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MJ recently visited the charming A Hilltop Country Retreat in Swellendam where he spent the weekend relaxing and enjoying the area's good food and wine.
With the Langeberg Mountains on one side and scenic views over Swellendam to the other, A Hilltop Country Retreat was the perfect base for our weekend away.
We arrived on a Friday afternoon in spring after having travelled along the N2 past the sea of yellow canola fields. We were welcomed by Jane who made us feel right at home, offering advice for dinner and showing us around the lovely 2 bedroom house we would be staying in.
The spacious house is stylishly decorated with art on the walls and many lovely finishes. The lounge has a big fireplace, a TV with DSTV, and large comfy couches; while the bedrooms have great big beds with fine linen. There were many nice touches, such as groceries for whipping up breakfast already waiting in the fridge, as well as a welcoming sherry.
That evening we headed to Powell House for dinner. The food was great, and we had a lovely time with the friendly staff making some welcome suggestions for what we should do during our visit to Swellendam.
The following morning, after breakfast and coffee, we decided to head to Wildebraam Berry Estate to taste and buy some jams, chutneys and liqueurs. The tasting was excellent and after trying pretty much their entire range we left with a full boot.
After stocking up on what felt like a lifetime’s supply of preserves we headed to The Cheese Shop. This roadside shop offers a wide selection of great local cheeses with the friendly owner happy to give samples of the cheeses, telling us where each one was from, how it was made and the awards that it had won. We ended up buying a range of cheeses, which we dropped off back at A Hilltop Country Retreat before we headed on.
Around mid-day we took a leisurely drive into Robertson to pay a visit to Bon Courage wine estate, one of our favourite stops in the area. Here you can sit out on their verandah and sample their many different wines. One of the best perks being that they leave the bottle with you so that you can pour a little extra, if you didn’t quite get the tasting right the first time. Afterwards we lingered for a while, having lunch at the restaurant before making our way back to Swellendam.
I had been eyeing the outdoor braai at our unit at A Hilltop Country Retreat and was quite keen for an evening braai, but unfortunately the weather turned a bit and so we decided to stay inside and get the fire going in the lounge instead.
The evening was spent relaxing on the couches in front of a crackling fire, chatting and watching a movie. For me, there is nothing more relaxing than a simple night like that.
The following morning we left A Hilltop Country Retreat with our bodies well rested, our hearts well filled, and our back seat chock-a-block with jams, wine, and cheeses. I can highly recommend A Hilltop Country Retreat to anyone looking for a relaxing and stylish stay in the beautiful town of Swellendam.
