Walk the Land, Taste the Place
Wildekrans Country House:
Driven by a shift in what today’s travellers value, there has been a move from chain hotels or hotels with a garden to accommodations that lie at the intersection of landscape, cultivation and daily life.
These are the places where working land is not separated from hospitality but rather folded into it; where food, place, daily harvesting, planting cycles and livestock rhythms prescribe the complete guest ‘experience’. Across vineyards, orchards, dairy farms and regenerated fields, these places reveal the quiet foundation behind what we eat and how we live, turning agriculture into something visible, seasonal and deeply present – agriturismo … to use the celebrated Italian term.
For travellers seeking fresh air, unspoilt nature, stunning views, hikes on less-travelled paths and grounding tactile experiences – just over Sir Lowry’s Pass in the Elgin Valley, at the foot of the Groenlandberg mountains and only an hour’s drive from Cape Town,there is one such place – the 4-star graded (TGCSA) Wildekrans Country House in Houw Hoek, Elgin.
Rooted in the Overberg – the Groenlandberg, a hiker’s heaven, is part of the Unesco-designated Kogelberg biosphere in the Overberg region of the Western Cape overlooking a tapestry of orchards, vineyards, farmlands and forests centred around the farming centres of Elgin, Grabouw and Bot River.
The tranquil, immersed-in-nature Wildekrans Country House, a historic, Cape Dutch homestead built in 1811, still with its original walls and gables, is situated in the Houw Hoek mountains. Silhouetted by a rugged mountain backdrop, its vast sculpture-scattered gardens cascade down to the river, walking paths wind out from the gardens, veggie patches and olive grove. Pear orchards run along either side of the old property – leiwater irrigates the gardens – there’s the chug- chug sound of tractors from working neighbouring farms, while a clever ‘ram pump’, powered solely by natural water pressure, is the steady heartbeat of the property. And not to be missed – if you happen to be in the area during the weekends of 31 October and 7 November, you can visit the gardens of Wildekrans Country House as part of the Elgin Open Gardens annual charity show.
Inside, the homestead is furnished with antiques. Spacious rooms are filled with the owners’ private collection of South African art. A library and a living room are home to a cosy fireplace with a stoep/terrace for sundowners. Food and wines are enjoyed in the quirky art filled historic Barn. It is a home where you can relax and absorb the ‘essence’ of tranquil luxury-in-nature.
Wildekrans Country House, family owned and run for 27 years by Alison Green and her husband Barry Gould together with a longstanding dedicated team, is the ideal base for those who wish to explore this ‘hiking heaven’.
The Green Mountain and Blue Mountain Trails:
Hiking Through a Living Landscape – Wildekrans Country House offers hiking options that traverse a mix of privately owned and public land and include home-cooked country style meals, wine tastings, transfers to and from the start and end points of off-site trail days, trained guides and accommodation in en-suite rooms – comfy four poster or King beds and log fires, hot showers, WiFi, DSTV and other mod-cons.
The Green Mountain Trail, a four-day, 55km exploration of the best of the Groenlandberg, operated from Wildekrans Country House in collaboration with local Overberg partners, meanders its way around the Groenlandberg’s varying landscapes, ever-changing biodiversity, flora and fauna and breathtaking views.
“The Green Mountain trail is our flagship product and is a ‘working farm’ experience, run during the week to ensure that guests get to experience the ‘real deal’, so to speak”, says Alison.
The Blue Mountain Trail, slightly shorter than the Green Mountain Trail, a three-night, three-day 45km hike, through an entirely different terrain and fynbos on the southern side of the Elgin Valley, offers similar comfort and scenery, with fewer kilometres and the same generous hospitality.
Trails, Tables and Terroir…what you can expect
- a wide diversity of landscapes from the Elgin Valley, Walker Bay, Overberg, Kogelberg coastline to the remote Kogelberg mountains
- phenomenal fynbos
- the Kogelberg Biosphere – home to more than 1 880 plant species, it is the richest and most complex Biosphere on earth.
The Green and Blue Mountain trails walk through both the Biosphere core and the Biosphere buffer. The farms traversed are almost all WWF recognised Biodiversity Champions.
“Our trails are diverse, different plant types and terrain each day, with extensive remote single tracks, gradual climbs to heights with far reaching views. We really treasure and nurture our hikers,” says Alison. “People are different and so are hikers – fitness levels, ability, plant and photographic interests, geology and speed. We anticipate each hiker’s needs before arrival and respond individually on the trail. And making it even more special, our accredited Guides are extremely knowledgeable in fynbos and geology. They are caring and sensitive to personal needs and safety. They’re also entertaining with very good senses of humour.”
Where the trail meets the table … aside from breakfast and dinner at Wildekrans Country House, the trail experience includes lunches, wine tastings and memorable food-and-farm encounters along the way; depending on the day’s route, lunch may be a picnic on a mountaintop or enjoyed at a nearby farm. Each day ends with food and wine experiences at local family-owned wineries. Country hospitality at its best!
“We love it when our guests love Wildekrans Country House and the trails as much as we do – a ‘personal touch’ and being ‘hands-on’ has always been our approach, so know that from the moment you arrive until the time you depart, you are our most important guest.”
The Nitty Gritty
Wildekrans Country House information:
Stays can be booked online www.wildekrans.co.za – you don’t have to hike to stay here. Four star graded bed and breakfast from R1 590 per person sharing.
Trail information:
The trail fees include:
- luxury four-star farm accommodation
- meals (home-style hearty, wholesome and generous)
- wine tastings
- trail snacks
- an olive ‘experience’ at Wildekrans (late-afternoon canapés featuring olives harvested from the property served with a glass of resident Barry Gould’s handmade A Simple Red)
- a personalised walking stick made through a community project and
- Cape Floral Kingdom knowledgeable guides
Excluded: refreshments outside of wine tastings, off the trail and honesty bar items at Wildekrans Country House.
Green Mountain (4 days): R20 950 per person sharing | Blue Mountain (3 days): R16 950 per person sharing until July 2027. Single occupancy rates on request.
A 10% discount is offered on group bookings of ten and 7% on group bookings of six; a further10% discount will apply to clients that book these listed trail dates with their source publication’s name as the discount code.
Sign up now to join groups on these dates: 7 September 2026 – Blue Mountain Trail | 21 September 2026 – Green Mountain Trail | 05 October 2026 – Green Mountain Trail | 30 November 2026 – Green Mountain Trail | 7 December 2026 – Green Mountain Trail
To walk with your own group, book these dates: Green or Blue Mountain Trail: 14 September 2026 |19 October 2026 | 26 October 2026 | 9 November 2026
Reservations: 028 284 9827 | info@greenmountaintrail.co.za | info@wildekrans.co.za
FB/IG: greenmountaintrail | wildekranscountryhouse
www.wildekrans.co.za | www.greenmountain.co.za
For further information, high-res images and media visits please contact Theresa Gibbon on theresa@theresagibbonpr.co.za or 082 820 8437.
