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By Katherine Graham
The first thing that strikes you as you enter the Boland town of Wellington, situated about an hour's drive from Cape Town, is the imposing statue of Andrew Murray.
Seated outside the NG Kerk at the intersection of the two main roads, this solemn-looking Christian pioneer seems to keep an eye on the activities of the townspeople.
The second thing you realise is that this dorpie hasn't lost its charm. It may be an important centre for growing grafted vines and a hub for the dried fruit and olive industries - but it hasn't gone upmarket in quite the same way as Franschhoek and Stellenbosch have - it somehow has managed to retain its authenticity.
| For R15 you can taste the wines they have on offer |
Often described as the "hidden jewel of the Boland", Wellington boasts many attractions for the visitor. First on your itinerary should be a visit to a wine farm - if not to sample the wine, then at least to take in the beauty of the rolling vineyards. There are several well-established wine farms in the area, but the one my husband Gavin and I decided to visit is one of the more recent establishments - Diemersfontein Country and Wine Estate.
Built in the shadow of the Hawekwa Mountains, the estate has a serenity that is perfect for city-dwellers needing some solace. Originally Diemersfontein was a family manor house, but since 2000 has been a working wine estate and is also popular as a conferencing and wedding venue.
For R15 you can taste the wines they have on offer, most famous of which is their Pinotage, known for its chocolate coffee flavour. You can also spend the night there - there are double rooms with en suite bathrooms - or you can pop into the Seasons restaurant for a gourmet bite to eat.
For the slightly more adventurous, Wellington is a wonderful place to explore the great outdoors. No, I'm not talking about mounting 4x4s over enormous dongas, but rather the more civilised hobby of horse riding. For three hours to three days, you can set out on horseback with an experienced guide to explore the mountains and fynbos scenery.
The trails are custom-made to suit your needs and your pocket - so if you'd like to go on a hike on horseback for a few hours with wine- and cheese-tasting, it can be arranged; if you'd prefer to go for a longer trip, you can spend the night at a B&B or in slightly more luxurious accommodation. To give an idea of the cost, a four-hour trail costs R480 per person.
| Lazy mornings are the order of the day on Sunday |
There are also some unusual shops to check out while you're in Wellington. If you're fond of hand-made leather products, be sure to visit Redemption. As soon as you walk into the shop, you are overwhelmed by the wonderful smell of leather. There is a selection of hats, belts, men's and children's shoes, but the best range of products is definitely the women's shoes. For R220, I picked up a pair of dainty cherry-coloured shoes, which the sales assistant assured me are perfect for winter.
There is also another shop called Arabesque, which specialises in traditional Arabian craft. This is the place to go to if you're looking for home and garden decor or gift ideas. Something that city slickers might forget is that many shops close at 1pm on Saturdays and are closed on Sundays, so make sure you get there early to have enough time to browse around.
Having done a tour of the town, Gavin and I are now keen to find a place to lay our weary heads. Wellington has a wide range of accommodation on offer - from budget self-catering accommodation to more upmarket bed-and-breakfast establishments. We have chosen the former, a modest but spacious double room with en suite bathroom and kitchen in Murray Street called Mon Desir. Our hostess, Reinette Smuts, has ensured that everything is "aan die kant".
Lazy mornings are the order of the day on Sunday - the only interruption to our morning lie-in being the sound of the NGK bell calling the faithful to church. We decide to skip breakfast (we have rusks, after all) and have a late lunch at Die Boere Barok, which, as the name suggests, offers Afrikaans cuisine with a dash of panache. The restaurant itself is a novelty - a place where elegance meets Afrikaans traditionalism.
Having glanced at the menu, Gavin chooses the bobotie for R45, while I settle on the waterblommetjiebredie (R55) - a beef stew made with waterblommetjies and served on a bed of saffron-and-raisin rice.
It's time to head home. We pause before getting into our car, admiring the view of the mountains foregrounded by endless rows of vines. We sigh. Although we only stayed a weekend, it's been so refreshing to live life at a slightly gentler pace. We have been won over by Wellington's charm.
If you go
Diemersfontein Wine and Country Estate - Tel: 021-864-5050; email: hospitality@diemersfontein.co.za
Rates: R380 per person sharing for a twin room per night, breakfast included.
Fynbos Trails - Phone Katrin on 021-873-1241 or 082-335-8132. Find out more at www.fynbostrails.com
Redemption - Bainskloof Road, Wellington. Tel: 021-873-3197.
Arabesque - 1 Stadsig, Wellington. Tel: 021-864-3214 or visit www.arabesquegallery.com
Mon Desir - 1 Murray Street, Wellington. Phone Reinette Smuts on 021-864-2084 or 083-556-0912.
Rates: R100 per person sharing per night, self-catering.
Die Boere Barok - Hexenberg Pad, Wellington. Phone TJ on 082-928-6935 or Franco on 083-231-1173.
- This article was originally published on page 5 of Saturday Star on June 17, 2006
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