Way back, in July, I entered an instagram competition for #plasticfreejuly and let’s be honest, whoever actually wins instagram competitions? But we did!!! We won a weekend away at the eco-friendly, pet-friendly, family-friendly Underhill Farm, in Botrivier, close to Elgin and Grabouw. This week I am bringing you a couple of posts about our weekend away…

se7en-08-Oct-21-Whitagram-Image 98

Firstly, the Bot River is just about an hour’s drive from the city… the countryside, full of oak trees and apple orchards as far as the eye can see…

se7en-08-Oct-21-Whitagram-Image 73

There is Everything to Love About Road Tripping.

Once you have had the obligatory road-trip-pit-stop at Peregrine farm stall and all her associated pop-up stalls, for their world famous pies and a quick coffee… you finally feel like you are in the country.

se7en-04-Oct-21-Whitagram-Image 9

And yes… we had a passenger, because our first time ever, to visit accommodation that is pet friendly.
se7en-03-Oct-21-IMG_8628

Winding roads…
se7en-03-Oct-21-IMG_8635

Shady oak trees…
se7en-03-Oct-21-IMG_8644

Cape fold mountains…
se7en-03-Oct-21-IMG_8641

Wide open dams…
se7en-03-Oct-21-IMG_8638

And alpacas…
se7en-15-Oct-21-IMG_8176_result

Plotting and Planning


There are so many things to do in this little corner of the Western Cape, honestly you could visit for a month and not run out of things to do here… the thing is, it is close enough to Cape Town to make a day trip of it… but to be honest, it is so beautiful… you really want to stay over if you can.
se7en-03-Oct-21-IMG_8446

  • Top of my list of things to do would be The Cape Canopy Tours Ziplining Adventure, they have been on my wish list for years… definitely an adventure worth saving for.
  • There is also Kloofing and Hiking in the Hottentots Holland Nature Reserve.
  • You are definitely in wine country… and wine farms aplenty. Wherever there are winefarms there are picnics, wine tasting, and just beautiful great outdoors.
  • Otherwise, seasonal fruit picking, horse riding, cycling, camping and glamping.
  • A walk along the Bot River Trail.
  • We did spend time at a wonderful pottery workshop in Porcupine Hills and it was absolutely fantastic.
  • And of course, a visit to the Elgin Railway Market is an absolute must.
  • An Absolute Highlight: A Pottery Workshop


    Part of the Giveaway Prize was a pottery workshop with renowned ceramicist, Zbys Kaczmarek, on the neighbouring farm, Porcupine Hills. We absolutely loved it… we learned so much, it was a vibrant and exciting afternoon and we learned not only about decorating, but firing them up in the kiln… and surprisingly, after a whole lot of magical tricks with sawdust, we got something beautiful bowls to take home with us and remember our trip by.
    se7en-15-Oct-21-IMG_7981_result

    se7en-15-Oct-21-IMG_7989_result

    se7en-15-Oct-21-IMG_8007_result

    se7en-15-Oct-21-IMG_8005_result


    se7en-01-Oct-21-IMG_3868

    se7en-01-Oct-21-IMG_3865

    se7en-15-Oct-21-IMG_8025_result

    se7en-15-Oct-21-IMG_8031_result

    We even came home with some fabulous pots that we had spent the afternoon creating.
    se7en-01-Oct-21-Whitagram-Image 5

    The Elgin Railway Market


    When we woke up on Saturday morning it was pouring down with rain, we decided to go for a drive in the country and ended up visiting the Elgin Railway Market… I have been dying to go there for years, so it was fabulous to finally be there. It is an excellent place to visit (take a look at the website for the opening hours) any day of the week, but especially on a rainy Saturday morning.
    se7en-15-Oct-21-IMG_8127_result

    There are dozens of vendors, serving every imaginable type of food you can imagine. From preserves, and olives, every type of platter and take out, poke bowls to wraps to waffles, and endless sweet treats.
    se7en-15-Oct-21-IMG_8112_result

    se7en-15-Oct-21-IMG_8158_result

    Also wine tasting, gin tasting, coffees and smoothies…
    se7en-15-Oct-21-IMG_8151_result

    There not only food traders, but plant stalls, and clothing, and our favourite store… a vintage store full of all sorts of treasures.
    se7en-15-Oct-21-IMG_8132_result

    se7en-15-Oct-21-IMG_8133_result

    se7en-15-Oct-21-IMG_8126_result

    And Lazy Wandering on the Bot River Trail


    And finally, back at Underhill Farm, where we were staying, there is a lovely trail along the river… so many magical little corners for adventuring and exploring… our kids would absolutley love this, loads of picnics and happy wandering…
    se7en-07-Oct-21-Whitagram-Image 57

    se7en-03-Oct-21-IMG_8535

    se7en-03-Oct-21-IMG_8539

    se7en-08-Oct-21-Whitagram-Image 95

    se7en-08-Oct-21-Whitagram-Image 99

    se7en-08-Oct-21-Whitagram-Image 96

    se7en-08-Oct-21-Whitagram-Image 100

    se7en-08-Oct-21-Whitagram-Image 90

    se7en-08-Oct-21-Whitagram-Image 93

    se7en-06-Oct-21-Whitagram-Image 45

    Definitely in apple blossom and oak tree country, and totally, totally worth a visit.
    se7en-08-Oct-21-Whitagram-Image 88

    se7en-08-Oct-21-Whitagram-Image 92

    More about where we stayed… and the accommodation at Underhill Farm tomorrow.

    Photo Gallery from our Weekend Away


    Bot River...

    Click on the image to see pictures from our weekend away.

One Reply to “So Many Things to do Close to Underhill Farm, in the Overberg…”

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *