Durban - Horses grazing in the paddocks, donkeys and a Shetland pony nodding the hours away, an indigenous forest right on the doorstep. It does not get more restful.
A friend, who recently located from Johannesburg to Howick, and I recently headed for Old Kilgobbin in the Dargle valley. Afterwards she could not stop telling everyone about the delights of the area. Though rain had fallen, the shades of green which define the valley in summer had not yet transformed the countryside. But, even wearing her less vibrant outfit, nature was lovely, with fresh leaves unfurling and fields showing off delicate spring outfits.
The Bronner family are custodians of this little slice of paradise which is also the home of Kilgobbin Friesian stud and HorsePlay.
While many people opt for the larger three-bedroomed Gobbins self-catering cottage, the smaller, cuter Victorian-style brick, wood and iron Chicken Coop, caught my fancy. Fun pictures of cows adorn the walls, while carved wooden chickens here and there live up to the name.
The attic bedroom in Gobbins has a rail from which hang some old-fashioned garments and a hat. Family portraits add a feeling of home. A Victorian bathroom, with slipper bath and shower take guests back to another era.
The downstairs room looks out across the lawns to the adjoining indigenous forest, striding across the hillside. Under-floor heating and electric blankets are a plus for the chilly winters.
Both Gobbins and the Chicken Coop feature tiny patio gardens, edged with a miniature hedge, and rather battered wooden tables and benches (spanking new ones would detract from the bucolic scene). Nearby is a small vegetable garden and shady trees.
While my friend sat happily looking out over the fields, joined by a friendly dog panting contentedly at her feet, I strolled down to the fine-looking main house.
This, after all, was what had attracted me to Old Kilgobbin. I wanted to see where the original occupants had spent their days, and to ponder on how different their lives would have been from ours.
Besides that, a South African whose name is synonymous with books on birds, also spent many happy times here.
History tells that Old Kilgobbin is a 132 year-old Irish settler farm, built by Meredith Fannin, whose family first arrived in the 1840s from Dublin. Noticing the similarities between this valley and that of their home in Ireland, they named the area The Dargle. As to the farm itself, it is named after a 1200-year-old castle on the outskirts of Dublin.
Austin Roberts, the famous South African ornithologist, was the son of one of the Fannin daughters and so spent school holidays here, exploring the mist belt forests and developing his lifelong passion for birds.
We were hopeful that the Cape Parrots, which flit in and out of the forest, would make an appearance during our stay. Carlene Bronner told us that they usually fly across first thing in the morning, and then head home towards late afternoon. They also have all three species of cranes, Crowned Eagles and 150 listed birds in the valley.
Walking around the 450 hectare farm, you might spot reedbuck, oribi or a shy duiker. The samango monkeys chattered away volubly during our visit.
We popped across to Tanglewood country pub just down the road. It, too, is redolent with history.
And the Cape Parrots? Their raucous, excited chattering would made a pleasant change from the rowdy ibises. Sadly they did not oblige and we had to content ourselves with Carlene’s descriptions of what the parrot alarm clock sounds like. - Sunday Tribune
Old Kilgobbin 033 234 4327; 082 807 7772;
Tanglewood Country House 083 645 5619