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SPONSORED: Exercise in the fresh air, with good food, wine and company – the Fossil Hills Wine Walk around McGregor is the ideal trip for fitness and wine connoisseurs.
That’s according to Hanlé Zeeman, a music teacher from Tulbagh who settled down comfortably next to me on the sofa in Pinotage, one of the eleven guesthouses on the Fossil Hills farm, which is a stone’s throw outside McGregor. She and her husband Niel were seasoned hikers who, like me, signed up to be part of the first group to try the Fossil Hills Wine Walk Tour in McGregor. We sat together waiting for Jacob Naudé, who farms Fossil Hills with his father and brother, to give us the first briefing session before our wine journey was set to start the following day. This Wine Walk has been a long-standing dream for Jacob and his wife Nadia.
If you’re craving a hike but aren’t ready (yet) to trek with all your camping gear strapped to your back, or if you’re a nature lover with an appreciation for fine wine and looking to experience countryside hospitality, this Wine Walk is just the thing for you. For three nights, you’ll sleep luxuriously in snug cottages on Fossil Hills – in the same bed every night, so there is no need for packing up and packing out. Each day you’ll walk a manageable distance in the mountains and valleys around McGregor. You’ll lunch at a different wine farm every day, and dine at a choice restaurant in town each evening. This way, you’ll get to see the real McGregor.
Oom Adrius Rabie from the neighbouring farm was our first special guest on Monday evening. Oom Adrius was born and raised in the region, and he knows the area as if it’s his own personal backyard. Well ... it is his backyard. He showed us his personal collection of pictures of the animals, birds, reptiles and plants that he’s photographed in the area, as well as beautiful images of the landscapes we could expect on the hikes.
Our first dinner took place under the canopy at the outdoor venue space on Fossil Hills. Under fairy lights, we ate delicious lasagna hand-made by Ronel Smidt of Rustic Ronnie's Kitchen. It felt like a true plaaskuier, as Jacob and Nadia's daughters cut loose on the dance floor under the canopy. On the table, Jacob set out a variety of wines from the cellars we’d be visiting over the next three days, and the meal ended with a sip of grappa. That night I lay in bed thinking about how quickly this group of people had already formed a close bond.
Day One: thirteen km around Lord’s
The smell of eggs, bacon and toast reached us before we arrived at the breakfast table outside. Showered, dressed and with our feet rubbed and prepped, we were ready for Day One’s hike. The driveway held a treat for the group: We started the day being driven around in an open-air safari vehicle from Robertson’s Wine Valley Safari, aka The Wine Bus. Last to hop on were Janlu and Suzanne Kuyler, a married couple of preachers from Robertson who were getting ready to walk the Otter Trail with the Naudés, and who were joining our group for extra exercise. Janlu told the group where McGregor got its name from – a preacher, of course!
Since we were the first group, a special stop was worked into the itinerary for us: The Blend, a coffee bar and deli on the main street, where we were also treated to muffins.
The drive on the dirt road out of McGregor was delightful, especially since we were getting such a beautiful view from the Wine Bus. Our Bus stopped a short distance from the Lord’s wine cellar, and we continued the journey on foot. Jacob led the hike for the day, with a heavy bag strapped to his back. Nadia jokingly told us that he’d stuffed his bag with packs of flour that morning – since he wanted to carry the extra weight to get fit for the upcoming Otter Trail.
We followed a winding path that gradually became steeper, and when we reached the top of the hill, the veld suddenly opened up in front of us. Aside from a powerline running high above our heads, there were no other man-made structures in sight. With every step I took, I could feel myself becoming lighter as the city stress rolled off my back. This walk was what I came for! Jacob kept a close eye on the group and pointed out the flora every now and then. The trail was not difficult, but there were enough loose rocks in our path to warrant bringing our hiking sticks.
It wasn’t long before our group reached a small river – here the water games began! The path criss-crossed over the stream, and occasionally it wound through shallow water. The biggest danger here was a wet bottom or boots. The gentlemen on the hike lent us each a hand, though. When the path opened up again, a surprise oasis awaited us: a hammock and a neat little picnic spot, where we could take a minute to catch our breath.
