Grabbing the bull by the horns
Nottingham Road is a good stopover when travelling on the N3 or touring the Midlands. Myrtle Ryan checked into Brahman Hills
IN THE late afternoon a herd of sleek red hartebeest filed past our cottage on the 1 000ha Blue Crane Nature Reserve just outside of Nottingham Road.
It was pouring with rain, but they didn’t seem to mind. Down in the valley fat zebras flicked their tails nonchalantly, while creamy eland plodded steadily up a small hillock.
Raindrops danced on some small dams which, we were told, had been depleted just days before. Now they sparkled among rolling green pastures.
The metal entrance gates to Brahman Hills are decorated with cattle. Even the most inattentive traveller cannot miss that.
The reception, hotel, lounges, restaurants and bars, as well as a charming wedding chapel, are a short drive from here. So is the Glass House (for wedding functions), gardens, tall trees, and a dancing water feature.
The accommodation is either in the hotel section or self-catering cottages. The word “cottage” is a bit of a misnomer. We stayed in Zebra, an enormous three-bedroomed house. Each bedroom has a king or queen-size bed. The vast lounge – with large, flat-screen TV set – and kitchen are open plan and equipped with all you’d need.
We could have reclined in the outdoor Jacuzzi, but there was a bite in the air, so we gave it a miss.
We spent hours on the deck, sheltered from the wind by a perspex shield, which meant the view was not obliterated. One could also gaze out through the French doors in the lounge and listen to the wind in the pine trees.
Over the next few days we walked or drove around the estate to sample what was on offer. The spa, with circular windows reminiscent of portholes, overlooks a herb garden. The chef uses many of the herbs in her cooking, so guests are reminded to keep the gate closed (and wildlife out).
The spa treatment rooms look onto interesting water features. On the one side, water flows over a corrugated iron structure, giving the impression of tiny rapids. On the other, water splashes over “portholes”, almost like being beneath the wake of a ship.
The wedding chapel, hanging out over a dam, has interesting architecture. By special request, it can be turned into a evening dining venue for a large group.
The Agility Hub is divided into conference rooms on one side and a restaurant on the other. Here you feel as if you’re dining in the outdoors when the window/doors are folded.
Breakfasts in the main dining room, the Brahman Café are sumptuous. We were offered a cappuccino or filter coffee to kick-start our day. I relished the rich, creamy oats porridge, which I smothered in cranberries, blueberries, melon, nuts and seeds.
The hot breakfast includes eggs, bacon, sausages, hash browns, stir fried vegetables, baked beans, and mushrooms prepared with baby tomatoes and onions. Home-made muffins, croissants, and danish pastries all meant my belt had to be let out a notch or two.
Dining in the cellar at night, 89 on Copper, was romantic. The rough walls, with metal-lined niches displaying different bottles of wine, add to the ambience.
All that was lacking was the cattle. Then, on our last afternoon, they duly obliged. We were watching hartebeest, zebra and eland grazing in an ever-changing pattern.
Suddenly there was a flurry of colour on the dam’s dirt wall and a herd of Brahman began to make their way uphill.
They were in great condition. As the main man paused a metre from me, I wondered if I would be trampled.
But Brahman bulls clearly do not stoop to such unchivalrous behaviour, and I thanked them for the courtesy of their visit.
Call 033 266 6965 or visit www. brahmanhills.co.za