Photo: Riaan Hattingh
There is an ideal overnight stop in the Karoo if you were to travel between the Western Cape and Gauteng.
You will find Finchley Farm Cottages only 3km west of Willowmore in the Eastern Cape, on the R407 towards Prince Albert. Make sure you break your travel, or simply visit for a relaxing Karoo-farm holiday.
Michael and Joanne Kroon moved to the farm in 1996, and the first guests visited Finchley Farm Cottages in 2004. The old home and outside buildings, dating back to the late 1800s, were restored and made available to guests.
Farming primarily includes sheep and wool, with some horses, goats and cattle, and game also adds to the farming activities.
Comfortable accommodation
Farmer’s Weekly received a warm welcome upon arrival. We were shown around and received information about the farm activities and accommodation, with shadows growing tall over long Karoo-farm conversations in the late afternoon sun.
The hosts’ hospitality, and lush gardens around the beautiful, restored buildings and cottages in the surrounding Karoo can only leave a lasting imprint in the hearts of visitors.
Communal areas and services include a lapa with braai facilities and a swimming pool. A generator is available during load-shedding, and free Wi-Fi in all the cottages and rooms makes the life of the business traveller a bit easier. Breakfast can be pre-arranged, and also the meal of the day. All the rooms and cottages have TVs.
The Small Cottage was allocated to Farmer’s Weekly. It has a fully equipped kitchenette sufficient for self-catering, a bathroom with a shower and bathtub, seating, and a small table with chairs outside on the stoep. A sleeper couch in the lounge area is available for a child. A small gas stove can be used for making coffee or tea during load-shedding.
The Small Cottage has one bedroom with a king-size bed that staff can convert into two single beds if needed. A small portable braai is available outside. Optionally, at a fee, air conditioners can be used.
Two bedrooms, one with a double bed, and one with two single beds are the distinguishing features between the Large Cottage and the Small Cottage with its one bedroom. The rest of the features found in the Large Cottage are like those in the Small Cottage.
A fireplace is a highlight in the Luxury Room in the main house, ideal for chilly winter nights in the Karoo. This spacious room has a separate entrance from the stoep.
Self-catering is not an option in this room, but guests will find a coffee station and an en suite bathroom.
The Economy Room is also attached to the main house with a separate entrance. It has three single beds, a coffee station, and a small fridge. A bathroom (en suite) with shower is available, and a portable braai.
For campers there is a rustic campsite with a flush toilet, a rocket system for warm water in the shower, and a braai area. Electricity can be provided on request. Campers can swim in the farm dam (when it has water), or in the swimming pool at the main house.
Activities for guests
A wide variety of activities can keep all guests occupied. Swimming, hiking, cycling, birding, and a playground for the children will add to the Karoo-farm experience.
Nature lovers will be able to find four biomes on the farm, namely Nama Karoo, succulent Karoo, renoster Karoo, and fynbos, and to get to all these, several 4×4 and 4×2 trails can be followed.
At a fee, guests can drive up Aasvoëlberg, also on the farm (only a 4×2 is required), from where game such as kudu, blesbok, impala, springbok, duiker and klipspringers may be seen if it is your lucky day, and mountain streams, rivers, rock formations and plants like proteas and fynbos can be enjoyed.
Nearby town
Willowmore was founded in 1864 after the land was donated to the Dutch Reformed Church, which had a strong congregation at that time.
Ten years later a magistracy was formed, and another 10 years later a municipality. Today the town is incorporated into the Dr Beyers Naudé Local Municipality and is seen as the gateway to the Baviaanskloof, a World Heritage Site.
During the Anglo-Boer War, Willowmore and the surrounding area saw some action, with a Boer graveyard and ammunition depots testifying to the war activities in the area. The Pierre Ferreira hiking trail (two to three hours) takes hikers past some of the remnants of war.
Golfers will find a nine-hole course on the outskirts of town. For meals, you can visit Lou’s Place or the Belly Deli.
Sheep, goat, game farming, and tourism are the main driving forces behind the area’s economy.
The willow limo
The Willow Limo is a donkey car managed by Joanne. It belongs to Willowmore Tourism, but the car and donkeys stay at Finchley Farm because it is close to town.
Uncle Jim Makwena runs it and tickets sold for rides and photos are his only source of income.
Visitors will find the Willow Limo in town three to seven days a week, depending on the season.
Many trees
Sean, the only child of Michael and Joanne, was shot and killed in Bloemfontein in 2017 as he was trying to fend off a robber who stole his laptop and cell phone.
Sean was 18 years old and a first-year engineering student then.
As a boy in 2010, he started the idea of planting 1 000 trees in and around Willowmore to beautify the town. Before his death, approximately 700 trees had been planted, on average 100 per year.
Joanne has continued the project in memory of Sean and 70 trees remain to be planted to reach the goal of 1 000 trees.
The trees are available (many from donations), but, unfortunately, drought and water shortages hampered the project. Despite the setbacks, Joanne hopes to plant tree number 1 000 before the end of 2024. The Kroons also water most of these trees every week.
Visitors to Willowmore are likely to see some of the trees planted by Sean and his parents as they drive through the town.
Pricing for accommodation starts at R800 per person sharing and camping at R150 per person.
Visit finchleyfarm.co.za, or phone 082 783 5389 or 044 923 1801.
