Back to the wild

Waking up among the trees in Basel

Promotion piece courtesy of Jugendherberge Basel

A hostel would never be the first option I reach for on an out-of-town photography assignment. But then, the Jugendherberge I came across in Basel is not quite your run-of-the-mill hostel. I discovered it while searching for sustainable accommodation options during a trip to the historic city. The clean lines and near brutalist aesthetic of the Swiss Youth Hostel caught my eye, and I was keen to give it a try.

Basel youth hostel. Photographed by Barbara Cilliers for Soonafternoon

Tucked away between the trees on the Southern banks of the Rhine, the hostel gives you the impression that it’s somewhere deep inside a forest, even though it’s but a 20min walk from Basel central station. A bridge across the crystal water of the St. Alban’s waterway welcomes you to the entrance. With an open lamella hugging the older stone structure that leads into the modern one, the bare oak beams add a pastoral quality in their mimicry of the neighbouring woods.

The architecture is a beautiful mix of modern and old. The original building dates back to a 1850s silk ribbon factory before it was transformed into a hostel during the 80s. The modern-day interpretation was completed by Buchner Bründler Architects in 2010. Paying homage to the buildings industrial past, haptic and natural materials like concrete, wood and stone are used through-out, while the floor to ceiling windows draw the surrounding nature into the space. The interior design story continues this interpretation with an understated yet tasteful choice of furnishings.

With their laid back and warm approach, the welcoming personnel made me feel at home in an instant. The place has that easy going, come-as-you-are openness that one can expect from a hostel. Yet the private rooms with their on-suite bathrooms and open balconies, bestowed that sense of luxury a hotel room should offer–with all the comforts you would expect (minus a kettle and TV–details I did not miss). Even the shared- and family rooms maintain the impression of good taste; simple yet comfortable and impeccably clean.

The hostel has an HI-Q and a platinum Ibex Fairstay certification which means they are committed to high standards and positive impacts. The accreditation is based on criteria demonstrating effective sustainable management of resources, maximizing social and economic benefits for the local community, cultural heritage and environment as well as the preservation of biodiversity, ecosystems and surrounding landscapes. Some examples include low-maintenance and natural building materials, resource saving and mindful housekeeping routines and products as well as the use of locally sourced produce.

Judging by the amount of toddlers running around at breakfast time, the hostel is quite popular amongst families. I enjoyed my breakfast and dinner in the dappled sunlight of the outside terrace, watching birds bounce from tree to branch with the soft roar of the water tumbling over rocks in the distance. I would certainly choose to stay here again should a future adventure bring me to Basel.

A special thanks to the house manager and team of Jugendherberge in Basel for their efforts in making my stay truly memorable.

youthhostel.ch | basel@youthhostel.ch | Tel: +41 61 272 05 72 | Jugendherberge Basel, St. Alban-Kirchrain 10, 4052 Basel, Schweiz

Text & Photography © Barbara Cilliers

Step inside

Johannesburg guest house for birders and nature lovers

2Mokolo guest house in Johannesburg

My sister and I used to run a small design studio in South Africa. One of our first and favourite projects was to design the brand identity for a new guest house in Johannesburg, called 2 Mokolo. The project was for Sandra de Witt, the then Creative Development Officer at the Jupiter Drawing Room, and her husband Graham Hickson. Both nature lovers and avid birders, Sandy and Graham sought to create a refuge for visitors in search of a nature filled respite from the bustling surrounding city.

Interior Photography by Soonafterstudio for 2Mokolo Bed & Breakfast

On my most recent visit to SA, I stopped by to take some photos for the new website we’re working on. I always enjoy the visits to their house, which is situated in the tree-lined suburb of Morningside in Sandton and a stone’s throw away from the Outspan Bird Sanctuary.

With its natural canopy of wild olive and white stinkwood, the garden itself is home to an abundance of bird species and 100% indigenous flora, which makes it the perfect retreat for bird and nature lovers.

Through the years the bed and breakfast has evolved and now include an elegant 4-star guest house called Annex at 18. Each of the luxurious rooms have wooden decks where guests can relax in the sun among giant palm trees. Sandy and Graham designed clever louvred sliding screens that provide complete privacy while guests can still enjoy access to the surrounding garden.

