Merwenstein Guest Farm - Merwenstein Rd, Bonnievale, Worcester, 6730

Do you know when you find those little hidden gems tucked away from everywhere and everyone in a town you would least expect it? Well, that’s what happened to K-9 Adventures when we went away to Merwenstein Guest Farm just outside Bonnievale.

Our Adventure

Planning what to do during level four lockdown restrictions was not easy when you are visiting an area known for its wine farms, which were obviously all closed. The million-dollar question “what shall we do for the weekend” was soon sorted after the owners of the Merwenstein Guest Farm, Heidi and Hugo welcomed us and our four dogs making us feel so at home and giving our dogs a chance to stretch their legs on the beautiful enclosed garden in front of the self-catering home we had booked. Heidi informed us of various hikes, running, and cycling routes as well as a close-by farmstall, which was worth the visit.

After our quick tour of the home, we took the dogs on their long-awaited walk, starting with a quick dip at the dam next to the home then winding through the orchards and, making our way down to the river where we spotted a few fantastic picnic spots. on returning to the accommodation we decided to get started on a braai, we chose to use the inside braai/fireplace option as it was getting a bit chilly. The fire soon heated the open-plan lounge and the dogs moved closer to soak up the heat.

The next morning after a very comfortable sleep and a good breakfast we decided to do the waterfall hike with our dogs. The hike was mostly easy except for one or two technical spots where we needed to give the dogs a hand. Heading back to where we had parked we stopped at a dam and packed out the lunch we had bought on the way at Bonfrutti farmstall and relaxed for a while, and by relax I mean threw sticks for the dogs to swim.

That night we decided to brace the slight chill in the air and have our braai outside, I was so glad to see that there was a complimentary crate of wood as the wood I had bought with was a bit wet; I later found out that besides the complimentary crate of wood there was also wood for sale at R30 per crate which sure makes packing the car a lot easier; that said you do not need to bring braai tongs or any other utensils with as the home is so well equipped.

The next day the owners took us on a tour of the beautiful guesthouse and surrounding farmlands sharing a few of their ideas on the picnic spots they were planning on developing and showing us a couple of potential running routes; before we realized we had walked about 8km and were looking down over the valley at the most incredible views, the ideal end to an amazing weekend.

In a nutshell, Merwenstein is the ideal getaway whether you are looking for a romantic break, a holiday for a large family, or a group of friends. the home and guesthouse combined could accommodate up to 24 guests, or select one room or the self-catering home; so many options and such a beautiful venue. From not knowing what to do to not having enough time! what a turn-around.

We had a great stay and can’t wait to visit again soon.

This is one of those rare occasions where we can say we arrived as guests and left as Friends