Things to do
Fancourt has an on-site concierge to plan the perfect Day Trip for you.
The Estate lies in the heart of hop country, which the Hop Route is aptly named after. Many activities on the route are within a 40-kilometre radius of the estate.
Outside the hotel, at the entrance to the Links and Bramble Hill golf courses are rows of trellised hops surrounding SA Brewery’s Rob Roy hop processing plant. The short hop-growing season is from November to March, when the hops are cut down and sent to Rob Roy, where the flowers are separated from the leaves and stalks and freeze-dried and compressed into pellets, which are then used in the beer making process.
Most hop farms are found in Waboomskraal or Herold, small farming villages at the top of the Outeniqua Mountains, off the N12 and N9 en-route to Oudtshoorn or Uniondale. Tours of the hop farms can be arranged in season.
Nestled amongst the hop farms in Herold, just beyond the historic Montagu Pass is the only wine farm found in the Outeniqua ward. Here you will find the vineyard and cellars of Herold Wines, nestled against Cradock Peak, where the cool mountain mists are ideal for making Pinot Noir, Sauvignon Blanc and Shiraz wines.
Tours of the cellar, wine tasting, or an enjoyable cup of tea or coffee and snacks are followed by walks, or if you are lucky, a ride on a tractor to the vineyard.
Closer to Fancourt, and a sure hit for the young and old, is Redberry Strawberry farm, a short distance from the Geelhoutboom turnoff.
This commercial strawberry farm attracts visitors from all over the Southern Cape, who flock there for luscious strawberry cream teas and lunches. Half of the fun at Redberry farm is the rows and rows of strawberry plants, with large red and white berries that can be picked in abundance for at least 10 months of the year.
Redberry Farm also sources locally grown organic vegetables, which can be found alongside punnets of strawberries, cream, cheeses and a variety of bottled pickles and chutneys in their ever-increasing farm stall.
A short ride away is the Silver Lily Dutch cheese farm, where the cheese making process is explained before tasting the many variations of delicious cheeses made there.
At the neighbouring protea farm, Lumier, a fun, creative centre and children’s animal touch farm can be found. With its adjoining tea garden and pub, parents can relax while their children enjoy making crafts or play with their friends at tailor-made birthday parties with a difference.
Cruisa equestrian centre is the perfect venue for horse lovers, young and old, where trails into the neighbouring countryside, horse riding lessons and even children’s parties can be arranged.
For the more adventurous and Dads wanting to let off steam, a trip to Klynefontyn Farm in Geelhoutboom is a must. Quad biking trails are available for groups of five or more, which take you through the foothills of the Outeniqua mountains, which, on a clear day will give you breathtaking views as far as Mossel Bay.
After an enjoyable morning of activities, you should visit Valcor dairy farm during afternoon milking time. Come and see 900 cows being milked in the carousel dairy, which is disabled and child friendly.
Educational and informative talks are also held and visitors are taken to the fields to see what types of grasses and herbaceous foods are grown for healthy cows and successful yields, before visiting the calves before going to the dairy.
The huge farm is also home to a large variety of birds and the van Greunen brothers or their staff will be delighted to organise special tours for bird lovers.
After the farm, there is only one thing to do, make your way down to Herold’s Bay and enjoy the late afternoon sunshine, a paddle in the sea and an ice-cream cone, before heading back to Fancourt for a blissful night’s rest!
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