As a filmmaker, Graham’s love for story-telling is visible throughout the guest house. Quirky elements like repurposed tripods (now used as bedside lamps) and old tin cars and wooden toys, add to the inviting character of the interior. The couple’s love for birds and the African bush veld is also evident in the collector-like aesthetic, choice of fabrics and use of materials.

The rooms are vibrant and friendly. Each have a brightly painted barn-style sliding door that leads into a luxurious en-suite bathroom with beautiful bath and huge shower that open onto a private deck, adding an almost spa-like feel. My favourite is Annex III with its pewter bath and private outside shower.

Sandy, who’s won numerous awards at Cannes, D&AD, One Show and the Loeries during her corporate career as Creative Director of TBWA South Africa, now runs 2 Mokolo with equal fervour. So it’s without surprise that the guest house has such an excellent traveller rating on Trip Advisor.

2 Mokolo is central Joburg’s first BirdLife SA accredited birder-friendly establishment, but it’s not just nature lovers and birds that are welcome here. The guest house has its own beehive too. So aside from Graham’s delicious home-made sourdough bread, kombucha and preserves, guests can enjoy honey from the resident bees.

The luxurious bathroom at 2Mokolo Bed & Breakfast

Soon the beautiful 2Mokolo will have a brand-new website designed and built by yours truly. Until then, bookings can be made on 2mokolo.co.za.

If you’re in need of some beautiful photography and a modern functional website, we’re here to help. Have a look at our studio page to see all the ways that we can help your business communicate beautifully. We’re also always looking for nature-friendly businesses to feature on the blog. Yours might just be the perfect fit!

Text & Photography © Barbara Cilliers

Back to the wild

Ecological countryside cabin

Countryside escape to an
ecological wooden cabin in Zempow

Just before the lock down, we headed out to the countryside for a week of solitude in a tiny German village a little outside of Berlin. We had found an ecological wooden cabin, and loved it so much we could have stayed a whole month. Sadly it was booked out for the next weeks, and we sourly returned to Berlin. Perhaps we’d be able to head back there in the summer.

The cabin is located in Zempow, a small village just under two hours from Berlin. A short walk from the studio takes you right into the forest with lots of trails to stroll along. The surrounding area is filled with woodlands and hilly pastures with many lakes to explore. The surrounding farms are all organic and in the tiny town there’s a lovely little bio shop where you can buy food from the nearby farm and region–perfect for a week-long hide out in the countryside.

Interior details of eco friendly wooden cabin

Designed by photographer Michael Reitz and designer Henrike Meyer, the house was built from natural and recyclable building materials like clay, hemp and wood with the help of architect and ecological construction pioneer, Arnold Dransfeld.

The design is minimalistic and elegant with huge triple glazed south facing doors and windows, offering beautiful views across the countryside while providing privacy from the road. There are no corridors and the slanted ceiling creates a large cavity, adding additional air and light to the open-plan living room and kitchen, making it feel quite lofty and spacious.

The cabin has no concrete floor slab and no insulation in the floor but rather a limestone gravel foundation that allows the house to breathe downwards. Other than the wonderful aesthetic appeal, the clay walls regulate the humidity of the rooms.

The interior of the cabin was done by Henrike–who owns the Berlin based interior firm Meyer + Harre. It is elegant and understated with minimal but comfortable furnishings in muted colours that harmonizes nicely with the patina of the wood. I liked the natural tones and textures of the wicker chairs combined with woven baskets and linen curtains.

Even though it was cold and rainy for most of our stay, we really didn’t mind. Cosy and snug, we spent our mornings in front of the fireplace, with fresh afternoon walks in the countryside. One thing that caught my attention was the incredible amount of birds of prey we saw. Red Kites were hunting across the meadows and eagles were frequently circling the sky. I guess the area must have plentiful supply of food for them–a good sign in terms of the ecology of the area.

Interior photography of eco friendly wooden cabin in German countryside

Interior details of countryside cabin in Germany

The bathroom and shower too, are entirely made from wood. It reminded me of a sauna, with lots of space–which I assume is to make it wheelchair accessible. I also really enjoyed the blue colour of the tiles combined with the plywood. The old teal stool and clever towel rail added a nice touch to the space. The bathroom has underfloor heating provided by the gravity based solar system that supplies the home with energy.

Interior Photography of countryside cabin in Germany

The building has a small footprint, but is actually really spacious, with three bedrooms and space for up to 6 guests. On account of the weather we never got to use it, but there is a very nicely sized deck on the sunny side of the cabin. Perfect for family meals and barbecues in the summer. Thanks to the high ceilings, the space lends itself well as a photography studio and can be booked for both shoots and workshops. The fast internet made it really easy for us to get our work done in the morning before heading out to nature.

Some interesting facts I learnt about the area is that the town of Zempow had the only drive-in movie theatre in the DDR. It is still in operation, and close to the cabin.

The area falls inside the Naturpark Stechlin-Ruppiner Land with 180 lakes and forest covering almost two-thirds of its territory. Unsurprisingly the nature park has the highest density of breeding ospreys in Central Europe! It’s a type of raptor that can reach up to 60 cm and eat a diet consisting almost exclusively of fish. If the sky is home to so many species, I can only imagine what other creatures all hide in the underbrush :). It’s certainly a place worth going back to!

For bookings, you can visit their website Studio Zempow.

Text & Photography © Barbara Cilliers

Back to the wild

Lessons from the long road

Wisdoms of an eight-year-old

At the youthful age of eight, I laced up my very first hiking boots. Four feet tall, a short bouncy bob, and a sleeping bag stuffed into the tiny backpack hugging my waist. Ready to traverse the rolling hills of Bochabello.

My parents introduced my twin sis and I to backpacking at an early age. This instilled in us a deep love and respect for nature, together with wisdoms imparted on one faced with the long road.

It is where I learned the power of words, the magic of the mind and the strength of unfailing belief.

I’m sure you can imagine, grown-up distances gets far pretty quickly when your legs are the length of fore-arms. I remember one afternoon on a hike somewhere in the Blyde River Canyon, the hot sun beating down on my neck and shoulders. Tired, angry and close to tears I whined to my father. “How far still pappa?”. It must have been the fifth time I asked. My dad, who should’ve been at his wits end by then, calmly came to a halt and hunched beside us.

Modern day Pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago

He told us if we were good, he would share with us a magic word. If we said it over and over, he explained, the word will give us power and the energy to go on, and we would forget about being tired altogether. This magic word was “laskenakke”.

“Will it really work pappa?”, we implored.
“Only if you really, really believe it will” he replied.

We walked on. Repeating laskenakke, loudly and in unison. Woah! We laughed as we imagined how the energy erupted inside us. Giddy, we skipped onward.

Laskenakke has stayed with me my entire life. It’s what I summoned halfway up Chapman’s peak on a bicycle or when the birds started chirping when I pulled an all-nighter to get a final year project completed. It’s what I keep in the pockets of my mind every day.

Even now when I am writing this, it’s a mental snack. Always at the ready. Like the time we embarked on a leg of the Camino de Santiago–exactly two years ago–when at times, the 120 kilometres of road ahead, seemed a tad bit daunting.

Also known as the Pilgramage of Compostella or the Way of St James, the Camino is a network of walkways. These “pilgrim’s pathways”, lead to the shrine of the apostle of Saint James The Great, who’s remains is said to be buried in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, northwestern Spain. This road (or series there-of) is walked by many, as a path of spiritual growth, to find salvation or as a way to deal with hardship. It’s considered a spiritual passage. A journey with the self.

In so many ways, life at the moment, is like this road to Santiago. A mental journey. One we are all on right now. An internal struggle and dialogue with the self. The ups and downs that come with the uncertainty of what the future holds and all the grim headlines plastered everywhere. The fear of the unknown, of disease and of the poverty or the hardship it is said to bring. It may seem like a terrible mountain. And we the anxious eight-year-olds struggling and frightened.

And yes. This “walk of life” thing, will at times be tough as nails.

And so, we can choose to sit on a rock and wait for darkness to descend. Because if we do it will. Or we can choose to believe in the power of laskenakke. The power of a positive mind. To keep going, even when it’s hard and the road seemingly endless.

