South Africa Holiday in Somerset West | Self Catering Guest House in Somerset West

Mooring House takes guest Wine Tasting in and around Stellenbosch

2011-11-28T00:32:00.011+02:00

Mooring House Guest Lodge Accommodation in Somerset West

24 November 2011

Mooring House Guest Lodge in Somerset West once again went to explore the winelands past Stellenbosch. Today we took our Irish Guest, Peter, to taste some of our local wines. we left Mooring House just after 10:30am and our first stop was Blaauwklippen - I have a soft spot for this wine estate, havig spent some of my youthfull days here with friends and for me it is like re-visiting the past everytime I come here, but always enjoy some of their red wine.

They offer 2 options for wine tasting - any 3 for R15 or any 5 for R25. As a rule, I don't like paying for wine tasting, especially if I am buying wine from the winery. I must admit that this was the first time I didn't buy any wine from Blaauwklippen, so paid my dues and off we went through Stellenbosch, over Helshoogte Pass, stopping at our next venue - Tokara Wine Estate.

Miriam and myself haven't been here in at least 4 years and was pleasnatly surprised to find that we did not have to pay for our wine tasting., and we were served olives and bread with our tasting - Thanks Tokara. There are terrific views from the wine tasting room and it also boasts a huge, oversized wall mounted mechanical clock - you can atually see the mechanics at work as the minutes tick by.

Tokara also has a Deli and restaurant, but this is seperate from theWine tasting Venue so after buying some wine ( also very nice wines), we climbed into the car and drove to the Deli

Views from Wine tasting room

The Deli has adequate parking and has a lovely selection of nick nac's. One particular jar caught my immediate attention - creme nougat which you warm up and serve over cake - I will try it with fruit - should go well with strawberries. So I bought a jar to try at home.
Silly me, I did not look at the restaurant menu so I cannot comment on choices or price.

View from Deli at Tokara

Our next stop was Boschendal, our favourite place for a good old colonial style picnic - a real must for all visitors to the area - weather permitting naturally. As I was the designated driver, I did not partake in any wine tasting at this venue (tried and tested on previous occassions). I think Peter paid R25 to taste any 5 wines - again, a practice I am not too favorable with, and I think that it should be an acceptable practice to not charge if patrons buy wine, and charge if they do not.

Boschendal

We then headed off to Anura (almost next to Backsberg) as our final stop for the day. With a 15% alcohol content, I always find more than 1 bottle suitable for drinking and they really do have a good selection of both white and red wines. We did not have to pay for our wine tasting (maybe because I frequent the estate so regularly), and landed up purchasing a few bottles for my stock at home. After deciding on what we would drink with our lunch, we strolled over to the restaurant - Lilypad - always a personal favourite. After a lovely meal, followed by dessert and coffee we climbed back into the car and made our way back to Mooring House in Somerset West arriving home just after 4:30pm . It was a good day.

My wife, Miriam

Car Hire Somerset West

2011-09-26T19:51:00.010+02:00

If you are looking for a hire car whislt in Somerset West, Mooring House may have the answer.

Today Mooring House bought another little car as a rental vehicle for guest requiring a car to hire whilst on holiday in Somerset West, Western Cape, South Africa - a nice little 1.4 Hyundai Getz.

1.4 Hyundai Getz - Car Hire Somerset West

The Hire Car Mooring House offers is a manual vehicle with 5 gears, airbags, aircon, electric windows and power steering.

Guest requiring accommodation in Somerset West can now find everything at one Guest House, from airport collection to accommodation (self catering or B and B) and Car Hire, all at Mooring House Guest Lodge - Somerset West. For more info visit our webiste Mooring House car hire Somerset West

Mooring House tours the Cape Peninsula with Norman and Sheila

2011-01-27T00:57:00.640+02:00

(This blog is for the family and friends of Norman and Sheila - we have not kidnapped them - they are really having a good time).

This season, Robert and Joan would have revisited for their 3rd consecutive year and had booked for almost 3 months. However, due to health reasons, they could not make the trip as planned and instead we had the pleasure of meeting his brother, Norman and partner, Sheila. They originally intended only staying for roughly 4 weeks, but then went ahead and extended their stay for a further week and the night before departure, decided to extend for a further 2 weeks of sunshine and hospitality at Mooring House.

What follows is some of they highlights we visited during their stay with us at Mooring House. Our initial outings were unfortunately not captured on film but amongst others included a visit to Boschendal for coffee and scones, a visit to the Fairview cheese and wine estate, wine tasting at Blaauwklippen, a trip down memory lane at the Historical venue of Vergelegen, lunch at Sophia's at Morgenster wine estate and just plain winding down and relaxing in the sun in the garden at Mooring House Guest Lodge.

And then along came Christmas our short Christmas video can be viewed below

Sheila and my mother at Xmas lunch

Norman and Sheila

Norman and my father

It was a very casual and relaxing day and we set the table down by the pool under the trees. Lunch was a buffet style starting at 12:30pm and we ended around 6pm - it could have been later

The next day or two was spent relaxing in anticipation of their trip up to Pretoria, then boarding the Blue train and onward for a game safari adventure followed by a visit to Zambia and the Victoria Fall.

I think an elephant is stalking Sheila

Sheila and Norman aboard the Blue train

Sheila on the Lake Kariba

They returned back to the guest house on the 5th of January after having narrowly escaping the torrential rains which fell in the Johannesburg area causing a flood in some of the areas. Nevertheless they returned to sunshine and pleasant smiles at Mooring House.

Us with Norman at a restaurant in Langebaan

We didn't give them much time to relax as the following morning we set off to Langebaan for a drive and to take my son to friend who was staying their for a portion of the school holidays. It was a long 2 hour drive and after dropping my son the 4 of us went to the Langebaan lagoon and beach for lunch. It was a trifle windy on the beach and the restaurant facing the lagoon (where we wanted to eat) was full so we ended up at one of the side-walk restaurants - the food was mediocre but company good.

