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The Place of Singing Eucalyptus

The Place of Singing Eucalyptus

Author: Kasia Yoko
Date: 2022-05-26

It's two hours from Ballito if you time it right and manage to avoid the trucks. But we were in no rush and took a leisurely five hours to get to Ardmore Guest Farm. We stopped along the way to take photos, speak to strangers and let our dog Lupa run free.

Our first stop was The Local in Lions Post, here we met Nick, 'the best barista in town', with a warm fire and a delicious cup of coffee, we felt right at home. We met interesting locals organising a big vegan party near Dargal, Umlungu was set to perform and the word needed to spread through the grapevine. We were tempted to follow the party-line but we had places to go and people to meet.

Our next stop was Nottingham Road which is a must stop for the last minute goodies, and while you're there a quick visit to the St John church is a moving experience completed in the late 1800, it's a beautiful testament to the people who lived and thrived here all those years ago.

Nestled within the intimate cemetery is a small teagarden with swings and even a playground for the little ones, this is a real warped experience to swing above the little graves but Lupa loved meeting other dogs who, like us stopped to have a little run, they were on their way to Brighton Beach, from Pretoria.

There is no better time to drive to the Drakensberg. The marvelous colours of autumn are in overdrive right now, as if painted by some renaissance master. The mountains majestically draw closer as you approach the farm and the heart skips a beat at the sheer magnificence of those spectacular views.

Its our first visit to Ardmore Guest Farm but we know a guy who knows a guy who is here to welcome us, Daniel in his previous life was a stock broker and a pretty successful one at that, today he spends his life looking after the livestock and in his spare time he goes out fishing in a little lake not far from the guesthouse.

He leads an idyllic life somehow detached from the guests but also very much there to encourage you to have a good time. "You're on a working farm now, please take advantage of the garden's bounty." Daniel commands. Oh those are sweet words indeed as I look around the orchard, most of the citrus is ready to be harvested and their veggie garden has my favourite greens ... we will feast here and so we do.

While the guesthouse has an in­house chef and their restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, they also offer the self-catering option to those who, like me, prefer to cook on their holidays.

Our chalet is spacious and clean. There are no thrills and graces but it's comfortable, it has a fireplace and an open plan kitchen where I spend most of my time creating dishes that will make us feel like we are in a three star Michelin establishment.

And when I am not cooking, the outdoor veranda faces a magnificent lawn with a row of eucalyptus trees which whisper and hum throughout the day and when you listen closely you will be able to hear earthly tunes, and just in case you miss the ethereal concert amongst the trees, there is sure to be a piano concerto played out in the restaurant by owner Sue Ross who plays for her guests regularly. We were gifted with a Mendelssohn recital worthy of a standing ovation.

From bonding with sweet new born lambs to long colourful mountain hikes, our two days on the Ardmore Guest Farm slipped away like a dream. The cold evenings spent in front of the fireplace were a nostalgic reminder of how just two hours from home we could feel as if we were seven thousand miles away in the French Alps. Just how much are you willing to stretch your imagination?

Ardmore Guest Farm has a fabulous museum, which shares a historical reminder of the days when ceramics were made here; today it is a working farm with Paul Ross at the helm, doing what he loves. He came here thirty years ago, it's where he met his wife Sue and where their two children were born and raised.

If you are planning to come to this part of the world, visiting Ardmore Guest Farm is a must, if you have not planned a trip up this way, what are you waiting for? Come visit this magnificent piece of paradise, meet the owners and stay for the piano recitals.