We love spending a weekend in Johannesburg with our precious granddaughter but come Monday, the weekday boredom of âthe big smokeâ weighs heavy. Thatâs when itâs time to escape and head off for few days of travel fun before returning for another delightful family weekend.
So many choices in the Berg
This time, the central Drakensberg and the Free State town of Clarens were our destinations of choice â and what great choices they were.
Entrance to Thokozisa Centre
One of the strange characters to greet you in the garden.
An easy 4œ hour drive from Johannesburgâs northern suburbs, is an ideal lunch stop at Thokozisa. With its regional information centre, wine cellar, restaurant, clothing outlets, deli and bar itâs far too impressive to be called a âpadstalâ.
After a delicious meal, a gentle stroll is always in order and Thokozisa, with its intriguing combination of thatched buildings, childrenâs play areas, quirky statuary and ethnic design provides the ideal place to do just that â and a little retail therapy, as well.
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Yum Yum â Lunch is served
Always time for some retail therapy
From there, itâs just a short drive to the Champagne Castle Hotel, our home for the next two nights. We loved this hotel on a previous visit and it certainly didnât disappoint this time either. The rooms are spacious and comfortable, the views are magnificent, the service is swift and friendly and the grounds are beautifully maintained.
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Champagne Castle Reception
But, the food, oh my goodness, the food! It is truly unbeatable!
Beware! If you are dieting, donât read this bit!
All meals are served buffet style with an enormous array of delectable dishes to tempt even the most disciplined of dieter (which I certainly am not!).
Just imagine this: A breakfast spread of fresh fruit juice, porridge, fresh fruit, yoghurt, cereal, cheeses and cold meats, eggs to order, sausage, bacon, mushrooms, baked beans, cheesy grilled tomato, hash browns, kippers, smoked haddock, toast, freshly baked Danish pastries (they start work at 4am to bake them each morning), and a steaming cup of piping hot coffee or tea. A truly heavenly start to the morning!
A few hours later, thereâs lunch:Â Delicious soup and homemade breads, cold meats and salads, a variety of roast meats and vegetables, a curry, a pasta dish and an array of mouth-watering desserts.
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Just a âtasteâ of breakfast
And then thereâs dinner: Similar to lunch but with even more choices. More meats, more hot mains and many more desserts. Added to these, the chef is on standby to conjure up fluffy waffles or light-as-a-feather pancakes. And finally, thereâs an unmissable range of cheeses!
Three delectable meals a day, along with piping fresh scones with jam and cream served with coffee or tea each morning and afternoon â whatâs not to love!
Okay dieters, you can start reading again!
So, there is a little time in between meals and no shortage of things to do. The hotel arranges daily guided hikes, while there are also shorter routes to do on your own ⊠necessary to work off some of those calories. Horse riding is available on the premises, as is bowls, tennis, outdoor chess, a games room and a pool with a magnificent view. Thereâs also an on-site spa for those craving even more indulgence.
Self catering accommodation is also available at Champagne Castle
Winter temperatures mean that a brisk walk around the expansive gardens, the petting zoo and watching the peacocks display their jewel coloured feathers is sufficient to have us scurrying back to claim our places in the lounge, beside a toasty log fire.
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Peacocks wander the grounds
Chris has a favourite saying âLife and beer are very similar; chill for best resultsâ. And so, we never go anywhere without first investigating the opportunity for him to explore his craft beer obsession. Sadly, the Drakensberg Brewery pub and tasting venue is only open Wednesday to Sunday from 11am until sunset. But never fear, although it was Tuesday and we were due to leave early the next day, we managed to buy a copious quantity at the bottle store at the Cedarwood shopping Centre. If youâre a fan, Chris heartily recommends their full-bodied âAmphitheatre Red Aleâ. If not, I suggest you stroll along to The Ugly Duckling gift store with its plethora of unique collectables for a little retail therapy.
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Pub at Drakensberg Brewery â Pic from https://www.drakbrew.co.za
Something for everyone at the Ugly Duckling
All too soon our time in the Drakensberg was over and after promising to return (waistlines permitting), we packed our bags and headed off to Clarens to continue our adventure.
Keep posted and weâll take you there next.
Champagne in the Mountains We love spending a weekend in Johannesburg with our precious granddaughter but come Monday, the weekday boredom of âthe big smokeâ weighs heavy.