Us with Sheila

Norman and Sheila at Langebaan

After lunch we hit the road and headed for home

vantage point on Signal Hill in Cape Town

There was no slowing the momentum and the very next day we set off to Cape Town. We had lots to do and see so we planned an early start much to Normans' disgust who likes rolling out of bed after 9am. Anway we served breakfast at 8:15am and set off at 9 as planned. Our first stop was intended for a ride up to the top of Table Mountain but having seen the queues of people when we arrived there we decided to postpone this event for another day. So instead we drove a short distance away to Signal Hill http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Signal_Hill_(Cape_Town)

(Signal Hill is a landmark flat-topped hill located in Cape Town, next to Lion's Head and Table Mountain. Signal flags were used to communicate weather warnings as well as anchoring instructions to visiting ships in order to ensure that they prepared adequately for stormy weather while in the bay. Similarly, ships could use flags to signal for assistance if, for example, an anchor line parted during a storm.)

Norman and Sheila on Signal Hill with Table Mountain in the background

2010 Fifia World Cup Stadium as seen from Signal Hill

Norman and Sheila with Atlantic Ocean in background

After soaking up the views from Signal Hill, we climbed back into the car and drove past Camps Bay and through Bakoven to reach our next destination - The 12 Apostles Hotel, where we stopped for coffee before heading off to Hout Bay for Lunch

Leopards Lounge patio at the Twelve Apostles Hotel

By the time we reached Hout Bay the slight breeze had stopped and all that

was left was a hot summers day - little did we know that the temperatures would rise by almost 8 degrees to almost 40 over the next few days. Nevertheless, we parked our car in the parking lot near the Hout Bay harbour and walked to our restaurant - Mariners Wharf where we enjoyed our lunch on the outside deck overlooking the beach.

After lunch we took a stroll along the jetty to digest a bit of lunch and enjoy the sights of the fishing boats in the harbour. Then we headed back to the car for the next part of our outing - a drive along Chapmans Peak.

We left Hout Bay and took the scenic drive over Chapmans Peak, stopping every now and then at vantage points so Norman and Sheila could absorb the breathtaking scenery and views.

We cut through the scenic mountain pass and made our way to Boulders Beach (just after Simon's Town) to see the penguins. Having been to the sanctuary on many occassions, Miriam and myself sat on the sloping lawns overlooking the beach whist we waited for Norman and Sheila to finish at the penguin sanctuary. When we met up again we had a coffee at the local restaurant and then headed home taing the Muizenberg road.

SHEILA AT BOULDER'S BEACH

The coastal drive home was supposed to be a scenic one, but heavy fog had suddenly crept in and views were limited. We eventually arrived home after a long, but enjoyable day.

The next day we left Norman and Sheila to do their own thing and they took a drive to Franschoek arriving safely home just in time to enjoy a few remaining hours of late afternoon sunshine. That night I cooked up some prawns for supper and we all had a nice little nibble together.

10 January 2011 - Today my parents took the reigns and took Norman and Sheila for a drive up to Hermanus - notorious for whale watching. However, by January it is already a little late in the season for whales so none was seen (usually come into the bay to give birth during November and early December). Nevertheless, the drive is along the coast so there is much to see and appreciate. All in all it is roughly an hour from Mooring House Guest Lodge.

11 January 2011 found Norman and Sheila having a relaxing day in the garden with lots of sunshine. We had booked for dinner at Terroir at the de Zalze wine estate and minutes before jumping in the shower, Karl and Karen ( guests who had stayed with us during December and early Jan and then found an apartment for permanent rental) popped up for a drink. So the 6 of us gatehred in the garden (ONCE MORE) for sundowner drinks and then I dashed indoors to get ready.

Showing off my new shoes

Having got ready I returned to the garden to finish the last droplets of my drink and wore my new shoes for the first time - a Christmas gift sent over to me from the UK from Robert and Joan.

Us in the garden prior to leaving for Terroir

Norman, Karen and Karl in the garden at Mooring House

We said our goodbyes to Karl and Karen and headed off towards Stellenbosch for fine dining at Terroirs. We ended off the dinner evening with a shot of Zambucca and then cam home feeling rather full.

Dining at terroir

12 January saw a new adventure - up Table Mountain. Once again we had to get Norman out of bed early and set off to Cape Town just after 9am. It is always best to go up Table Mountain in the morning as the wind usually comes up in the aftrnoon making it a bit unpleasant at higher altitudes.

There wer no queues today when we reach the base of Table Mountain so I dropped Norman, Sheila and Miriam off at the Cable way entrance and then went to find parking which I eventually found about 1km away. I parked the car and did my exercise for the day as the walk was all up hill to where I had dropped them off.

We spent about an hour up on the mountain, first having some coffee and then exploring the summit with all it's glorious views. We then made our way back, went to fetch the car, picked them all up and then drove on to the Botanical gardens in Kirstenbosch.

Crossing the stream in Kirstenbosch Gardens

We first stopped for lunch and then walked the gardens, exploring only a portion of what was there to see. We made one last stop at one of the restaurants on the grounds for a coffee and then headed back home.

There is just no rest - the follwoing day 13 January, Karen and Karl-Heinz invited us all for lunch at the Backsberg Wine Estate. We arrived at the Estate around 12:30pm and first headed off tot he cellars for a bit of wine tasting.

Wine tasting at Backsberg

Lunch was particularly enjoyable, sitting outside under the oak trees with good food and company. It was a leisurely afternoon returning home again with that awful feeling of being completely full.

The 14th was a day of rest and lounging by the pool. I actually did a little gardening, but not too much - it was far too hot. By sunset we found ourselves relaxing by the poolside snacking and drinking to complete a somewhat lazy day.

15th January we were goign to do an afternoon barbeque, but somehow my mother got her own way and we all landed up at the Erinvale Golf Estate for lunch. The venue is always relaxing - sitting out on the tree covered deck soaking up the cool ambiance.

I have no idea why we call it lunch because by the time we got home it was almost time for sundowners, AGAIN.

AND HERE IS THE PROOF

Friends popped in to say hi and we landed up by the garden Gazebo having a few sundowner drinks.

By the looks of the table it was more than a few !!

Please - no recovering alcoholics welcome at this Guest House due to the obvious !
Erdinger rules (german brewed beer which Norman has got me accustomed to).

The 16th January we left Sheila and Norman to do their own thing and they went to visit one of our local wine estates - the Lourensford Etsate - just next to Erinvale and Vergelegen.

The 18th and 19th January

My parents took Norman and Sheila on an excursion up through the Wilderness, onto Knysna where they spent 1 evening, then returned home via Oudtshoorn, first stopping at an ostrich farm.