We can choose to believe that at the end there will be a warm place waiting for us. A bucket of water to wash our feet in. A can of sweet, sweet soda to quench our thirst. Cause if we believe it, there will be. But we need to keep on walking.

This is the power of believing in the positive. The magic of laskenakke.

Text & Photography © Barbara Cilliers

Back to the wild

The world’s richest succulent biome

Succulent Karoo: The most abundant biome of succulents in the world

During the month of December I had the good fortune of making a trip with my family from Namibia all the way down to South Africa’s Western Cape. We had the opportunity to visit really remote places, living without the normal comforts like running water or electricity and to reconnect with nature.

Semi desert eco region of the Nama Karoo Image Copyright Soonafternoon

Succulent-Karoo-Image-Copyright-Soonafternoon-07

In the course of this trip we travelled through the Namaqua National Park, a unique landscape where–from a distance–not much appear to be happening. Running down the Western coast against the Atlantic ocean, the area looks like plain sandy plains. As far as the eye can see it appears to be covered in low growing–rather dull looking–bushes.

Namaqua National Park Image Copyright Soonafternoon

Weird and wonderful flora of the Succulent Karoo Image Copyright Soonafternoon

Succulent Karoo Image Copyright Soonafternoon 05

But once you are inside the landscape and you start to pay attention to the details, the scenery reveals to you its treasures. You notice that the dark blackish bush, hides within it hues of purple. And indeed upon even closer inspection, these explode into a myriad of other colours still; like puffy red-fingers waiving at you from the earth.

Weird and wonderful plants of the Namaqua National Park Image Copyright Soonafternoon

Wonderful flora of the Namaqua National Park Image Copyright Soonafternoon

The Namaqua National Park Image Copyright Soonafternoon

This magical landscape is called the Succulent Karoo. It is magical first and foremost, because it is such a sneaky chameleon. Hiding behind a mirage of grey and brown, you can find around 3000 succulents–a third of all the species in the world! And when you are lucky enough to visit during the spring, the landscape transforms itself into a tapestry of colour with flowers abound.

Strange flora of the the Namaqua National Park Image Copyright Soonafternoon

The beautiful Namaqua National Park Image Copyright Soonafternoon

40% of the plants here are endemic and found nowhere else on the planet. The plants have adapted to this area, a semidesert ecoregion, by storing water in their roots and swollen leaves. One species, called the Mesembryanthemum crystallinum–also known as crystal ice plants–look like they’re made up of tiny bubbles of water! Others surprise you with bright papery petals or puffs of teal.

Succulent Karoo Image Copyright Soonafternoon

Funny plants of the semidesert ecoregion of the Namaqua National Park Image Copyright Soonafternoon

Careful not to impose on the delicate ecosystem, I kept to the footpaths provided. In my imagination though, I could wander deep into the thicket, curious about all the wonders I have yet to see.

Beautiful succulents of the Succulent Karoo Image Copyright Soonafternoon

Text & Photography © Barbara Cilliers

Back to the wild

An offline journey to Richtersveld

Where earth meets sky
An offline journey to the Richtersveld Park

The Richtersveld Transfrontier Park, is a tricky place to get to. The roads are tough, with deep sand and rocky ascends. Steep climbs wind between mountainous landscapes of volcanic rock–some an estimated 2000 million years old. It’s a place of dirt and rock and dust. And of breathtaking beauty.

02 Landscape Photography Richtersfeld Copyright Soonafternoon

04 Landscape Photography Richtersfeld Copyright Soonafternoon

01 Landscape Photography Richtersfeld Copyright Soonafternoon

Situated in the north-western corner of South Africa’s Northern Cape Province, the landscape seems desolate. Temperatures can reach well into 50° and water is scarce. Life here depends on sporadic winter rainfall and moisture from the “Malmokkies”–the local name for the early morning fog and life-giving mists from the ocean.

Listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the park is home to the Nama people–the last survivors of the indigenous Khoikhoi or San people still practicing a traditional way of life. With their existence intrinsically connected to the environment, the nomadic locals manage to make a home for themselves and their livestock in an area bereft of common comforts. Together with South African National Parks, they are the keepers of the park.

01 Travel Photography Richtersfeld Copyright Soonafternoon

04 Travel Photography Richtersfeld Copyright Soonafternoon

02 Travel Photography Richtersfeld Copyright Soonafternoon

In the heart of the park lies Kokerboom Kloof. A plateau between giant boulders with views across the valley that seem to go on for days. When the sun has put its rays to bed and pulled night across the sky, the heavens come alive with stars. Allowing you to dip your imagination into the colourful milky-way and dream of Shamans reading stories in the wind and dancing in the shadows if the spirits.

With life prevailing against the odds it’s easy to be present here. The vastness of the surrounding nature overshadows your existence–the immensity of the universe at the same time louder and more silent than one’s thoughts.

03 Travel Photography Richtersfeld Copyright Soonafternoon

The name Kokerboom Kloof (Quiver tree valley) is derived from the vast amount of quiver trees dotting the landscape–an endemic species of endangered tree aloe (Aloidendron) such as the critically endangered Aloidendron pillansii (Bastard Quiver tree) and the Aloidendron dichotomum (Quiver tree or Kokerboom).

Due to their slow growing nature and difficulty to cultivate elsewhere the trees are extremely rare. The indigenous San people who called it “choje”, used to hollow out the tubular branches to make quivers for their hunting arrows, resulting in its English name.

More than 4000 plant species (nearly half of them endemic) have been recorded in the Richtersfeld. The biosphere is a transitional zone between the coastal Succulent Karoo ecoregion and the drier Nama Karoo and is said to be the only arid biodiversity hotspot on earth, providing a habitat to specimens found nowhere else on the planet.

Other than ablutions, the park does not offer amenities. Visitors must be well-equipped, with enough provisions of food, water, basic medical supplies, fuel and spare tyres.

The Richtersveld is where you go, to disconnect from the hustle and bustle of the man made world. To rely solely on what nature provides and to find comfort in the discomforts of living simply.

Images from this post are now available for purchase

Back to the wild

Countryside Glamping in England

Glamping in the English Countryside

Nearing the end of fall, Peter and I ventured across the pond to attend the annual Amara Blog Awards in London. We decided to make a weekend affair of our British trip, and rented a car, heading westward for a weekend of glamping in the English countryside.

We were keen to spend a few days in nature and was excited to find a farm that offered a low key refuge a stone’s throw from the beautiful Exmoor national park. After a long day of driving we finally reached Middlestone Farm. The beautifully fashioned safari-style tent, named badger lodge, had been warmly prepared for our arrival. With a fire already crackling in the cast iron ESSE, farmer and owner Patrick, gave us our introduction. A home-made lasagne was waiting in the fridge – right and ready to be propped in the oven – along with a hand written welcome note and bottle of bubbly. A most pleasent start to a marvellous weekend.

Middlestone Farm – Glamping in the English countryside by Soonafternoon

With a view over the valley and a personal hot tub, Badger lodge is indeed on the glamerous side of camping. The spacious tent is not only beautifully decorated but comfortably furnished with attention given to every little detail. Owners Patrick and Catherine Heard know exactly how to make their guest feel at home. In fact, Middle Stone farm also has it’s own little farm shop, with food items sourced from the farm and surrounds. You even have the option to order some freshly made bread; warm and ready for pick up the next morning.

Indeed I was so charmed by what Middlestone had to offer, I asked Caroline and Patrick to tell me a little more about their farm and how the idea of Middlestone farm came about.

Could you tell me a little about the history of Middle Stone Farm, the idea behind it and where it all began?

“We think the farm house at Middle Stone Farm is about 300 years old, it used to be a diary farm and village cricket matches used to happen in the glamping field and cricket teas on the front lawn. The club moved to nearby Pitsford Hill in the 80s we think. We chose the farm because of it’s size and manageability of the land, also because we thought the site would work well for glamping.”

The lodge is beautifully decorated and superbly built. Who is behind it all? Did you do it yourself or get some help?

“The canvas Lodges are produced in nearby Wellington. The carpentry work was by local builders and the lodges are decorated by ourselves.”

I read that you were interested in becoming a certified organic farm. How is that going? Is it tough to do?

“We are in the process of converting to Certified Organic at the moment. We have had our first inspection and will be certified Organic for Pigs in the summer 2019 and the rest of the farm in summer 2020. There is a lot more paper work, mainly to prove traceability and to justify any intervention (ie medicine for sick animals). Animal feed where required, is more expensive and work on the farm is more labour intensive as you have to remove weeds manually, and cannot use herbicides or pesticides.”

On your website you speak about a sustainable lifestyle. Can you elaborate a little on what that means for you guys and about how it works?

“Sustainable for us means – The heating and hot water on the farm is carbon neutral and renewable, using our own wood and from a forest a couple of miles away. Currently approx 70% of our electricity is generated by solar panels on the barn roof providing a large proportion of electricity and sending power back to the grid. We hope to generate 100% of our electricity in the future. As far as possible all of our electric appliances and light sources are low energy. We produce all of our own meat and eggs on the the farm and we hope in 2019 to be producing all our own vegetables. We try and have lots of local products in our farm shop. All the water on the farm comes from our own spring and is only treated by UV light, no chemicals.”

Do the principles of sustainability carry through to the lodge as well? If so, could you tell me a little about that?

“Yes, the lodges are produced by a local firm – only 20 minutes from Middle Stone Farm. The wooden platforms they’ve built on and the wooden walls are from local sawmills with wood from the surrounding woodlands. The firewood from the stoves is from a local woodland.”

The lasagne you left for us was mouthwatering! It was so nice to arrive to a home cooked meal after so many hours of driving. Who’s the cook behind these wonderful dishes?

“We produce all the meals ourselves using local products and our own meat and eggs where possible.”

From the short chat we had with Patrick it sounds like you have quite an adventurous history. Could you give me a little information about your background?

“Patrick and I met in London, Patrick was a wine merchant and I was working at Sotheby’s auction house. We knew we wanted to move the country and relocated to East Sussex shortly after getting married. Then around 5 years ago we decided we wanted to live a more self sufficient sustainable life, eating our own meat and vegetables, or our neighbours food, knowing it is free from unnecessary chemicals and that the animals have had a happy outdoor life.”

Is there a place you like to escape to? Somewhere you go to recharge or that makes you feel good other then Middle Stone of course if indeed you ever need to escape from the farm?

“We love France and used to go over quite often when we lived in the South East. It’s not so easy to escape from the farm now, especially with all the animals who typically decide to escape if they hear we’re thinking of going away for a night or two. So it would be Cornwall for the moment – easy to get to from Somerset and the Cornish coast is beautiful.”

Name your favourite spots in Exmoor for:

Breakfast or coffee: Brazier Coffee Roasters, Wellington, Somerset
Spending a hot summers day: Tarr Steps near Dulverton
Spending a cold winters day: By the Aga in our kitchen!
Finding inspiration: Instagram
A night out with friends: Around our kitchen table or at a friend’s. Our clubbing days are far behind us!

For more info about Middlestone farm, be sure to visit their website. They also have a ton of great reccomendations and tips and ideas of things to do around Exmoor. Their instagram account is just as wonderful, with beautiful pictures of life on the farm and the wonderful creatures you may find there.

Psssst. Remeber to follow us on instagram to stay up to date with the latest stories and features! 🙂

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A post shared by Soonafternoon Blog (@_soonafternoon_) on Nov 30, 2018 at 1:17am PST

Back to the wild

The Midlands Meander

A visit to Rawdons Hotel in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa

Every time I’m in South Africa, I try to visit a piece of the country I’ve never seen before. The Midlands is a place I had heard of on many occasions and been wanting to visit for quite some time. The name evokes scenes of misty hills, dark green woodlands and gleaming lakes – landscapes you’re more likely to find in the northern parts of England. But as I soon discovered, this quaint piece of countryside in the heart of Natal, delivers on all of the expectations that is promised by that name.

On our recent road trip through KwaZulu-Natal, we decided to pass through the Midlands, staying at Nottingham Road – a small village tucked away between rolling green hillocks of Mooi Rivier and the foothills of the Drakensberg. The area, also known as the Midlands Meander, is less than a two hour drive from Durban, and very easy to reach by car.

During our visit we stayed at the Rawdons Country Hotel, a tranquil estate with an old English charm. Surrounded by wide green lawns and massive oak trees, the hotel offers a breathtaking view of two lakes and the pine woods beyond. All day long the lake is full of life, with waterhens hopping on the water and ibises fishing for food. At night, while the finches disappear inside nests among the reeds, the evening air becomes abuzz with an orchestra of toads.

Tucked away between the trees at the edge of the water is the Lake House. Perfect for larger groups or families, the house offers two spacious rooms that open onto a semi private lawn. The interior is an elegant mix of antiques and country-cottage furnishings. My favourite was the kingsize canopy bed, the wood-burning fireplace and romantic bathroom with clawfoot bathtub.

The Rawdons Estate also houses the Boars Head Pub, an independent brewery known for its naturally brewed ales and lagers. Here one can sample an array of quirky-named ales like tipsy tiger or pye-eyed possum, as well as their very own gin and tonic on tap. If you think you’ve quaffed quite enough, you can brim your belly from a hearty selection of pub dishes like beer battered hake (my favourite) and hunters pie.

The Rawdons Hotel is the perfect base from which to explore everything the Midlands has to offer. Or for a simple day of relaxing, just curl up with a book next to the pool. Apart from the beautiful scenery and luxurious atmosphere, what I appreciated the most about the hotel, was their friendly staff and their efforts at making our stay feel super special.

My favourite spots in the Meander for

Breakfast: The Blueberry Café

Coffee: Terbodore coffee Roastery

Browsing & shopping: The Piggly Wiggly Country Village and Ground Cover Leather company.

Lunch: Chicken pies from the Windmill Country Stop

Beers followed by dinner: The Hogs Head Brewery

Travel

Waking up among the trees in Basel

Promotion piece courtesy of Jugendherberge Basel

youthhostel.ch | basel@youthhostel.ch | Tel: +41 61 272 05 72 | Jugendherberge Basel, St. Alban-Kirchrain 10, 4052 Basel, Schweiz

Text & Photography © Barbara Cilliers

Wild about interiors?

2Mokolo guest house in Johannesburg

Text & Photography © Barbara Cilliers

Wild about interiors?

Countryside escape to an ecological wooden cabin in Zempow

Text & Photography © Barbara Cilliers

Wild about nature?

Wisdoms of an eight-year-old

At the youthful age of eight, I laced up my very first hiking boots. Four feet tall, a short bouncy bob, and a sleeping bag stuffed into the tiny backpack hugging my waist. Ready to traverse the rolling hills of Bochabello.

Text & Photography © Barbara Cilliers

Wild about nature?

Succulent Karoo: The most abundant biome of succulents in the world

Text & Photography © Barbara Cilliers

Wild about nature?

Where earth meets sky An offline journey to the Richtersveld Park

Text & Photography © Barbara Cilliers

Wild about nature?

Glamping in the English Countryside

Nearing the end of fall, Peter and I ventured across the pond to attend the annual Amara Blog Awards in London. We decided to make a weekend affair of our British trip, and rented a car, heading westward for a weekend of glamping in the English countryside.

Could you tell me a little about the history of Middle Stone Farm, the idea behind it and where it all began?

The lodge is beautifully decorated and superbly built. Who is behind it all? Did you do it yourself or get some help?

I read that you were interested in becoming a certified organic farm. How is that going? Is it tough to do?

On your website you speak about a sustainable lifestyle. Can you elaborate a little on what that means for you guys and about how it works?

Do the principles of sustainability carry through to the lodge as well? If so, could you tell me a little about that?

The lasagne you left for us was mouthwatering! It was so nice to arrive to a home cooked meal after so many hours of driving. Who’s the cook behind these wonderful dishes?

From the short chat we had with Patrick it sounds like you have quite an adventurous history. Could you give me a little information about your background?

Is there a place you like to escape to? Somewhere you go to recharge or that makes you feel good other then Middle Stone of course if indeed you ever need to escape from the farm?

Name your favourite spots in Exmoor for:

Psssst. Remeber to follow us on instagram to stay up to date with the latest stories and features! 🙂

The Midlands Meander

A visit to Rawdons Hotel in Kwazulu Natal, South Africa

My favourite spots in the Meander for

Text & Photography © Barbara Cilliers

Wild about nature?

Countryside escape to an
ecological wooden cabin in Zempow

Where earth meets sky
An offline journey to the Richtersveld Park