The last part of the day’s walk came to a head as we swung by Tess Allendale’s farm. At certain times of the year, Tess is away from the farm and she isn’t always able to entertain the hikers, but it was our lucky day. Tess is a chef, and the address of her farm is literally On the Road to Nowhere (don’t believe me? Google it!). Visits here are by reservation only. Tess uses renewable farming methods in order to farm sustainably, and all of the farm’s elements are interdependent and support one another. Her pride and joy is her milking flock of Awassi sheep. Tess uses this milk to make the most delicious cheeses. At first, I was sceptical of the sheep milk cheese, but I quickly realised that my scepticism was purely due to ignorance since Roquefort cheese (which I love) is, of course, made of sheep’s milk. Tess offered us tastings of a variety of the cheeses she sells in the area. Most delicious was the halloumi, which she brought to the table fried in a cast iron skillet.
First cheese, then wine
From Allendale it was a short walk to Lord’s, where we settled in for a wine tasting and a delicious lunch of salad and fish and chips, or pizza. Lord’s belongs to the Oosthuizen family, who are crazy about wine and cricket – the farm is named after the legendary English cricket grounds. Justin Myburgh, their marketing manager, had joined the day’s walk and presented the wine tasting with great expertise. Lord’s Brut was a special favourite.
We arrived back at the Pinotage guest house, cleared up, and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon before we were transported to town in the early evening. Dinner that night took place at Saggy Stone, a local microbrewery. It takes a certain vision and self confidence to open a brewery in the middle of wine valley, but brothers Phillip and Adrian Robinson saw an opportunity and took it on with great enthusiasm.
Adrian greeted the group, and those who were up for it went for a beer tasting. Adrian explained that the one essential ingredient in good beer is good water, and he revealed that Saggy Stone uses fresh water from a spring in the area for their brewery. A winner, without a doubt! Dinner was burgers and calamari strips, with a koeksister for dessert.
Day Two: 10 km around Fossil Hills
Day Two’s walk jumped off right outside the Pinotage guest house. The morning’s instructions were to pack the little tin cups we all found on our pillows on arrival the previous day. Our goal for the day: the small hill where the famous McGregor crest is neatly formed with painted rocks.
We travelled through vineyards on the part of the farm belonging to Jacob (who was once again hiking while carrying a heavy load for the day), and crossed the stream over a simple bridge. For the first part of the day, the path hugged the hill snugly until it started to climb here and there. Nadia’s parents, who’re both past retirement age, joined the group and easily kept pace.
At the highest point of the day’s walk, Jacob brought out a bottle of McGregor muscadel and we clinked our tin cups in a toast while we soaked in the incredible views from all sides. It was idyllic!
The dung-spitting champion
On our way down the hill, Jacob stopped the walk a few times to show us the fossils from which Fossil Hills gets its name. In the distance, we could also see Stone Cottage, the beautiful remote stone house on the farm, which also gets rented out. At one point, we stopped for a dung-spitting competition. It wasn’t as gross as I had expected, but I soon realised it takes a special skill to spit goat droppings out of your mouth with dignity. Annemie, another journalist who was walking with her daughter, Mindie, had a lot of perseverance. After an unimpressive first attempt, she folded her tongue like a slingshot and spat that pellet so that it landed metres away. Thus, the first-ever Dung-spitting Champion of the Fossil Hills Wine Walk was crowned!
The last walk to the McGregor cellar was a wonderful meander through the vineyards. Another lovely surprise awaited us at the cellar: A long table was decked in the cellar itself. Altus Theron, the cellar manager, greeted each one of us with a handshake. We had arrived just one day after Jean-Prieur du Plessis, the McGregor winemaker, had finished pressing the grapes and Altus was in fine form. He shared anecdotes and quips while he presented us with the McGregor wines. A delicious buffet of cheeses, fruit, and fresh bread stood to the side, ready for us to pair it with our wine tasting. The McGregor cellar has big plans for the future, including releasing a premium range of wines. But for our tour, we were sipping at their playful range of house wines, labelled with names like “Delicious Monster”, “Blushing Bride”, “Golden Shower” and “Morning Glory”. Our Dung-spitting Champion was awarded a wine hamper with great pomp and fanfare.
This was not the end of the day’s wine tasting adventures, though. In the late afternoon, we stopped in front of Ilse Schutte’s boutique cellar, Bemind, on McGregor’s main road. Ilse, who was previously the winemaker at Lord’s, has been a garagiste (small scale winemaker – the term refers to making wine in your garage) in recent years, producing her own wine brand. She settled on the Afrikaans name “Bemind”, which means beloved in both Afrikaans and Dutch. To be known as a garagiste, you have to produce fewer than 9,000 litres of wine per year. Ilse doesn’t have her own vineyards and buys her grapes from farmers in the region. We sat outside her premises and drank some of her excellent wines. The Cinsuat and Cabernet Sauvignon, particularly, made quite an impression. Ilse revealed that her dear houseworker makes vetkoek one Wednesday per month, which they sell along with the wine, and people get together for a time of festivity while the town’s orchestra plays music. It sounds like a wonderful time of merriment.