Views from Wilderness vantage point

Evening View of Kysna Quays

Graywood Lodge in Knysna where they slept for the night

An evening out in Knysna

Sheila plaing with an ostrich

I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY - A GOODTIME HAD BY ALL

They arrived home on the 19th, tired but exhilerated. We had a few drinks in hte garden listening to their adventures and then all had an early night. The next day we left them to themselves only to hear later that they had met up with my parents again at Erinvale for an extended lunch.

20 January - some of the guests at Mooring House (including my parents and us) decided to head off to Bloubergstrand for lunch at a lovely venue known as On The Rocks.

In the parking area outside the retaurant, Table Mountain in the background.

The restaurant is on the sea side of Blougberstrand and displays magnificient views of both Table Bay and Table Mountain. Robben Island is also in direct view from within the restaurant and looks almost like it is just a stone throw away.

Lunch was lovely and afterwards we went out onto the bottom terrace for coffee and liquers

Once home again at Mooring House it was time for a quick nap and tan in the afternoon sun followed later by sundowners and snacks under the gazebo

Molly, Tommy, Norman and Sheila under the gazebo

In between all the sights and going out to eat we also had a little entertainment at Mooring House itself.

With thoughts of going solar, we had 2 gigantic pine trees on the rear of the property, estimated to be well over 70 years (so you can imagine the size). Well, apart from living with the fear that during our windy season the trees may uproot and come careering through our house, the actual green pine cones fell from such a height that they were constantly shattering our tiled roof. Needless to say that putting up solar panels was out of the question as the pine cones would break the solar panels.

SO we eventually decided that it was time for them to go and had them cut down. It took 4 days, and a bit of noise I will admit but the tree felling owner ( Fred's tree services in Somerset West) agreed to only start daily after 9am so that our guests were not disturbed at the crack of dawn.

While Norman was having his Siesta, Sheila decided to take some pictures of her room at Mooring House

The Green Room at Mooring House

Sperate Kitchen area of the Green Room

The Green room consist of own entrance with front garden patio, large and spacious bedroom, full ensuite bathroom , seperate kitchen area leading onto rear shaded patio.

On the evening of the 22 January, some of the guests at Mooring House and ourselves decided to go out for supper at Mamma Roma - close to the Kleine Zalze golf estate on the way to Stellenbosch. It is only about an 8 minute drive from the Guest House and has always been a personal favourite of ours - good food at a reasonable price.

Norman and Sheila at Mamma Roma

Molly, Sheila and Norman

The naughty group - Tommy, Molly (Irish), Norman and Sheila (UK) and Miriam - my wife.

The next day (23rd January 2011) was aother relaxing and sunny (not to mention exceptioanlly hot), day and found guests leisurely sprawled out on the lawn and by hte pool side.

Molly and Tommy relaxing on loungers in the garden

Later on in the early evening we held an informal cheese and wine get together down by the pool under the shade of the trees

and as the time progressed, Sheila thought it would be a good idea to get some pampering and asked my daughter (who is studying at Isa Carstens in Stellenbosch) to give her a pedicure.

So instead of leaving the company, my daughter brought the goodies to the poolside and Sheila had her treatment

Later as the sun set, we witnessed the marvel of nature as a hawk came swooning down with prey in claws and in the tree right by us and started eating its clutched prey. It was quiet a magnificient to watch.

The next 2 days we took a back seat and let the guests relax and do what they pleased, but on the 26 January we booked a picnic at Boschendal close to Franschoek - another beautiful setting and highlight to our guests holiday. The weather was perfect, food and wine good and company - as always - great.

Having left Mooring House close to 11am, en-route to Boschendal we first stopped at Hillcrest Farm for a quick coffee break and then headed off to the scenic beauty of the Boschendal estate.

Hillcrest Berry farm offers exquisite mountain backdrop scenery and it is always a worthwhile stop for breakfast, lunch or just plain coffee. They also have a lovely deli offering a range of preserves, vinegars and olive oils.

We arrived at Boschendal first and Molly and Tommy arrived shortly after to join the picnic.

Well, 2 days have passed since the Boschendal picnic and we have now jumped to the 29 January 2011 having allowed our guests at Mooring House to once again relax, and catch up on the sunshine. Without promoting our guest house too much, I have to admit that although there may be wind or strong breezes in the vicinity, Mooring House offers all the shelter needed to relax in the sun in the garden in a wind free area of Somerset West.

Anyway, now that promotion time is over, its back to LETS DO SOMETHING.

So off we went to try out the food at Zevenwacht.

What a lovely setting Zevenwacht turned out to be and the food was equally as good and service excellent - another recommendation by Mooring House and their guests.

The next day Norman and Sheila ventured off on their own to another wine estate, namely Neethlingshof - roughly a 15 minute drive from the Mooring House and lies on the outskirts of Stellenbosch. Another recommendation for Lunch.

Apart from wine tasting, lovely lunches are served on the patio or under the oaks at Neethlingshof. Sundays they offer a suberb buffet and it is only roughly a 15 minute drive from Mooring House Guest House.

For guest house accommodation enquiries you can email Garry @ Mooring House. Mooring House offers both Bed and Breakfast and self catering accommodation.

Well it's not uncommon for ladies on holiday to have a bit of special care and Sheila is no exception especially when it comes to her nails. This is a picture taken from where Sheila had her nails done or as we know it - from Mimmies house. Gordon's Bay and the Indian Ocean is in the background.

On 31 January we we were all sitting in the shade at Mooring House having yet another sundowner and thought it would be a good idea to go out for some light Tappa's. So we all put on something casual and headed off along the R44 towards Stellenbosch and landed up at the local student hangout (just after Somerbosch) for a bite to eat. It was a pleasant enough evening and we sat outside having a good few laughs and sharing the portions of tappas ordered. And as all good things go, the evening came to an end and that was the end of another day in Somerset West.

The next day was a country adventure - a drive through the country side up to a town called Robertson.

We left Mooring House just after 9am, took the N2 highway over Sir Lowry's Pass and through on to Villiersdorp. Here we stopped for coffee and scones and then headed off to Robertson. As soon as we had left Villersdorp I realised that I had forgotten to fill up with petrol, so I made a turn around to Worcester whislt the rest of the gang continued to Robertson - our meet up point would be RooiBerg winery. We caught up with the group at the winery and then hit the gravel road and meandered down towards the Kolgans river at the Nerina Farm, encountering a few obstacles on the way.

