MAWENI HEIGHTS FARM
“An Old Fashioned Farm Stay Experience”
Situated 35 km from Harrismith, OFS, and near the Sterkfontein Dam, Maweni Heights (place of the cave) Farm, comprises a flat topped mountain with 1000 acres on the top and surrounded by sheer cliffs of up to 100m high. The south side is near the KZN border and the north side slopes down from the cliffs to a vlei with a profusion of scenic rocks studding the hillside.
The farm has been in the Van Den Bosch family since 1875 with the main house and equipment dating back to those times which makes it a historical treasaure trove and gives a glimpse into an old way of life which seems particularly appealing in this hectic day and age.
The Mountain has a very special energy which makes it ideal for retreats where you can chill and heal. It also has 19 different scenic and interesting hiking trails with caves, grottos, San paintings, view points to forever etc.
For the less energetic there are lots of other activities and games to keep you busy, if a total state of sloth doesn’t overtake you first!
Picnics, Braais and sundowners are the order of the day however whilst it’s generally selfcatering, with enough notice we get food brought in (the Indian Cuisine here is particularly good!)
or we can possibly be prevailed upon to do a special themed meal event with Shisanyama, Mexican, Portuguese menus (details on request)
The Accommodation has 9 rooms – 22 beds, and consists of –
The main house with 4 rooms (3 doubles and a family room that sleeps 5)
The 3 ‘Outside Rooms’ (2 twins & a triple)
The Rondavel (double) and Pezulu cottage (twin)
Ablutions are ‘old fashiond’, 1 bathroom on suite, a communal bathroom (baths) in the main house and a shared toilet in the outside rooms.
Outside there is a loo (modern) and either the ‘Donkey Shower’ or the ‘Basin Bath Experience’ and a project is underway for the outdoor ’ Zen Ablutions’ with nature and vistas at its best!
The farm has cattle and there is some game and great birding.
Exploring the old equipment and history of the place can keep you endlessly entertained if it interest you
CATERING
Its BYO (Food & Booze), unless other options are booked in advance
Whilst it is generally a self-catering stay, there are a number of options available that can be booked in advance. The facilities available include –
The guest house kitchen, fully kitted, that has a gas stove and if you are into the general vibe, there is an old fashioned wood fired stove (Mrs Sam 10) to test your skills, and best tackled with a glass of wine!,
plus there’s a 20 seater dining room.
(A large semi outdoor restaurant style kitchen & lapa are on the cards)
Theres 2 great braai areas with bonfires and
a number of scenic picnic spots for lazy picnics or Al Fresco lunches.
There is also the option of getting prepared meals from Harrismith with some of the Indian caterers being particularly good, or, you can hire a Bush Butler to prepare and serve your meals, as they would do 100 years ago!
And lastly, we can possibly be coaxed into a themed meal with Shisanyama Mexican or Thai menus. (details on request)
These are normally a 3 or 5 course Long Lazy Lunch (Dinner) event.
(You may remember Legends, the Prawn Shak and Gringos Cantina in Durban, which were part of our previous businesses but we need to be coaxed out of retirement!)
Info – Bill 0833034746
ACTIVITIES
Maweni is a place of great peace and healing energy, and a sense of sloth may well overtake you.
However, there are also a great number of activities to keep you busy.
There are 19 Hiking Trails up and around the mountain with spectacular views, caves, waterfalls, pools, grottos, san art etc
Closer to home there’s Frisbee Golf (also done as a teambuilding exercise), Boulle, Jukskei, Mokkley (pronounced Melku, a finnish type of skittles) and for the more sedate, there’s Jenga, Blackjact, Flip the box, Jigsaw puzzles etc
There’s great birding, (a lot of it can be done from the comfort of a chair in the garden), some game and other interesting creatures, and you also have the Sterkfontein dam nearby 17 km away, for watersports
ACCOM – ROOM CONFIGURATION
THE MAIN HOUSE
Main Suite – a Double & a Kids bed. En suite Bathroom
Zitas room – 2 Singles
Elcos room – 1 Double
Heritage room – a Double, a small single kids bed and a double Bunk
OUTSIDE ROOMS
Room 1 – a Double & single plus Basin
Room 2 – 2 Singles
Room 3 – the TOILET & WASH STAND
Room 4 – 2 Singles
The RONDAVEL – 1 double
6. The PEZULU room – 2 Singles
TOTAL – 5 Doubles, 11 Singles, 2 kids beds and a cot
DIRECTIONS TO MAWENI HEIGHTS
VIA OLIVIERSHOEK PASS FM DBN
T.O at R74 to Winterton / Bergville (opp Estcourt)
Pass Winterton 23km, to Bergville 21km, and 32km to the top of the pass (Windmills resort and the Border Post lodge ) It’s 3.5 km to the 1st S19 sign.
(The S19 does a big loop back to the R74 about 10km further on. The 1st TO is more scenic but a bit pebbly for very low cars!)
If you take the 1st TO, go 4 km and right at the the S796.
Go 2 kms and turn right at the Summerslie Maweni sign (just after bridge on top of hill)
Go 3km to 1st grid (see yellow JoJo tanks) then 1 km to 2nd grid with gate (usually open) and 0.2km to the big gate which is locked.
Then It’s 1km to the house.
(What’s app an ETA beforehand please) If the farm gates are closed, please close again after you and lock the main gate. Tx
NB – 100m after the big gate the road forks, left through the small stream or right over the narrow iron bridge if you’re brave! Thereafter it’s a grass track to the house.
Welcome to Maweni!
NB If you take the 2nd S19 T.O, (the S19 does a loop coming back to the R74)
go the extra 10km to the 2nd S19 sign
(with the Sterkfontein dam on left) and T.O right, go 4 kms (and 200m past the Kindrochart farm gate) go left on “S796”
Then Directions on the S796 as above
VIA HARRISMITH
Dbn – H Smith 310km
From Harrismith, go 5km on N5 to Bethlehem and T.O left to Clarence (R74)
Go 10 km and T.O left on R74 to Bergville (yes, it’s still the R74, weird!)
Go 10 km and and T.O left on S19 (gravel rd)
Go 4 km (and 200m past the Kindrochart gate) turn left on S796
Then Directions on the S796 as above
UNIQUE VENUES – LIFESTYLE DONE DIFFERENT