For dinner, we crossed the road to where a long table awaited us on the porch of the Fat Lady’s Arms. It was a foodie’s paradise, with duck spring rolls and pâté as appetisers, and salmon, tuna and yellowtail included in the mains. Dessert was homemade ice cream and semolina cake with lemon curd. It was truly one of the best meals I’ve had in years.
Day Three: 10 km in the area
On the final morning, Nadia and her team spoiled us with bacon and cheese omelettes cooked in tin mugs, and Jacob and the kids pressed fresh pomegranate juice. That morning, everyone took a cup of coffee with them, since we were going to spend some time on the banks of one of the Fossil Hills dams. The dam is used purely for recreation, and the most beautiful water birds nest there. It was a moment of tranquillity for us to enjoy.
We climbed another small hill to take a beautiful group photo on the dam wall with the drone camera, which proved great fun, and made a pitstop (thanks to the coffee!) at another of the other eleven cottages on the farm, which was wonderfully furnished. Jacob showed us his citrus orchard, which was covered with nets, and let us taste his plum tomatoes.
On the border between Fossil Hills and its neighbour, Tanagra, we met Tanagra’s friendly owner Robert Rosenbach. He was waiting for us with his equally friendly dog, which was standing with its tail wagging. Robert led us down the river through the reeds, showing off his enormous Eucalyptus trees that lin the banks. A table decked out for wine tasting awaited us under the umbrellas on the lawn at Tanagra, and the surroundings were idyllic. Robert and his wife Anette emigrated to McGregor from Germany in 2009 to come make wine. Their wine is exceptional and Heavenly Chaos, a red wine blend, made a big impression. We couldn’t indulge too deeply, though, as we had to climb in our cars and hit the road later that afternoon, but we had a little sip of grappa before leaving.
The group’s final venue was also really special. Eseltjiesrus is a donkey sanctuary where abused and neglected animals find shelter. Here they are cared for with love, and keepers help to restore their faith in humanity. South African folk singer David Kramer himself wrote and performed the song “Donkiehemel” and gifted it to the sanctuary. We sat down together one last time to feast on chicken pie and quiche.
A group that experiences so much beauty and fun together in three days bonds very quickly and it was a tough goodbye, to each other as well as to McGregor. I will most definitely come walk this route again and bring my friend along next time.
If you want to view South Africa and its people with new eyes, swap your hit-and-run holidays, where you sleep in a different place each night, with a “sloertoer” where you stay in one place for a while. You won’t just see more, but you’ll also experience the soul of a place. McGregor stands ready to show you its heart.
Where: Fossil Hills is situated on the Langverwagten road between Robertson and McGregor in the Western Cape and is easy to find. Nadia will contact you closer to the time with clear directions. Even though the groups can accommodate a maximum of twenty hikers, the farm has room for up to 50 people in eleven neat houses. Some of the houses were set up during the COVID lockdown and are still brand new. It’s a great venue for family gatherings, wedding guests, or teambuilding. Nadia and Jacob intend to offer cycling tours in the same style as the wine walks.
Costs: From R6,500 per person, sharing. A surcharge for single rooms will be applied. Includes all accommodation, meals and drinks, transport to and from eateries (where applicable), a walking guide, and wine tastings. If you’d like to snack during the hikes, you’re welcome to bring your own food (but believe me, you eat enough).
Facilities: Luxe.
When: Join any of the groups as a singleton or a couple on 22-25 May, 12-15 June, 24-27 July, 7-10 and 21-24 August, 4-7 and 18-21 September, 16-19 and 23-26 October, 6-9 and 20-23 November, or 4-7 December. If you’re a group of six or more, you can request your own date – chat to Nadia. There are also several 2024 dates already available.
Must I walk? If you have a travel partner who cannot/will not walk, bring them along. There is plenty to keep non-hikers busy on McGregor. They can also sit and read on the farm by the dams, and just pop in to the meals and wine tastings. Remember Hanlé Zeeman's rule: Everyone does what he or she wants.
How fit must I be? The walk includes about 300 metres of climbing ("elevation gain") per day and is often on loose terrain. However, it is doable. The guide keeps an eye on everyone. Good walking shoes are a must.
Book with: nadia@fossilhills.co.za, or 076 166 9268
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