In Search of Tranquillity
I’m watching the horses trotting about at Kloppenheim Country Estate Hotel and daring myself to have a ride. I’ve ridden an ostrich and an elephant, and horses must be easier than that, I kid myself.
Horse riding is one of numerous outdoor activities at Kloppenheim, a gorgeous hotel and self-catering centre near Dullstroom run by Gooderson Leisure. The group lives by the slogan “Good Value, Good Fun”, and its horse riding, archery, fly fishing and spa treatments are all sensibly priced and well worth trying out.
So I scramble inelegantly onto Midnight, a horse that clearly knows he has a nervous amateur on board. First he refuses to move, then takes a few steps in a manner that makes me fear he is about to storm into a canter and show me who’s boss. After a few hundred metres I beg his groom to turn us around and help me dismount ungracefully, and I’m sure Midnight gives me a victorious wink.
I fare equally badly at laser-gun clay pigeon shooting, and discover my forte is instead lying around having a massage in the Cellu-Beauty Spa with Italian inspired treatments. Later I test drive the sturdy swings and trampoline in a play area for kids near the large outdoor swimming pool.
I’d started the morning with a stroll, rather than a strenuous hike, to explore the hillsides as the sun burned away the early morning mist. Other guests were reeling in trout with surprising ease from one of the several dams dotted around this hillside retreat.
The main building is a grand affair of high ceilings, natural stone and heavy wooden beams, creating a lovely country manor. There’s a library and a massive lounge where you can play board games, as well as a terrace where you can enjoy a drink while the kids leap around in the safe haven of this isolated retreat.
About two-thirds of the visitors are family groups, and even though the various bedroom units and stand-alone houses can accommodate up to 181 people, there’s so much space that you’d never feel crowded.
This makes Kloppenheim ideal for weekends away or short family holidays. Its large, fully furnished homes have self-catering facilities, which gives you a choice between keeping the food costs down or eating in the elegant restaurant.
Head chef Pierre von Tonder serves breakfasts, lunches and dinners with à la carte, set menus or buffet style options, and is bound to impress you with his delicious lamb curry. Von Tonder is a Joburger who was lured to Kloppenheim by the tranquillity of the mountains. I can now understand why.
**For more information, visit www.goodersonleisure.co.za/kloppenheim.**
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