Miriam chasing the cows so we could drive past and reach the river boat

We boarded the same boat and started cruising along the river. It wasn't long after setting off that lunch was served onboard. All in all the river cruise lasted 2 hrs, had nice farmstyle South African cooking, awful house wine, but luckily we brought our own and just paid corkage. It was a tranquil and pleasant outing.

The we had nothing planned fot the guests so Norman and Sheila took a coastal drive around Gordon's Bay

Returning home back to the Guest House to relax in the garden.

And so the holiday had nearly come to an end - except there was once more outing we at Mooring House organised for our guests. The following day we left the guest house just before 11am and headed off for the V&A Waterfront. We drove in convey, first ourselves, followed by Norman and Sheila and then Rob and Carol. Tommy and Molly had driven ahead because they new the meeting place but we still caught up with them and passed them on the National road N2.

We arrived at the waterfront for the final treat - an ocean breakfast cruise aboard the Tigger 2.

As we slowly pulled out of the Harbour we could see the lovely Queen Mary 11 docked in Cape Town Harbour

The '55 feet catamaran cruiser which we were on was truly that of floating decadence as it cruised along the shore line of the Cape Peninsula. It was seeing the Cape from a new angle, past Sea Point (where we could see the FiFi world cup Soccer Stadium close up), through Bantry Bay and dropping anchor in Clifton where champagne and snacks were served.

Molly and Sheila snacking in Clifton Bay

Sheila at sea with Table Mountain and the soccer stadium in the background

As the anchors were pulled and we slowly set the course back to the Waterfront, we all made our way to the front of the boat to sit and cushioned seats. There we sat, enjoying the sights and chatting, all the while wishing we all had a boat like this of our own. It was a wonderful morning trip and one both myself and our guests can thoroughly recommend. After we landed, Molly and Tommy went back to the guest house whilst we first went for coffee and then made our way home. Norman and Sheila remained as they first wanted to visit the aquarium.

The final night - 1 day before departure the crowd gathered in the garden in the afternoon having a few drinks and chatting and then on saying goodnight, somehow they all landed up on Molly and Tommy's front patio were the drinking and laughter continued till 2 in the morning. Luckily almost everyone staying at the guest house was partaking so noise was not a problem.

And that was the end of a holiday - hopefully one to remember. Norman and Sheila met my parents for a final coffe and to say goodbye and then cam eto the guest house to pack and have a last glass of wine with guests and ourselves and then they were off . Later I took Tommy and Molly to the airport and that was another goodbye - we miss them all - but had an early night.

Christmas Lunch at Mooring House

2011-01-26T20:01:00.002+02:00

This year (December 2010) we decided to once again hold Christmas Lunch at the Guest House (Mooring House) and invited the family and any guests who were staying with us and did not have plans for the day was invited to join. We especially missed Robert and Joan (UK guests) who had to cancel their visit this year due to medical reasons and so the video was in fact taken for their benefit so they could see our thoughts were with them - hopefully they will be at our table again in 2011.

Besides family, guests at the table were Karen Waga, Karl-Heinz Kriss, Norman White, Sheila Coleman, Dale and Carol Hobson.

We set the table under the trees by the pool and started the buffet style Lunch at 12:30pm. At 3pm we all raised our glasses in unison to Robert and Joan back in the UK and eventually ended with coffee at around 6pm

My wannabe chef son and Great dining at Terrior

2010-12-16T15:19:00.004+02:00

Cameron with his grandmother at TERROIR

Cameron, our middle child has decided to show an interest and flare in the kitchen department to the degree that we thought it would be best if he had a hands on working experience in an actual restaurant and from there he could decide if this is the path he wanted to choose for his profession in life.

Having said that, the opportunity arose last June holidays where he was given the opportunity to work in the kitchen under Michael Broughton at Terroir on the Klein de Zalze Estate just outside Somerset West. He jumped at the challenge and soaked up the knowledge gained as he was roped into helping at the various work stations within the kitchen - needless to say his interest for the culinary world ignited.

Obviously he must have shown some form of enthusiasm during the brief June appointment, because when the December holidays came along, Michael Broughton contacted me to see if Cameron would once again like to work in the Terroir kitchen and this time he would give him he's own work station - making the bread and rolls. As an unskilled and untrained young chap I thought this was a pretty terrific gesture on Michael part offering this position to my son. Once again and to my surprise my son abandoned the thought of hanging out with friends during the holidays and jumped at the opportunity of working a 5 day week in the kitchen of Terroir. as promised, Cameron was positioned by the bread making station and was also in charge of cooking the staff lunch everyday (roughly 40 of them).

As a treat and to see things from a different angle we took Cameron to dine at Terroir on the night of his birthday. What a tasteful adventure that turned out to be. Michael went out of his way to make it a most wonderful dining experience - starting off by coming to the table to say hello and wish Cameron on his birthday, then sent our table a complimentary butternut and cinnamon soup starter. We then had our ordered starter of salmon with bacon and avo foam - 3 days later and my taste buds are still longing for more.

When Michael originally came to our table to greet I had mentioned in the passing of conversation to him that my wife was a little disappointed that scallops were not on the menu so before our main meal arrived, our master chef ensured that all at the table received another complimentary serving of scallops - Michael Broughton - what can I say but thank you. Then our main course arrived followed by our dessert - every single course was out of this world delicious. Anyone in the area of Stellenbosch and Somerset West - treat your wife, girlfriend or partner for a really lovely and unpretentious dining experience - and do comment on the bread rolls in a positive way.

Father and son at Pomegranate

My 2 sons

In contrast I just have to add that for my daughters 19th birthday we also went to a well known restaurant - Pomegranate Restaurant on the Vergenoegd Wine Estate - well as much as I rave about Terroir in the most positive light, I can say nothing much about Pomegranate. On the particular day we went to eat there we were a table of 9. In total there was only us and 2 other other tables of 2 sitting outside on the lawns. Talk about pretentious, unsmiling and uneager to please. The bill came to just under R2000, the service was null and void, we were each given 1 small bread roll to nibble on and when asked for more we were told that the rolls are freshly made to order and 1 roll per person only - HELLO - my son makes the bread rolls at Terroir , they are also freshly baked and there is certainly more than 1 per person. To top it off, they must have heard us sing happy birthday to my daughter. Neither the manager/owner (chef) or any of his staff came over as a courtesy to wish my daughter nor did they even send her a complimentary sugar cube as a gesture from the restaurant. Even the 12 Apostles (see my blog) made an added effort to bring a little complimentary something to the table when we went for my mothers birthday. Both thumbs down for Pomegranate - although we could not actually fault the food it was overall one of the worst dining experiences we have had in a long time and I do doubt very much that we will ever go back there, nor would we recommend it to any of our guests staying at Mooring House

Twelve Apostles

2010-12-16T14:39:00.018+02:00

My father and Sister on the top terrace of leopards lounge
at the Twelve Apostles

9 December 2010 - Mothers birthday and off we headed to the Twelve Apostles Hotel in Bantry Bay for lunch to celebrate the occasion.

