Log off and chill in a scenic log cabin
Escaping the hustle and bustle of this busy time of year, Danielle Client finds a quiet retreat off the beaten track near Milton to recharge.
The place
Cascade Creek Retreat is a self-contained cabin in the small south Otago town of Milton, which sleeps up to six people. Inspired by log cabins you would find in Canada, the retreat was built about nine years ago by its outdoorsy owners who wanted people to experience the best of what New Zealand’s farm life had to offer.
The cabin is in the middle of farm land and down a long, gravel driveway completely surrounded by sheep.
Location
The retreat is hidden away on Glen Rd, in Milton. It will take 15 minutes from the town’s main street to get to the cabin, going through closed gates keeping sheep and cows where they are supposed to be.
It’s not the easiest of drives, and can be quite steep at times. Going slowly is your best option, especially when the roads are slick. You also have to keep an eye out for the sheep that end up running all over the road to get out of the way.
The space
Technically, the cabin has one bedroom, but it also has a loft upstairs where you will find the master. There is a pull-out bed available in the main living space to make the cabin fit up to six people.
The owners have made the cabin as eco-friendly as possible, and there is even an old wringer outside for washing your clothes.
The owners ask that the use of electricity is kept to a minimum, and most switches are turned off at the wall when you arrive. They also ask that hair dryers and straighteners be used at little as possible by guests.
An open fireplace is available to keep you toasty in the cold, with marshmallows for roasting. Outdoor baths help make the cabin luxurious, as well as cosy robes.
The cabin has a lovely big shower in the single bathroom, and a kitchen with every utensil you could think of.
There is even a recipe for how to make the perfect hot chocolate over the stove.
Stepping out
I have to be honest, there isn’t much to do in Milton. We stayed there for two nights and that was long enough.
When Googling what we could do in what is called ‘‘the town of opportunities’’, we came across the Milburn Whale Fossils and Lookout. It really wasn’t worth the drive that made our already filthy car worse, and I couldn’t really understand its strange location.
Nearby, the town of Waihola has a beautiful lake with a random playground in the middle of it. It’s probably not something you would want to try out in the colder months, but it’s cool for a picture.
We went to a few of the local eateries, including Kelly’s Kitchen and Kink’N The Road in Milton.
We also went further afield to the Waihola
Tavern and Restaurant. All the food was good, and so was the service.
The food
With our package, Cascade Creek Retreat offered a couple of treats on arrival, continental breakfast, and we also had a chef visit to cook us a threecourse meal on our first night there. When we arrived, we had a bottle of sparkling wine and a box of chocolates laid out on the kitchen bench.
In the fridge was a ‘‘welcome basket’’ of meats, crackers and dips for an afternoon snack.
For our breakfast, we were provided with juice, milk, bread, cereals, and jam. I was a little disappointed that our jam turned out to be raspberry when I had specifically requested strawberry.
Our three-course meal was delicious. We had the option of choosing our specific menu and went with crunchy prawn skewers with lemon avocado dip for the entree, lamb shanks for our main and a triple chocolate mousse cake for dessert. We were absolutely stuffed having nibbled on our goodies throughout the afternoon, and the majority of our dinner went in the fridge for lunch the next day.
Highlight
We really enjoyed being in the middle of farmland, surrounded by sheep and lambs. Feeding the sheep that were close to the cabin was a lot of fun as it was something unique to us. We also thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon spent lazing in the outdoor baths, looking at the beautiful views.
Lowlight
Although the whole idea of the retreat is to enjoy the scenery and cut yourself off from the rest of the world, it was hard not having any cellphone coverage. And there is no television at the retreat, although this encouraged us to play Monopoly on a dreary day, which was a lot of fun.
The essentials
Cascade Creek Retreat offers different packages, which vary in cost. We were on our honeymoon, so we booked the Romantic Escape Package and we could choose between the self-prepared dinner option, which was $1060 for two nights, or the private chef option for $1140 for two nights.
We chose the private chef option and also received a free welcome basket of treats as it was a special deal on offer.
On its website, prices are from $395 a night for two people, if staying for two or more nights.
Given the gravel road and steepness of some of the road heading to the retreat, it is not suitable for campervans. Visit cascadecreekretreat.co.nz for information on pricing and availability.