There’s not a lot you can teach me about life in the platteland. I grew up in a little town called Klawer in the Namakwaland, our house was in a cul de sac, called Tuin Street. This was long before the Wimpy popped up next to the highway that skirted our town and before the locals started talking about the ever pending night club and coffee shop. After my twin sister and I “secured” our bicycles on our neighbour’s unfenced lawn we would play on our jungle gym (a mango tree at the bottom of our street), or we would peddle our handmade gift cards to discerning customers (read: “family friends”). City lights reminded us of Christmas, ghosts roamed aimlessly in the ink black nights and every blazing camp fire was the mouth of a dragon…

When Piekenierskloof Mountain Lodge invited the TravelGround team to spend the weekend in Citrusdal, I couldn’t help thinking back to those happy childhood days. Those sheltered nights without the spectres of ADT cars roaming the streets and black clad security guards watching over us. Would Citrusdal remind me of my carefree days in Klawer? Or had Cape Town unfurled its carpet of lights and noise this far into the platteland? I couldn’t wait to find out for myself!

FIRST IMPRESSIONS LAST

Piekernierskloof Mountain Lodge is nestled high up in the craggy Piekenierskloof Pass on the way to the Cederberg Mountains, about two hours from Cape Town on the N7. Even though we were a bit early for the colourful display of veldblomme this region is famous for, the breathtaking views of the kloof tumbling down to the valley are not seasonal and I often found myself taking a moment to marvel at nature’s architecture.

Tip: Don’t leave your camera at home!

KLOOF RESTAURANT

During the course of the weekend we feasted on delectable salads, steaks, pizzas, curries, and various desserts at Kloof Restaurant on the premises. My fellow blogger, a self-proclaimed steak connoisseur, declared the rump steak as “the best ever”. We recommend the pizza for patrons with huge appetites. Prices are reasonable and some of the waiters have a few jokes and stories to share.

Tip: Order the steak – you won’t be disappointed.

BREAKFAST

Breakfast at Piekenierskloof Mountain Lodge is a festive affair. No stiff upper lips were encountered at this lodge in the platteland. Guests and staff share stories at these cheerful occasions, in stark contrast to hotels and lodges in the city. We couldn’t get enough of the home baked muffins and croissants at the extensive Continental breakfast buffet. The warm breakfast option includes everything from bacon and eggs,to boerewors and relish spiced to perfection.

Tip: Limit your breakfast portion so that you can try at least one muffin as an early morning dessert. These tiny monuments of baking perfection triggered sweet memories of Grandma’s kitchen: soft and fluffy with a sugary crisp crust.

ACTIVITIES

The play room and playground with trampolines will entertain the little ones while mom and dad keep a watchful eye from the outdoor chess set. The TravelGround team, however, opted for the less challenging entertainment option at the ladies bar, wellness centre, swimming pool, and heated indoor pool. You can also book a zip-line adventure on the lodge grounds.

Zip-Line is a fancy term for dangling on a wire between heaven and earth and watching blurry images of rocks, shrubs and streams “zip” by. Well that is how the faint-hearted would describe it.

A brave, adventurous girl like myself would describe it as follows: it’s difficult to crack a smile for the camera while dangling between the heavens above and the earth below, and the water under the earth, donning a strange-looking harness and without your trusted heels. All seven slides sent my heart into a thundering frenzy extinguishing the delicate songs of fynbos birds I was supposed to be listening to. And the view? I vaguely remember a kaleidoscope of light-blue (sky), brown (earth) and red (fear). SA Forest Adventures offers a Zip-Line experience on the premises (Herman, my fellow blogger, will soon write something about his Zip-Line experience. Maybe he found the experience a tad less frightening than I did? Watch this space!)

Tip: Apply deodorant generously…thou shalt sweat!

NIGHT NIGHT

The accommodation section of Piekenierskloof Mountain Lodge was rebuilt last year and consists of 22 rooms. Everything is luxurious and pristine: from the Cobra bathroom fixtures to the linen and modern furnishings. It is difficult to describe the sensation of slipping into a warm spa bath after a zip-line adventure, but I’ll try anyway: as the welcoming foam envelopes your body your heartbeat slows down to a soothing pace and your sense of self is restored (not to mention your ability to tell up from down!).

The well-appointed suites are ideal for family getaways, businessmen working in the area, or tourists on their way to Namibia. Coffee and tea making facilities, a bar fridge, and a hospitality basket with soaps, shampoo and conditioner are available in each suite.

At Piekernierskloof Mountain Lodge, the peace and safety of Klawer meet the Christmas lights of Cape Town! The modern, luxurious amenities stand out against an ancient landscape that commands one to take a quiet moment and watch the late afternoon sun soften the harsh crags. A landscape that moves one to hanker back to those carefree days in the Mango tree…but not that day when my parents hid our bicycles in the back yard to teach us about the realities of crime!

Would you like to stay at Piekenierskloof Mountain Lodge? Find out more…

Translated from the LekkeSlaap blog by Herman Botha