The drive from Mooring House Guest Lodge to the Twelve Apostles took about 50 minutes.

Sister with daughter

Parking in the basement lot of the hotel was a bit of a mission but as we walked the stairs (There was a lift but exercise was needed), to the narrow balcony on the upper terrace of leopards lounge where the family met for pre lunch drinks - all was worthwhile - stunning sea views of the Atlantic and the full exposure of the 12 Apostle Mountain range as a backdrop. The scenery was spectacular despite a rather chilly wind ascending from the Atlantic.

After drinks we headed off down to the main dining room and had the option to either sit indoors (and still be captivated by mountain and sea views), or outside on the large patio. Because of the wind we chose indoors. Our waiter was extremely attentive but obviously errors inside the kitchen because we had to wait almost an hour before our food arrived. Luckily there was more than enough bread available - and a good variety at that. After lunch (and the wind had subsided), we sat out on the terrace and had our coffee and desserts.

View of Atlantic Ocean

My wife

Overall, it was a nice family outing. Unpretentious yet oozed the finer quality lifestyle. Although the food was good (when it eventually arrived), it was nothing out of the ordinary one may have expected from a 5* Hotel and for the prices charged you would have expected that something extra on the taste buds - so it wasn't a culinary experience you would rave about (Not like Terroir - see my blog on that) but it was non the less something different especially with the views it had to offer.

Would I go back - maybe for the setting, but for the same price range I would rather go revisit Terroir or Asara in Stellenbosch

Flowers in Darling (West Coast)

2009-10-02T08:43:00.000+02:00

Yesterday (01/10/2009) was a full day - we decided to take a drive up to Darling (near the West Coast) to go and see the wild flowers as everyone we had spoken to had said that the show of flowers was the best in years. So by 10am after all the guests had checked out of the Guest House we set off in the Direction of Darling - parents, us and the kids.

We drove through Stellenbosch and then on to Malmesbury. Here we searched briefly for a nice outdoor venue to sit and have coffee but found nothing so drove on to Darling. It was roughly 11:30 by the time we had reached darling and with dry mouths we went in search of our coffee. We first drove past the Dirk Uys restaurant and station but having already been there on a previous occasion we decided to try somewhere new so just around the corner (at the intersection of Main Road and Station Road) we found a quaint corner coffee shop with niknacks and small nursery and bookshop - The Mantis Mall .

The name sounds impressive but in reality it was just a small converted cottage, but very, very quaint. Whilst waiting for the coffee we all browsed through the nooks and crannies within the house and eventually landed up buying a Vygie shrub.

With coffee over we set off to see the flowers. Our first stop was at the Malmesbury Information Bureau which we found housed within the Malmesbury Museum in Pastorie Road which in fact was the old Town Hall. Here we were handed a map informing us where all the flower locations were and so off we headed to the Darling Renosterveld Reserve as our first stop.

(Just a brief history of the Malmesbury Museum - Founded in 1978 by the Darling Women's Agricultural Association as a Butter Museum, one section contains a unique collection of artifacts depicting the beginnings of the buttermaking industry in Darling which was famous for its creamery. In 1989 the Museum was moved to its present home in the old Town Hall (1899) in Pastorie Street and expanded to reflect the lifestyle and growth of the village over the century and a half since its beginnings in 1853. The Museum recreates life in a bygone era with fascinating displays of Victorian clothing, china and household furniture. A traditional kitchen complete with hearth contains many ingenious gadgets intended to make the life of a Victorian housewife easier).

NOW BACK TO THE RENOSTERVELD RESERVE

We first thought we could through the reserve but when we arrived we saw the reserve was fenced in and we had to go on foot.
This certainly did not appeal to my mother and I was more concerned about having an encounter with a slithery reptile as this was sure to be a snake's haven.

Anyway, we ventured through the gate of the Reserve and were sadly disappointed at the show of flowers – we had missed it by a few weeks. Nevertheless we continued walking up along the footpath and eventually after not seeing many flowers decided to return to the car. We then headed off towards another reserve – here we found what we were looking for – fields and fields of colour – yellow, orange, purple and white with dashed of blue inbetween.

AND WE COULD DRIVE THE CAR THROUGH THE RESERVE - stopping every now and then for the kids to pose for a picture.

We toured around the reserve for roughly a half an hour and then headed off to the Cloof Winery for Lunch. Much to our disgust it was a dirt road of roughly 8km so it was a very dusty approach to the winery - we had to turn off by the Darling Winery and then continue towards Cloof Winery.

We were shown to our table outsie on the lawns and once we had placed our food order we set off intot he cool winery to taste the samples. They were all good and landed up buying a few bottles too many. Lunch was good and so was the wine - we even saw flowers - so it was a good day and set off back to the Guest House - MOORING HOUSE.

Thembalitsha | Guest House base in Somerset West

2008-04-13T00:47:00.000+02:00

Thembalitsha, which means “new hope,” reaches out to the poorest of the poor in South Africa.
In a nation that has the highest incidence of HIV/AIDS in the world, ThembaCare cares for infants and children who have been diagnosed as terminally ill with AIDS.

Somerset West is the closest large towns near Grabouw (Themba Care) and volunteers working on the Thembalitsha Project in Grabouw can consider Mooring House Guest Lodge as their base for accommodation purposes whilst assisting with the project. With affordable rates the guest house offer 8 rooms all with own entrance and private en-suite bathrooms and is therefore suitable for teams or small groups helping at ThembaCare Grabouw.

During June 2008, Mooring House Guest Lodge in Somerset West hosted 2 teams from the Dallas Trinty Church in Texas (USA). The 1st team stayed for 2 weeks and the 2nd team for a week, both teams consisting of 7 volunteers each who assisted with the outreach programmes in the Thembalitsha Project. Mooring House offers reduced rates for groups involved in volunteer mission work offering suitable and spacious accommodation for the volunteers during their stay. By offering reduced rates, the guest house ensures it's contribution to the programme ensuring more funds are available for the actual cause rather than spent on accomodation.

What the team had to say:

"Our team of 7 ladies spent 2 weeks at Mooring House. The rooms were so spacious and daily cleaned excellently. We had plenty of hot water for all of us to shower at once. The view and grounds are beautiful and located very conveniently to sites, mall, etc. Garry and Miriam prepared wonderful breakfasts for us and coordinated with our schedule just as we needed. The hosts also gave us excellent recommendations for shopping, laundry, eating out and they personally aided us when two of our group became ill. Their service to us went beyond the "call of duty". They provided help and answers for our every need. I hesitate making this review only because I hope Mooring House won't become so popular that I won't be able to get a reservation in the future. I would not stay anywhere else when visiting the Cape Town area. We all hope to return."

Accommodation in Somerset West for Cape Epic mountain bike riders

2008-04-10T23:07:00.000+02:00

5th May 2008, Mooring House again provided accommodation to 5 Cape Epic Mountain Bikers, (and their families) after the off track race from Knysna which finishined at Lourensford Estate in Somerset West. Mooring House Guest House is roughly 6 minutes away from the entrance to the Lourensford Estate and provides tasteful accommodation and tranquility mixed with smiling hospitality - a much needed therepy after the grueling and tiresom race. Although the weather conditions during the first 2 days were hot, the final day was a lot cooler and the competitors seemed to arrive at the Guest House later than the previous year - last year they were all lounging by the pool. This year when they left the guest house around 8am, the heavens opened and water cascaded from above and bikes were being loaded on vehicles in the pouring rain.

A nice thing about the guest house is that there is adequate on-site parking for vehicles, bikes and trailers and the rooms are spacious so equipment (bikes) can be taken into the room for safe keeping and there is still more than enough space to enjoy relaxing accommodation.

Email Feedback received from Kevin Record - Cape Epic Mountain Biker 2008
"Just a quick note to thank you for making our very brief stay such a nice and pleasant one."

Mfuleni Township Project | Accommodation in Somerset West | Guest House stay close to Mfuleni

2008-04-10T15:02:00.000+02:00

Mooring House, Guest House in Somerset West provides suitable accommodation for volunteers assisting with the Mfuleni Township Project. Easy access to and from the N2 route to the Township roughly a 20 minute drive away.Just off the N2 and cllose to Blue Downs.

The build will take place in Mfuleni which is a relatively new township about 40 kilometres from Cape Town, South Africa (about 1 hour by bus). It is a predominantly "Black" (African) township, although there are also some "Coloured" members of the community. [Wikipedia]The area got its name from the Xhosa word meaning “by the river”. People started to settle there in the 1960s. In the beginning it was a transit area for migrant labourers.The first houses were built in 1976 and most of the dwellings are houses or brick structures with a yard (44%), however, there are also many informal shacks without water and electricity supply (36%).Founded by Irish property developer and philanthropist Niall Mellon in 2002, the charity began building houses in its first township, Imizamo Yethu in Hout Bay, in 2003.Since then, Mellon's volunteers have built over 600 quality homes in Imizamo Yethu and a second township, Netreg off Cape Town's N2, where the organisation started work in April 2006Every year the charity organises a building blitz where Irish volunteers are asked to raise €4 000 each and travel to Cape Town for a week-long intensive build.As the 350 men and women prepare for the 2006 volunteer blitz in Mfuleni, NMTI's third township, the organisation has already started recruiting what it hopes will be a massive 1 000 volunteers for "the largest ever exodus of Irish people to a charity event overseas" in November 2007

Harold Porter Botanical Gardens and Kleinmond Harbour

2008-03-27T23:30:00.000+02:00

Kirstenbosch

2008-03-24T23:35:00.000+02:00

It was the last day of the Easter long weekend and we were taking my daughter and a few of her friends the the Kenilworth race course to be dropped off at the MY COKE FEST (set to be the biggest rock festival in SA).

As we were already almost on the foot of Table Mountain, we decided to take our boys to the Kirstenbosch Botanical Gardens - a place my wife and I had last visited some 8 years ago. We forgot how busy the place could be (especially considering it was a public holiday) and we had to queue to pay before entering the gates. Both my wife and myself had bladders that were about to burst so as soon as we were through the entrance gates we made a dash for the toilets.

Feeling much relieved, we made our way to the restaurant for lunch. The service was appaling and advice to those ordering a hot chocolate - please don't - it was a bitter and dark thick syrup drink and for a tourist attraction, the menu itself was nothing out of the ordinary and have frequented coffee shops with a wider range to choose from. Nevertheless, we ate and then began strolling the massive estate.

The lush green gardens are still as majestically beautiful as I can remember but the public facilities had definitely changed. Kirtenbosch is now a main venue for evening concerts where you sit on the lawns with your picnic and enjoy whatever concert is arranged for a particular day. More parking has been designated, the garden nursery is much bigger and there is another restaurant at the bottom of the estate - the one we discovered towards the end of our walk. This particular restaurant is less crowded, there is more space by the outside tables and the indoor venue is divided into 2 portions - the al-la-carte side and the self service side, the latter side also provides patrons with the option to buy a picnic selection and take it to the gardens and enjoy your own old fashioned picnic on a blanket ( bring your own).

Anyway, our roaming around the estate took us right up under Castle Rock and tot he entrance of Skeleton Gorge ( from here you can climb Table Mountain by foot on the footpath).

The views from beneath Castle Rock over a portion of the Cape Peninsula was absolutely wonderful.

Eventaully our little one was complaining that his legs were tired so we sat down on the nearest lawn for a rest and just absorbed the wonders around. It was on this piece of lawn that my kids tucked in their shirts and did rolly-polly down the grass slopes. My wife thought this was great fun and decided to do it aswell and then dad had to have his turn too. I'm just sorry I had no more space on my camera to take a video of my wife rolling down the embankment, but managed to capture the kids.

