Welcome

Welcome to Glen Eden Farm and thank you for choosing to stay with us!

The farm is owned and run by myself, Claudette, and my husband Andy. We have two children, a son Jack (born April 2015) and a daughter Freya (born November 2017). Andy and I emigrated to South Africa, Montagu in April 2014, from England. Before buying the farm, we spent 7 months touring the country and looking for a property to call home, both children were born here in South Africa.

Back in 2014 we decided we would like to try and farm…. despite having zero experience we gave it a shot, Andy thought we should start small so only brought 50 pregnant ewes, 7 large pigs for breeding and 150 chickens!

As you can imagine we made many mistakes in those first years, but we had an enjoyable time trying to farm, we learnt a lot and have some funny stories to tell. We sold our lamb and pork on the hoof to the butcher, and directly to the consumer. I used to sell free-range eggs to several bed & breakfasts and restaurants in Montagu, as well as private customers. Unfortunately, we had to cut most of the farming from our business as we could not make it pay, we were working very hard with very little to show for it. We were farming sheep on too small a scale to make any real income, and if we had a bad season or lost some animals, which we did to a caracal our profit was lost. The pigs weighing in at between 300-350 KG ate us out of house and home, and we couldn’t afford the feeding costs, and the chickens unfortunately did not make a good turn over, plus cleaning 600+ eggs a week is not fun….no one wants to buy an egg covered in chicken poo!

Since cutting the farming we have been concentrating on tourism. The farm has grown very organically; it’s taken since 2014 to get to what the farm is now. Currently we have 5 luxury houses/cottages all of which are pet friendly, all have enclosed gardens with a private splash pool, and a wood-fired hot tub. All cottages have indoor fireplaces and 4 have outside under cover braais, all have Netflix ready smart TVs and wi-fi.

We have 3 glamping sites located at Glen Eden Ranch, each site has a gypsy wagon, bell tent, private bathroom/kitchen, braai, fire pit and a wood-fired hot tub. In December 2021 we opened Little Eden, this is where our camping site is located and a different glamping option, Pixie. Pixie showcases our new concept ‘the luxury of a bedroom, outside in nature’. The site has 2 micro-bedrooms each equipped with a queen size bed, electricity and block out blinds. The rooms also have roll down mosquito blinds so you can experience that at nature feel with the doors open. 😊 The site also has a small private kitchen, braai, undercover picnic table & benches with outdoor lights and a wood-fired hot tub.

Our small boutique campsite has just 6 sites, is very private, all sites have reed fences and at 300 square meters each there’s lots of room for a tent/camper/caravan. Each site has water and electricity, shaded picnic area with lights, braai, fire-pit, and its own wood-fire hot tub. There is an up-market ablution, large communal fridge, and freezer, 4 gas hobs, and 2 washing up sinks.

We started the guest farm by initially renovating two workers cottages which would become Sunbird and Honeybee (December 2014), then our third cottage Fish Eagle, which was an old Lucerne store (December 2015). November/December 2016 saw the opening of our first ‘glamping site’ at Glen Eden Ranch, and the opening of house on the hill. In 2017 we took on the BIG job of renovating the old dairy on the farm (Glen Eden farm used to produce cheese before our time), which we started to live in December that year, the old main farmhouse then became Blue Crane House, time for a breather! We had a quiet 2018 and decided to tidy up the farm and maximise what we had. In 2019 we opened our second glamping site, Lilly Pod. This site is the same as the first, Protea Pod apart from a few modifications to the gypsy wagon to suit families with small children.

Then in 2020 COVID hit everyone, not much happening that year, then 2021 came and time for some more developments. 2021 was busy, we opened our third glamping site at Glen Eden Ranch, Aloe Pod, the new glamping concept at Little Eden, Pixie plus the campsite and the large recreational area with pool, day beds, loungers, jungle gym and tractor.

2022 was the year for giving our guests more activities based on the farm and saw the opening of our new venture, Archers of Eden, an archery range. Guests can pay for an hour’s instruction with equipment, if you have ever been keen on trying archery now could be your chance. The range can accept up to 6 students at any one time, we have Olympic targets and even some life size animal targets. This was also the year our new kiosk bar/Lapa/Pizzeria opened, Beany Peanut. Strange name I know but named after my children’s nicknames for a little fun. The bar is now licenced and we sell breakfast buns, pancakes, gourmet wood fired pizza’s, hand,made burgers and freshly made chips. We also sell Bootlegger coffee and great freshly made cocktails. As well as guests of Glen Eden we also have locals visit us.

