Durban - Located on a game and trout estate 10km from Nottingham Road, Thatchings is a sanctuary for the soul.
Hosts Trevor and Susan Read are celebrating 10 years’ service this year, and from the moment you arrive it’s easy to see why so many guests return.
Before you’ve made it to the front door, any combination of zebra, eland, duiker, black wildebeest, impala or even the red Hartebeest buck will greet you, lazily tucking into the lawn. It’s easy to think you are on a game farm somewhere in the Highveld, but you are still on the Midlands Meander.
Thatchings has developed a fine reputation for hosting big events like conferences, or themed weddings. Their charming honeymoon suite is a delight. too.
The suite is large with a spacious en-suite bathroom. It is also handy that the suite is close to the communal lounge and dining area, making it easier to catch the wafts coming from Susan’s creations in the kitchen.
If you’re lucky, you may arrive on the day she makes her apple pie; comfort eating at its best on a winter’s night in the Meander. But she is also an accomplished chef, and produces a varied and exciting menu.
While she handles the cooking, Trevor does the hosting. He happily takes guests on leisurely strolls on the estate, along with his young ranger, his son 4-year old Michael and, given the time, will show out-of-towners a few of the Meander’s hidden gems.
There is a great sense of community in that area, and we were warmly received at the nearby Kleinberg Wine Estate, where visitors can enjoy horse riding, clay pigeon-shooting, or sampling the cheese and wine – preferably in that order.
Suitably topped up on wine for the afternoon, we headed for Linga Lapa, home to the finest biltong and much more, as the locals will tell you.
Thatchings can provide lunch for guests, but they encourage you to get out and about and sample delights like Linga Lapa’s steak platter, which was just the thing after drinking on a light tummy.
It’s probably best to give yourself a few days to see the Midlands, because there is simply so much to do.
Around the corner, Blueberry Hill café offers sumptuous treats, while Fordoun Spa is on hand for those needing even more pampering.
For those with a sense of adventure, the Karkloof Nature Reserve gives guests from Thatchings a 10 percent discount on the canopy tour. But if you just want to take a break and catch your breath, you can sit back with a book and a glass of wine in the “room with a view”, overlooking two dams, and watch the plentiful game go about their day.
It’s peaceful, soothing even, and Susan will cook dinner to order, as Trevor’s dinner table stories get better with each glass of wine from their well-stocked pub. If you bring a larger party, they can manoeuvre the versatile conference venue to accommodate a dinner party, or just an evening of leisure with friends.
Thatchings is warm and welcoming, even with the bite of winter on your lips. Trevor and Susan fell in love with the area when they first saw it, and you will also be taken in by the serenity and the generosity of spirit in the area.
It’s an hour and a half from Durban, and well worth the effort.
Just give yourself a few days to see everything. That will also increase your chances of getting a slice of Susan’s famous apple pie…
l Call 033 266 6275/082 825 2990, e-mail [email protected] or visit www.thatchings.co.za.
Sunday Tribune