guides or people who can take time out of their busy days to show you around. “And because there’s no sense of chasing the next attraction,” she says, “people can just relax and enjoy being here – and you can be here for two days and feel like you’ve been here for a week.”
Turksvy’s owner, Sandra Lemmer, says Rosendal’s great appeal is for walkers. The area is rife with flowers and it’s possible to find beautifully patterned gem stones lying in the dirt roads. There are good hikes into the mountains on some of the farms, and visitors need only get permission from the farmers before setting off.
Moolmanshoek is a nearby game farm with horse-riding and a superb sandstone dam to swim in, while many visiting nature lovers are astonished by the birdlife. But, as every resident will tell you, it’s important to be okay with your own company – there’s no popping into malls and coffee shops. You need to enjoy taking walks, reading, or hopping on a bicycle to go exploring the village, which is quite spread out.
Bikes can be hired from Studio Ben, where Andre Loots makes candles and is well-known for her all-natural toiletries which she produces using coconut and olive oil. Andre says she moved to Rosendal with her husband to escape the pretence, noise and excess of city life.
One of the town’s main attractions is its only restaurant, Rosa, owned by Tracy Rudling. It is known for its unusual menu, incredible locally sourced produce, and popular pizza night on Wednesdays, when locals pile in. People also travel from all over the eastern Free State for Sunday brunch, and every two months, there is a special 11-course tasting event focused on unusual foods such as lamb testicles and frogs’ legs.
Attached to the restaurant is the rustic and quite magical theatre started by stage and TV actor Chris van Niekerk. Performances typically happen on the last Saturday of each month. Tracy says that the venue has drawn some incredible artists, and even if there’s a bit of a battle to get them to come the first time, they always want to return. “The town has that impact on people,” she says. “It’s the most peaceful part of the country I know. It’s very different from the rest of the Free State. There’s peace and quiet, and it leaves you feeling content so that you can achieve pretty much anything. And the people really care about their neighbours and take care of one another.”
Known for her organisational skills, one of Rosendal’s movers and shakers is Sam Yeowart, one of the main drivers behind February’s annual Love Rosendal Festival (13th – 15th February), an event that’s become so legendary among those who’ve experienced it, that there are European travellers who make a point of returning each year – just to experience the special atmosphere, incredible energy and sense of togetherness that the festival generates.
“It’s about us celebrating what Rosendal is,” says Sam. “It’s an extraordinary spectacle and very un-Free State.” It’s a three-day weekend event, coinciding with Valentine’s Day, and – besides lots of food and craft stalls and events such as a fun run and music performances in the theatre – is highlighted by a marvellous parade that includes musicians and gumboot dancers, drum majorettes, Sotho horse-riders, jugglers, and lots of people in costume getup. It’s quite a symbolic trek, starting outside Rosa and ending at Waya Waya Tavern in the township of Mautse. The parade really gets everyone together and serves as an act of solidarity between the two communities.
Waya Waya is owned by a local policeman, Jacob Mallane, who says Rosendal’s social integration is years ahead of other parts of the country. When the parade reaches his tavern, he entertains with a DJ-fuelled **shisa nyama**, with plenty of old school music, he says, mixing it up between Brenda Fassie and **boere** music. There’s something for everyone, and festivities continue deep into the night.
This is not to say that Rosendal is perfect. Its weather can be extreme: very cold in winter, and the wind can blow like nobody’s business. Some joke that it reaches hurricane levels. But even when there’s a gale force blowing and storms are raging, its beauty is astonishing. And there’s always calm – and peace – after the storm.
“I still exhibit overseas and all over the country,” says Michèle. “But it’s always a joy to come back here and call this place home. Living here, I feel privileged every single day.”
Sidebar - Where to Stay
Rosendal has plenty of places to stay. There are a couple of B&Bs, and many self-catering houses, where you can either rent a room or have the entire place to yourself. Graffie (gaffie.co.za) is directly opposite Rosa Restaurant, and gives a good feel for village life, while Yvonne’s House, Huka Tuka House, and eco-friendly Wessell’s House are all self-catering cottages at the edge of town, overlooking the dam. House Beautiful (housebeautiful.co.za) lives up to its name and offers both self-catering and B&B options. Moolmanshoek (moolmanshoek.co.za) is a 3,300-hectare game farm and horse stud offering a variety of activities, including game-viewing on horseback. Mosamane Guest Farm (mosamaneguestfarm.com) has affordable digs for hikers, and has both walking and MTB trails. This is also where Barry Sergeant makes the most fantastic goat cheese. More accommodation options and all booking details can be found at rosendalinfo.co.za.
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