Mooring House Guest Lodge on outing to Robertson and the Kolgans River Restaurant

2008-03-19T12:01:00.000+02:00

We left the Guest House in Somerset West on Tuesday (01/03/2008) shortly after morning breakfast was finished, taking Barclay and Kathleen (our Scottish guests) on an outing to the Kolgans River Restaurant in Robertson. We had never done this before so it would be a new experience for all - not to mention, the weather was not the best, it was a wet and rainy day we had chosen for this outdoor South African experience. Nevertheless, we (our Scottish guests or should I say friends, my wife, my parents and myself ) and off we headed along the N2 over Sir Lowry's Pass. The route we were taking would be along the N2 from Somerset West, driving through the apple orchards in Elgin and then past the Theewaterskloof dam (the largest dam in the region and main source of water to Cape Town), through Villiersdorp and on into Robertson.

After roughly just under an hours drive we reached the town of Villiersdorp and on the outer outskirts of the town we stopped at the Kelkiewyn coffee shop and enjoyed a quick cup of coffee and scones.

The remainder of our drive was spent hoping for the skies to clear but on reaching Robertson it seemed to get progressively worse. It took a little time finding the right turn off to the River Restaurant as the road markings were not particularly clear, but eventually landed up at Nerina Guest Farm in Robertson, the entrance to the Kolgans River Restaurant.

We drove down a short dirt road, my parents car in the lead resulting in my mother having to get out of the their car to open the farm access gate. With rain drops still falling she was not impressed with this exercise and we all had a good chuckle at her expense - the looks say it all.

Nevertheless, we got to the river, parked our cars and boarded the somewhat primitive resmblance of a river raft - it was floating and offered a canopy to shelter us from the rain and that was all that mattered so on we climbed.

The engine started, the rain was pouring and off we set for a river cruise. The table was already set so it wasn't long before we started eating - we first tucked into the home baked bread with butter whilst sipping our wine and enjoying the scenary (despite the rain). The remainder of the luncheon consisted of pumkin soup (which I found a little sweet bit the others all loved it) chicken pie, spinach quiche, roast potato's, pumpkin pie, salad and chocolate pudding with custard was served on the way back. The cruise lasted for roughly 2 hours and despite the weather it still proved to be an enjoyable experience - well. taking the weather into account, it definitely beat spending time in a shopping mall.

With the river trip over and having paid our fare for the event, we thanked our "Captain" and decided to visit van Louvern wine estate (also situated in Robertson), their rose bottled under the Four Cousins label is an all time favourite of my wife. So the slight back-tracking through the town of Robertson was more to satisfy her curiosity. The wine tasting area was humming with people tasting wines but we found a spot a sampled a few of their wines. With wine tasting over, it was back in the car and time to depart for home, stopping briefly in at the Affie Plaas farm stall (a shop on hte road-side selling odds and sods and curios, small gifts and food. The weatehr was still miserable and so as a last stop we decided to have a coffee break at the Rooiberg Winery (Bodega de Vinho restaurant) just outside Robertson.

We left after coffee and took the wrong turnoff and landed up driving through Worcester and then backtracking a little.

It was another long, but enjoyable day.

A trip to the Southern tip of Africa

2008-03-13T16:03:00.000+02:00

Struisbaai and Cape Agulhas

(THE SOUTHERN TIP OF AFRICA)

DAY TRIP FROM MOORING HOUSE GUEST HOUSE IN SOMERSET WEST 01/03/2008

We served breakfast as per the morning ritual to those of our guests who were not self catering and were at the Guest House on a B&B basis. As soon as the breakfast run had been attended too, my wife, kids and myself together with a Scottish couple (Kathleen and Barclay who have been visiting our guest house in Somerset West for the past 3 consecutive years and have become family rather than guests) clambered into my car and we set off for the Southern tip of Africa. Cape Agulhas is roughly one hour and 45 minutes from Somerset West and the drive would take us along the N2 over Sir Lowry's Pass on to the town of Caledon. Leaving the N2 highway, we would drive through the town of Caledon, pass Napier then Bredasdorp where one would have the choice of either going straight on to Arniston or veering off right and going to Struisbaai and a little further Cape Agulhas.

Our first stop was at the Moerse Farmstall found just as one enters Napier. We have on occassions stopped here for coffee whilst en-route to Struisbaai, but this time it was purely a toilet stop and to buy cooldrinks for the kids.

From there we headed off to Bredasdorp and had coffee and toated sandwiches at another one of our favourites - a guest house and coffee shop at Bredasdorp Square Guest House

Here we lingered a little, the ladies browsed through the gift shop and clothing shop within the Guest House until the food arrived. We walked back to our car and headed for Struisbaai.

On entering the town of Struisbaai we found it to be a hive of activity and only later found out that it was the 2008 Yellowtail Festival. Whe we reached the boardwalk and the Nostra Restuarant we were amazed at all the cars in the parking area.

We found parking on the sidewalk and walked towards the restuarant hoping there would be a table. The deck of the restuarant was filling up quickly but we managed to find a table. Unfortuantely it was a hot day and our table had no umbrella. We ordered drinks, watching the many people and the beautiful sea and beach scenery, but our eyes were constantly scouting for a table with an umbrella who's patrons were ready to leave and as luck would have it, such a table became available about 30 minutes later.

With the warm weather, the calling of the ocean and the vibey beat of music and atmosphere at hte restuarant, Barclay (our adopted Scottish guests/family) could not resist the temptation to go swimming in the sea. He took Vaughn (our youngest) with him and Cameron (2nd eldest son) joined them shortly afterwards.

We ordered lunch and after that we had ice cream with chocolate flake in cones and then headed towards Cape Agullas - the southern most tip of Africa where the 2 oceans meet ( Indian Ocean and Atlantic Ocean). It was windy as usual at the point, but Kathleen and Barclay could now say that they had stood on the tip of Africa.

We left the chilly southern point (which is thanks to the Benguela Current) and headed back home. We past the Cape Agulhas Light House, but having already climbed to the top on a previous occassion, we decided to give this a skip.

En-route home we made a slight detour into the Caledon Hotel and Casino where we had a leisurely coffee and the kids went to play coin operated game machines. Having had a full daywe finally reached Somerset West and the Guest House where the beds looked so inviting.

What to do in Somerset West and surrounds

2008-01-01T00:24:00.000+02:00

Welcome to this blog page which we trust will be of help. Please have patience with us as we regularly update the contents on this page. We will only be posting those places we have personally visited so that we can give you an accurate account and description of the venue

EIKENDAL WINE ESTATE - Roughly a 6 minute drive from Mooring House Guesthouse along the R44 one finds the pleasant outdoor luncheon venue at Eikendal. The Estate is open for wine tasting, lunch and dinner and patrons have the option of sitting outside in a garden type setting or indoors. In the last 12 months we have enjoyed both luncheons and dinners on at least 8 occassions.

