Penhill Farm is within the Perfect Hideaways stable, South Africa’s leader for short-stay luxury private retreats. It’s a little different to many of the properties they have in the portfolio because it offers multiple residences in the one location, a four bed Manor House, and then four separate two bedroom cottages – Fruit Barn, Pepper Tree, West Grange and East Grange – on the same smallholding.
As we arrive, the kids pile out of cars, descend on each other and promptly disappear. The central hub for them, aged 4 to 14, is the tennis court, as they gather, talk, laugh, share stories, play tennis and run laps on their scooters. It’s an organic DIY Kids Club. By contrast in energy, the parents settle in a sunny spot, open some wine and an endless flow of light or thoughtful conversation commences.
The Manor House is centrally situated on the property, with an adjacent house that has a large lounge, dining room, bar and industrial kitchen. Outside a covered stoep allows the sun to flood in on striped cushion benches and lazy afternoons are spent chatting, napping and alternating in between.
We stay in The Fruit Barn, a modern two bedroom farm cottage with its own kitchen, lounge, fireplace, and pool.
A large dam sits relatively close to the manor house, and as a fan of cold water swimming, I quietly sneak off for a few mid-winter sub-10 degree laps each day and then onto the jacuzzis at East Grange and West Grange for a final reverse shock to the system.
Penhill Farm, owned by Gareth and Kate Penny, is fortunate to be a part of Conradie Penhill Artisanal Wines, a boutique winery based at the foothills of the famous Langeberg Mountains in the Nuy Valley.
For more details see their website.