where you’ll find everything you need

The Orchard Stay house in Wolseley offers you space and freedom inside and out

LIFE is, to paraphrase a quote credited to various sources including Buddha and Ralph Waldo Emerson, not about the destination, but the journey.

Without getting bogged down with the origins of the sentiment, both are applicable to Orchard Stay in Wolseley. The town in the upper Breede River valley of the Western Cape is between Ceres and Tulbagh and there are two ways to get there.

From Cape Town, you can drive around Wellington. A slightly longer way would be to continue along the N1, go through the tunnel and hang a left towards Ceres. From there you’d take Bain’s Kloof Pass (R301). You’d probably come this way if approaching from the north.

The drive is gorgeous either way and if you do it soon you’ll be blessed with the startling yellow fields of canola.

The beautiful journey delivered us to a splendid destination. Well, two – first lunch at Waverley Hills, then an overnight at Orchard Stay.

Waverley Hills Organic Wine & Olive Estate produces excellent wines and its restaurant helmed by chef Francois du Toit dishes up wonderfully hearty winter fare in chic country style.

I began with springbok carpaccio with delicious smoked truffle cream cheese, cucumber noodles, and melba toast, while my friend had wild mushrooms in Parmesan custard cream with truffle.

Our main courses were, respectively, the wagyu beef burger with slow-roasted tomatoes, aged cheddar and roast mushrooms (all arranged artfully under the bun), with chipotle mayonnaise and fries; and pork belly and twice cooked pork neck with honeycomb, bacon jus, lemon pickled apple, and pearl couscous.

When the weather warms up, there is outside seating on the raised deck with a view of the mountains, now dusted with snow.

Orchard Stay is on Platvlei Farm on the other side of Wolseley, which sounds far but it’s only a 10-minute drive. The self-catering house has two en-suite bedrooms, a large open-plan living area, a wrap-around veranda, an eco-pool and hot tub which is heated by a wood-burning stove. It’s on the banks of a small man-made dam and surrounded by the farm’s fruit orchards.

When we were there, the trees were naked but still stunning. The evergreens framed our view and cast impressive reflections on the water, crowned with clouds.

The décor is minimalist, soft, earthy and muted, which is perhaps why we felt so calm. We took walks of discovery and basked in the sun with our books while sipping Earl Gray tea from polka-dot mugs.

Later, we devoured our flamegrilled steaks and sausages on the veranda and curled up on the couch with Waverley Hills red wine bought earlier.

THE surrounding countryside in Wolseley is a riot of spring colours with canola fields.

BOTH bedrooms have en-suite bathrooms, one with a bath and the other with a shower only.

ONE of two bedrooms at Orchard Stay; this one has sliding doors to the covered veranda.

WAGYU beef burger with WH Cabernet Sauvignon at Waverley Hills Organic Wine &Olive Estate.