Heronmoor Retreat

Heronmoor cottages - self catering accommodation near Giants Castle

Description

Nestled in a tranquil valley in the Kamberg region and enjoying stunning views of Giant’s Castle and the Drakensberg, Heronmoor is the perfect place to take a break or stop over on the way to Durban. Our luxury self-catering accommodation makes a great base to explore or to enjoy the outdoor activities on the farm and nearby. We have a range of accommodation for you to choose from. Heronmoor, Harleigh and the Farmhouse units have kitchen facilities, comfortable lounges opening onto a patio with either wood burning stoves or fireplaces to get cosy on winter nights. Each unit has braai facilities and a TV with either video or DVD players with a selection of movies for your enjoyment.

The Crane Suite provides value for money accommodation for up to 5 for backpackers or families on a budget. It has full cooking and braai facilities.

Settlers Cottage is a rustic, romantic 100 year old restored stone cottage. It is perfect for nature lovers or for a comtemplative retreat. It is situated in a secuded valley on the farm next to the woods and is powered by solar electricity and gas, so there are no modern gadgets, just the ultimate in peace and privacy.

We have a small conference centre suitable for workshops or strategic retreats for up to 14 people and a meditation and yoga room in the conference centre which guests are welcome to use. We offer a fully catered rate for groups of more than six and for our conferences with home cooked, farm fresh, organic delicious meals served in the Farmhouse. Guests are free to walk on the 300 hectare farm and there are marked trails to the waterfall, gorge and stone cottage. During your walk you may be lucky and spot reedbuck, oribi or duikers as well as a variety of birdlife and lots of mountain wildflowers during spring and summer. Endangered wattled cranes can often be spotted in the wetlands and for those keen on fly fishing we have a stocked dam.

Well known Midlands photographer Karen Edwards has a studio on the property and offers family photo shoots during your stay at a very special price for Heronmoor guests.

Neighbouring farms offer horse trails and the berg offers numerous day walks for the more adventurous as well as rock art viewing. The Hlatikulu Crane Sanctuary is close by and worth a visit. There are also lots of mountain biking routes around with some challenging hills offer good training for the more serious bikers.

As we are situated at the pivot of the Drakensberg escarpment, Heronmoor is perfectly positioned for day excursions to Sani Pass and Lower Loteni in the Southern berg or Injasuthi and Monk’s Cowl in the Central berg. There are three entrances to the Drakensberg World heritage site within 30 minutes of the farm, being Kamberg, Giant’s Castle and Highmoor. Our area offers some of the best preserved rock art sites open to the public and a visit to Kamberg Rock Art Centre and Game Pass Shelter is a must. Day excursions are also possible to Weenen Game reserve (no malaria) and the Battlefields. For the not so active, the Midlands Meander makes an interesting day trip with various arts and crafts, local wines and organic foods.

Accommodation

Rooms and units

Cottage 1

Includes: Room\Unit Only

The cottage sleeps 3, two in a double bedroom en suite and one in the the open plan lounge. There is a fully equipped kitchenette and dining nook with crockery for 4. A covered private patio has comfortable sofas, hammocks and a Weber braai. The cottage contains a selection of books and DVD's are available on request.

Harleigh Cottage 1

Includes: Room\Unit Only

Harleigh is a comfortable 2 bedrromed cottage with large open plan lounge and fully equipped kitchen. It has a wood stove for heating. It is suitable for families with a garden area for kids to play. There is one bathroom with bath only. A sliding door from the lounge opens on to the patio with a magnificent view of Giant's Castle

The Farmhouse 1

Includes: Room\Unit Only

The farmhouse is a large spacious house with 5 bedrooms and 2 and 1/2 bathrooms. There is a huge kitchen and open plan lounge/dining room with sliding doors onto the patio with a lovely view of the dam and the mountains.

Special offers

Attractions

Our special activities include a family photoshoot package and residential weekend photography courses run by well known Midlands photograher Karen Edwards who shoots on the property. The 300 hectare farm has some lovely walks, a waterfall and mountain biking. We also have a small gym and meditation room.

There are some great picnic spots including an old ruined settler house, the waterfall and the hilltop site which overlooks a small indigenous forest and the whole valley.

In addition to enjoying the peace and tranquillity on the farm, there are many options for those with a more active bent.

Close by are 3 entrances into the Ukahlamba Drakensberg Park with rock art viewing available at Kamberg and Giants Castle. Your hosts have a wide knowledge of the berg and can advise on selected trails. Overnight excursions camping in caves and guided day trails with full catering are available on request.

A variety of day excursions are possible ranging from trips to Sani Pass, Weenen Game Reserve, Battlefields and the Midlands Meander. There are some excellent restaurants and don't forget the Breweries at Nottingham Road. For those in need of a little pampering, there are a number of spas in the area with a range of health and beauty treatments. We will be happy to supply you with full information.

The area is also renowned for fishing, its bird life and wild flowers. Horse riding and golf are available nearby and the quiet roads are ideal for cycling or mountain biking.

Facilities

All linen, kitchen equipement and crockery is upplied  Firewood is available and a maid can be arranged for the farmhouse on a daily basis at an extra charge. Swimming is permitted in the dam at the farmhouse at your own risk.  All cottages have a DVD or video player for rainy days. 

Continental breakfasts can be arranged at an extra cost. 

The farm makes a great base for mountain bikers looking for challenging training.

Small conferences, strategic retreats or intimate functions can be catered for provided there is a group of at least 8 people.

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