Fleckvieh Guestfarm - Dun Donald, Grootvadersbosch, R322, Heidelberg - Wc, Suurbraak

No matter what your preference is, Flechvieh has something for everyone. From Camping to glamping.

• Tel: +27 79 314 5853

  Dun Donald, Fleckvieh Boerdery / Guest Farm, R322
  Heidelberg, Western Cape

• fleckviehboerdery@gmail.com
• https://www.fleckvieh.co.za/

Fleckvieh Boerdery

What better way to celebrate the start of spring than to go camping (or in our case Glamping), the car was packed, and we were ready to hit the road with Kamp Kommandant playing loudly on the radio, creating a great festive vibe.

Fleckvieh is a mere 200 km from Strand, so we had 2h30 to discuss the origins of the name Fleckvieh. Fleckvieh pronounced Vlekvee in Afrikaans. Fleckvieh is the German name for a cattle breed with Fleck (Vlek) meaning spot and Vieh (vee) meaning stock. So directly translated you get “spotted cattle”. So now you know, not Fleck view, Fleck Vlei or any other pronunciation but Fleckvieh or Vlekvee.

Fleckvieh is 3 km before Grootvadersbosch. The road always feels very long to your destination, and the dogs were very happy once we arrived.  We stayed in the “Duiker” glamping tent. Tucked away in the indigenous wild olive forest on the edge of the Grootvadersbosch River, overlooking the Langeberg Mountains. The “Duiker” is perfect for big groups/families, as the “Duiker” is completely separate from the other Glamping tents and campsites and has a secluded camping area site next to it for the rest of the family or friends to set up camp with their own showers and braai facilities. The tent which was on a wooden deck consisted of one double bed and a split sleeping couch suitable for two children under the age of 16. Besides the very comfortable sleeping area, there was also a well-equipped kitchenette and a private bathroom. The braai on the deck overlooked the mountains and river, and the surrounding trees had an abundance of birdlife.

We had no one staying in the campsite next to the “Duiker”, and it did not take the dogs long to explore the adjacent camp area and the riverbanks in front of our tent. We could not have asked for better weather, no wind, not a cloud in sight, and a gin and tonic in hand while deciding what to braai, with dogs taking a nap on the deck exhausted from exploring.

The next morning was quite chilly, but what else do you expect while on a farm? I decided to stay in bed with my book until the sun reached the balcony sending Michael to go make coffee. The sun managed to reach the balcony around 9 and I was ready to step outside. After breakfast, we went for a walk across the river to explore a bit with the dogs. There are endless paths through the camps, you can walk for hours without getting bored.

The other Glamping Tents, Cabins, and campsites are all situated around a dam, some of them with their own private Jetty. The views from these sites are amazing but we would prefer staying in the “duiker” again as the dogs have more access to grass to run around and explore.

Saturday afternoon I decided to go for a run with Cobalt, after looking at the running/walking trail map in the info file. We thought the farmer was joking when he said it was so steep the baboons had to go up using a walking stick. Well needless to say I was on all fours till we reached the top of the mountain and then followed the MTB trails which just seemed to go on forever all along the mountain and we eventually had to pick a spot to turn around; if only I had taken my camera (not that any photo could have done the spectacular views any justice.)

Fleckvieh is a working farm, so on Sunday morning, we made our way to the Milking shed where the cows were all standing in line on their turn. Some of the milk was then taken to go feed the 6-week and 9-week-old calves, which were just adorable and a real treat for us city slickers. The strangest thing then happened, all the cats on the farm came around for their turn for some milk something you could expect but chickens! That’s right chickens started to hang around to grab a taste of the “spills” dropped by the calves.

2 nights at Fleckvieh was definitely not enough, we had just started to relax and switch off when it was time to pack the car and head home. I know we say this often, but Fleckvieh will definitely be seeing us again.

Things to remember about Fleckvieh

• Water is drinkable and comes from a spring near the campsite.
• This is a working farm, so respect the farm animals when visiting with your dogs. Keep your distance and remember there are endless paths and riverbanks to explore.
• Pick up after your dog, other campers are not fond of dog poo everywhere.
• No loud music
• An interesting fact, if your dog had to scare one of the dairy cows it could have an effect on their milk production.