We love showing you beautiful parts of our wonderful country. Last weekend was spent with friends
who had invited us to stay with them in their daughter’s house at De Kelders on the Southern Cape Coast
From the deck there are great views of Hermanus across Walker Bay and then right down the coast to Hangklip
And, on this particular day, we were even able to see right across False Bay to Cape Point
Bird life is all around and we spotted this bright eyed bulbul on an aloe
On a warm but moody late afternoon, the light on the mountains and sea created beautiful monochrome pictures
In the foreground, skeins of cormorants head for their overnight roosts
We braaied a peri peri chicken and some sweetcorn
and watched the sunset, with sundowners, of course
It developed into a real flare of bright light that paints the sky and clouds orange
Off to visit Black Oystercatcher wine farm, a 45 minute drive inland, where we found the farm dog cooling off in the fountain!
It is that time of year when vegetable gardens offer huge abundance ...
... arranged just like a Dutch master's painting
Some beautiful local proteas
We tasted samples of two of the Fraser's Folly beers from their Brew house and enjoyed them very much
The audience was completely split between orange flavoured Hoppy Lager and Moerkoffie Chocolate coffee mocca stout
Candlesticks at the ready for a power cut!
We sat on the shaded deck and enjoyed some rosé and the White Lady blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon
The lawn is big enough to accommodate the annual Wine, Beer and Music festival held in December
They will have an end of Harvest celebration in March.
and there is lots of space inside
The menu
With a separate Pizza offering
The wine and beer list
A view of the countryside from the deck
A generous free platter of figs and grapes arrived on the table and were very much appreciated and enjoyed
The Sauvignon Blanc and the figs were a perfect match
One of the Margherita Pizzas
Guess who had the huge hamburger and crispy chips? He loves them
A Trout gravadlax salad
More like smoked trout than gravadlax, a few bits of goat's cheese and herbs and lots and lots of leaves
There was some melon but the promised avocado is out of season.
There was some melon but the promised avocado is out of season.
It was one of the most expensive dishes on the menu at R129
and, perhaps, they could have been a bit more generous with the trout
The Deluxe Waldorf Salad
The burger comes with melting brie, bacon, preserved figs and some pesto
The bacon could be more crispy
We had fun watching some very little girls using the fountain as a swimming pool on the hot afternoon - with parental supervision
The waves at De Kelders sometimes have dolphins and seals surfing in them
Apricot sunset and navy blue sea on a warm evening. We had supper on the deck
On our way home on Sunday, we saw a sign pointing to Grotto Beach in Hermanus and, as we hadn't been for a long time,
we took the turn. Wow, what a wonderful beach, with white soft sands and lots of waves to paddle in
Good for boogie boarders, assisted by Grandpa
or just keeping fit ...
... which is what we (and others) were doing with a brisk half hour walk on the firm sand
Who is taking whom for a walk! Some boisterous hounds having such fun in the surf
Watch out, the tide is coming in!
A wonderful discovery. If you walk far enough down the beach, you get to the outflow of the Klein River lagoon
All content © John & Lynne Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus
