Sakrivierspoort

Sakrivierspoort is an immaculately kept farm, with not a leaf on the ground (or pine cone - they are picked up every day and placed in huge baskets next to each fireplace for the most magical kindling), nor an unkempt paddock. Sheep and game are farmed, with a small abattoir producing sausage, droewors and meat for the retail market. I came home with a cooler box full.

 Awww!

 The fire burned day and night in the huge hearth, absolutely essential as it was freezing! Electric blankets and the thickest duvet I have slept under since I was in Austria in the 60s!

The tree trunks we threw into the hearth.

Lambs and rams in separate paddocks, mares with foals cavorting as foals do.

Dam at lowest level

With plentiful water, operations are not under stress and the farms have been run by generations of the same family. The original homestead is now a very comfortable guest house (self-catering) where we were very happy to be ensconced for two nights. It had snowed the week before and was threatening again, but fortunately freezing temperatures held off and the pipes had hot water every morning!
There was no lack of birding opportunities and many other interesting things to see on this vast property, including the midden of the Cape Clawless Otter and freshwater mussels high and dry in the raised river bank. We were seeing it at its barest in the cold Karoo winter, and it is another place that would be well worth visiting in warmer seasons.
Ralie once again excelled in the food department with an outstanding dinner of braaied kudu steak prepared in the hearth - a most convivial end to a wonderful week, with just a few hours' drive the next morning to get us back to Beaufort West.