The Ultimate Winterton Weekend Getaway

Words by: Carla Louise Gailey Dining at Farmer’s Fork Restaurant and Tapas Bar and resting at Cwebile Guesthouse. One day over lunch, my dear friend Ciara Gouws, who is a lecturer at CTIA (Chefs Training & Innovation Academy), proudly told me that one of her students had opened a restaurant in Winterton that she was eager to visit. She introduced me to Johan Botha, the owner of Farmer’s Fork Restaurant & Tapas Bar and Cwebile Guest House, and when he heard that I had, shamefully, never been to the Drakensberg, he invited me and Ciara to spend a weekend in Winterton to visit his restaurant and guest house. I was so excited to finally have the opportunity to visit this beautiful part of our province (and of course, a mini-holiday is always welcome!)

On a Friday afternoon, we headed to Winterton, which is only a two-and-a-half-hour drive from Durban – the perfect distance to feel like a short holiday, but not too far from home. The small town sits on the foothills of the Drakensberg on the banks of the Tugela River. It is best known for the magnificent backdrop of the all-encompassing Drakensberg, Champagne, Cathedral and Cathkin Peaks, which are simply majestic.Our plans for the weekend were simple: eat, drink, relax, explore and eat and drink some more. We arrived at Farmer’s Fork just in time for dinner. It was a beautiful evening, not a breath of wind and a buzz in the air. Winterton comes alive at night, we thought. Anika, Johan’s daughter, greeted us and showed us to our seats. Moments later Louis, Johan’s partner and head of the house, brought the wine list and gave us his best wine recommendations. We complied and were quickly engrossed in conversation and laughter as we sipped our red wine while seated in our cosy corner. Ciara proudly watched Chef Johan in the kitchen preparing our meals. You can tell that the Farmer’s Fork team is a family – they love what they do and have fun doing it, always making sure that guests are well-hydrated, and comfortable and do not go home hungry. We shared a crispy flatbread to start, which got our taste buds curious about what was to come. For my main course, I treated myself to a hearty portion of homemade gnocchi with a delicious arrabbiata sauce and blistered cherry tomatoes sprinkled with creamy Danish feta, while Ciara melted away with her juicy fillet steak. She was in heaven!

After dinner, we headed to Cwebile Guest House, run by the father-daughter duo of Johan and Anika. The guest house is in a private game reserve about 10 km from their restaurant, and we had the entire house to ourselves for the weekend. It has three beautifully appointed bedrooms, two of which are en-suite and one of which has a private bathroom, two lounges, two balconies, a stylish dining room, and braai and bonfire facilities. The guesthouse is overlooking a green lush lawn and a flowing river. Pure bliss.

Our Saturday morning began with coffee and rusks (homemade by Louis) on the veranda in our pyjamas. We sat in silence, listening to the chirping of the birds, and watching the impalas grazing on the lawn in front of us. We decided to put on our active wear and take a walk through the game reserve. After taking a wrong turn or two, we headed back to the house laughing, muddy and full of blackjacks, to shower and get ready for another day of eating and exploring the berg.When we returned to the restaurant for breakfast, we already had a healthy appetite for everything on the menu. We toasted with our mimosas and made our way through the menu. Ciara was torn between two breakfast options. “The best way to solve this problem is to order both. One sweet, one savoury. We can deal with the consequences later,” she suggested – and I agreed. A generous portion of the delicious Mexi Bowl, avocado and poached eggs on homemade bread followed, with their incredible French toast, grilled banana, syrup and a dollop of whipped cream for dessert. As we rolled out of the restaurant, it was time to begin our foray into Winterton.

We visited local bakeries, cheese, coffee and curio shops and just enjoyed the tranquillity that the Drakensberg offers. By 3 pm Ciara and I were ready for a nap and some yoga on the deck before our next feast. We made our way back to the restaurant, enjoyed a bottle or two of white wine and nibbled on baked camembert with crispy tortilla chips and homemade butternut jam. Oh my god, the butternut jam. This little pot of goodness deserves its own mention. We asked for two, maybe three extra portions. No shame in that, not at all. For the main course, we all sat together, Ciara, Louis, Johan and I, and enjoyed our special seafood dish together. For dessert, crème brûlée was the order of the day. Johan kindly allowed me to bake my dessert with the blowtorch (this was a first for me) and we sat under the stars, laughing and chatting with our new friends.On Sunday morning, we did not want to leave our little paradise. We enjoyed a leisurely morning with coffee on the veranda, waved goodbye to the giraffes, zebras, impalas and birds, and promised to meet again soon. We returned to our cosy little corner in Farmer’s Fork one last time, reminisced about our beautiful weekend, enjoyed a final meal and a pot of tea and made our way back to Durban.

On the drive back we laughed about how all we did all weekend was drink wine, eat and relax. I think that’s what a holiday should be. For those who have not had a chance to visit Winterton, especially Farmer’s Fork and Cwebile Guesthouse, trust me when I say you will not regret it. Book your weekend, get in the car and get ready to be pampered with all your senses for a weekend.

Notes from Chef Ciara Gouws

There is something magical about watching one of the kitchen staff run out to a vegetable garden during breakfast for some fresh produce for the plates. This and more were some of the experiences and nostalgic feelings that arose during the time spent at Farmer’s Fork. From arriving at this quaint family-owned tapas joint, it was nothing but authentic, home-style cooking complimented with fabulous wine and great service. The Head Chef can take innocent ingredients and showcase them in a way that makes you feel like you’re home. Bokkom butter on a perfectly cooked steak? Stop it! Perfectly balanced after being slathered with their homemade chunky ketchup. This was after being introduced to a preserve that rivalled all preserves! The butternut jam. Not available on the shelves YET but it might be well worth the drive to experience it again. This little pot of joy took my breath away, sitting pretty on top of a perfectly baked camembert. We couldn’t stop asking for more. No judging allowed. For breakfast… mimosas? Yes, please! But hold the orange juice. This little “pop your feet up, laugh the night away” kind of place kept my tummy full and heart happy. Their ability to welcome you with open arms while also reminding you that you are in the bush and should be open to any little creatures that are roaming around.