MISS CHRISSIE’S COUNTRY HOUSE

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This stately abode is perched on a hill overlooking the wetland, about 5 km from town. The main sandstone building dates from 1873 and it has nine rooms accessed from the stoep, plus a separate stone cottage with an enclosed garden for pets (allowed with prior arrangement).

Four of the rooms are self-catering, as is the cottage, and all units have a fireplace or wood-burning stove for chilly winter nights. There’s also a campsite hidden in an oak forest.

Owner Aretha Strydom grew up in the area and farmed for many years. She once rescued a crippled crowned crane from Blinkpan and named him Slapknieg (wobbly knee). She also raised an injured marsh owl, dubbed Marshy. Even after his recovery, Marshy would make an appearance every now and then during Aretha’s strolls along the lakeshore. “He would wait on the fence – I noticed him because the wing that had been injured hung slightly lower than the other one.”

Aretha says birding depends on the season. After rain there are lots of puddles in the veld, and it can become tricky to spot our feathered friends. When it’s dry, however, waterbirds tend to gather around the lakes and pans. “One year I saw about 900 red-winged pratincoles on a nearby farm,” she says with a smile. Miss Chrissie’s Country House abounds with farm animals, too: sheep greet guests at the fence, and her two rescued horses – Snowbell and Lindy – make platteland cameos against the dreamy backdrop. Aretha’s garden is a sight for sore eyes, with roughly 500 roses that were still blooming beautifully just before winter. “If someone asks me how many roses I have, my answer is not enough!”

Besides birds, flowers and her vegetable garden, cooking is Aretha’s other love. “That’s my passion – to treat guests with food,” she says. “I can be a moody chef. I cook depending on the season and according to what the day tells me to cook.”

Facilities: Nine twin rooms, plus a six-sleeper selfcatering cottage. The campsite is big enough for two family groups. Ask about the hiking trails on the farm. Rates: Rooms and the cottage from R430 per person sharing during the week, R475 per person sharing on weekends. The cottage rate per person gets cheaper the more people sharing. Camping costs R135 per person.

Where? East of Lake Chrissie, about 5 km from town. Miss Chrissie’s is on a hill about 800 m from the water’s edge.

Contact: 079 252 5235; misschrissies.co.za