Although service on the last 2 occassions have been rather poor, the setting and food has made up for the lack of service and we still enjoy ourselves whenever we visit.

VERGELEGEN An Estate steeped in history and elegance. Also only minutes away from Mooring House Guest Lodge, the venue at Vergelegen is one not to be missed and adequate parking is available. Enjoy a tour through the vineyard and wine cellars and end up tasting or buying some really super wines or buying a gift at the adjacent curio shop. If that doesn't interest you then stroll through the gardens on this vast estate and visit the historical buildings of a past era. There is a restaurant on site aswell as a coffee shop which overlooks the rose garden. And lastly, the real treat at Vergelegen is the picnic venue. Set in a treed (almost forest like) environment this event should be enjoyed by most. Table are set under the trees and waiters supply food baskets to the various tables and if there are children involved, then there is a treasure hunt surprise for them. The picnic ends with a dessert and coffee or tea. We have been visiting Vergelegen for picnics on an annual basis for the past 5 years and have found 2 negative factors. Firstly, there is an entrance fee payable at the main entrance gate to Vergelegen. Although it is only a small fee, it is in my opinion that one is still spending money inside the Estate - either buying wine, picnic or lunch etc and on doing so one should be refunded the entrance fee. The second complaint is that although the ladies are always satisfied with the quantity of food provided, the men still feel they have room for a little more. If you can overlook these two issues, then Vergelegen should not be missed. 24hour advance booking is required for the picnic and due to the outdoor venue it is only held during the summer months.

ST GEORGES MALL, LONG STREET, THE CITY GARDENS OF CAPE TOWN AND THE CAPE TOWN MUSEUM

The Family took a trip into Cape Town last Friday (28 December 2007) and parked at the bottom of Long Street. From there we walked up through St Georges Mall (pointing out the Cape Times Building (where our newspapers are printed) and up to Green Market Square where we spent some time browsing through the arts and crafts stalls ( actually the children did the browsing). From there we walked through the City Gardens (or originally known as the Kompanje Gardens" ) and showed the children the Houses of Parliment and then strolled on through the gardens to the Cape Town museum and the Planetarium. We spent a good 2 hours walking through the museum and watching a 30 min show inside the planetarium. Even our little one (aged 6) was mesmerised and totally overjoyed at seeing the dinasour skeleton display in the one section. From there we had lunch. We could have had lunch at the restaurant inside the Gardens but decided to sit down at one of the side street cafe's - there are numerous to choose from. After lunch we strolled down Long Street browsing in almost every shop we passed. By the time we reached our car it was past 5pm - an exhausting day, but thoroughly enjoyed.

RIVERSIDE RESTUARANT AND PICNIC SPOT IN FRANSCHOEK 09/01/2008

Today we decided to drive the long route to Franschoek via the winelands of Stellenboch and Paarl. Once in Paarl we back-tracked into Franschoek. The pavements of Franschoek (mind you Paarl aswell) was lined with coffee shops and small bistro's all occupied with both tourists and locals. Once in Franschoek, our first stop was the renown Franschoek chocolate factory. Quite decieving as it is actually a small shop tucked away on the main street of Franschoek. So small one could easily just drive past it. The front of the shop has the display goods (chocolates, chocolates and more chocolates) and in the background behind glass panes is where the actual chocolates are made. For an exquisite chocolate it is well worth visitng this venue. Although I must add that the chocolates are very expensive - but the taste well worth it.

MOORING HOUSE GUEST LODGE | B&B or Selfcatering Guest House in Somerset West

2007-12-15T19:47:00.002+02:00

Whether it`s a Golfing Holiday in Somerset West, touring the numerous wine estates, visiting historical sites at Vergelegen, a time by the beach or just business in the Helderberg region - Just 20 minutes from Cape Town International Airport and 30 minutes from Cape Town Centre, Mooring House Guest Lodge is the perfect base for your stay in the Western Cape area of South Africa.

Set on over 4000sqm of property on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain, and more personal than a Holiday Inn, the Guest House offers spacious and tasteful bed and breakfast or self catering accomodation in Somerset West. With views of the Mountain as a backdrop and sea views in the foreground the setting is both pleasant and tranquil.

In total the Guest House can accommodate a maximum of 20 guests. Each room has own private entrance and en-suite bathroom, TV reception (satellite option for certain rooms or bring your own card), sitting area and our garden facing units have private outside patio’s. Apart from additional equipment in the Self Catering units, all rooms have coffee/tea hospitality trays, fridges and microwaves for acomodation convenience. Breakfast is served either on the individual private patio`s, around the pool or brought to your room if the weather is poor.

We are situated at the gateway to the numerous wine estate, are in close proximity to various golf courses (Erinvale Golf Estate, Somerset West Country Club, Helderberg Village, de Zalza and Stellenbosch) and the Historical sites found at Vergelegen wine estate. The Whale Coast drive up to Hermanus starts from Gordon's Bay which is roughly 15 minutes away.

The Strand Beach front and the Somerset Mall (for all your shopping requirements) is only a few minutes drive away as well as recreational activities such as hiking trails. A supermarket, hair salon, dry-cleaner and restaurant is within an even closer proximity.Adequate and on-site parking is available within the premises, behind electronic gates.A sparkling and refreshing pool is also available to our guests who would prefer to "cool-off " rather than go sight-seeing.Light meals can be arranged for lunch or supper.

The Lord Charles Hotel is only minutes away for those businemen/ladies attending conferences there. 24hr ADSL connection or laptop / internet access is available as well as faxing facilities. We can also arrange a shuttle service to and from Cape Town International airport, assistance with car hire, restaurant reservations and Golf T-off times , all just part of the hospitality services we offer. Mooring House Guest Lodge – your acommodation provider in South Africa (Western Cape). We are here to ensure that you have both a memorable and enjoyable stay.

For more information visit the Mooring House Guest Lodge website and pop off an email to Garry by using the "CONTACT US" form on the webpage.

consider Mooring House Guest Lodge as your accommodation provider in Somerset West with private entrance, en-suite bathroom, daily house-keeping, WiFi and on-site parking.