Since opening the guest farm, we have been constantly making improvements, many of which have been based on feedback from our guests, so if you have any ideas, please let us know. We have a small touch farm for families who visit with children or animal loving grown-ups! Most of our animals have been rescued, some have been hand reared. The animals get fed twice a day, in the morning and again in the afternoon, please let us know if you would like to join us. Although tame our animals may still bite so, please only go into the animal pens with a member of staff. We have donkeys (new gardeners), alpacas, sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, rabbits, pigs, and peacocks and pheasants.

OK enough about us, I have listed some things to do in the area, if there is anything else, you would like to know please feel free to call 0711 002 782. All our staff have branded clothes so are easy to find, if you need anything you can just ask someone.

FREE ACTIVITIES ON THE FARM

Recreation area for all our guests to enjoy. Situated behind Little Eden. The area has two swimming pools, one with slides with queen size day beds, sun loungers and umbrellas. The area also has a large jungle gym and a shiny red tractor and a bouncy castle to keep the children amused. There is parking at the top of the area to the right-hand side of the gate to the stairs.

Touch farm – Feeding twice daily in the mornings and afternoons, let us know if you would like to join us.

Fishing - There are two dams on the farm you are welcome to use for fishing, one dam is stocked with grass carp, black bass and the other black bass and tilapia. Our guests are also welcome to fish on our neighbour’s dam which is large and full of black bass and tilapia, ask for details.

Hiking – there are many little hiking trails around the farm, treat the farm as your own during you stay and take a wonder. There are some longer more vigorous walks crossing our neighbours farm, you are also welcome to use. The paths are not marked so please ask for directions, hikes between 5-7km with a beautiful view at the top.

PAID ACTIVITIES ON THE FARM

We have an archery range on site, the range can accept up to 4 students at any one time, along with our Olympic targets we also have some life size animals’ ones. We use Matthews Genesis bows, these are great bows for beginners. We have adults and children’s equipment, so can accept children from 7 years. You can book a slot on the range, this included an hour’s tuition with all the equipment you need, if you have ever wanted to give archery a try, now is your opportunity.

We have 4 Indian kayaks on the farm and a special trailer. We are now offering excursions to Poortjieskloof dam (around a 15 minutes’ drive).  We offer or 1.5 or 2 hours at the dam with transport included, we have life vests from 30kg+. Please ask Carol or a member of staff for more details or to book either of these activities.

Restaurants

Bath Street

Piccolo Tesoro – The restaurant now only sells pizzas for take away or your allowed to eat them in the area outside.  Reasonably priced, good wood fired pizzas, worth a visit.             

Leons Bistro – Decent home cooked food, reasonably priced, great homemade scones.

Mitchell’s pub/bar – Serves well priced, good ‘pub grub’ which you can wash down with a beer or two, also well priced.

The Burgundy gherkin – Pizza restaurant, sell pizzas (also a gluten free pizza) OK priced, they also have pasta dishes, always seem to be open.

Purple Pickle – Owned by the same people as Burgundy Gherkin, purely take-aways, the selection is large, and they are reasonably priced, great ribs!

Montagu Country Hotel – Recently renovated this is a nice spot, there is a bar if you want a drink, there a small jungle gym outside, also a restaurant with different nooks, also very nice.

Long Street

Blue Vines – One of my favourites, it’s a great spot. The space is very relaxed, the décor is amazing, at the back it’s a great space to sit and have a glass or two of wine. The food is very nice too, pricier than some other places but worth it.

The Rambling Rose – Very well-run restaurant and although a little more pricey than other places in Montagu they serve great food and have a good menu selection. They have a shop inside and sell sauces and pickles made by the owner Cay who runs the kitchen, they also sell great coffee. They only have one table outside the rest is indoors, worth a visit.

Die Kloof Padstal – Situated on Long Street just as you come into town (from Cape Town direction) they have a wide selection of food (sometimes a little bit too much to choose from) and also a farm shop to have a look around, Montagu dried fruits is now located on the side. There is a play area for the children with trampoline, sand pit, tractor, climbing frame and toys. It has nice surroundings being by the river and although service can sometimes be a little slow the food is reasonable and well-priced. They are open Sundays until 4pm and sometimes have live music.

Die Boord, The Orchard – Only open during the day, although they have a small menu the food is nice and reasonably priced, they have seating inside and an area at the back to sit outside if you wish, they also have a little shop inside. Great burgers!

The Barn – Nice courtyard at the back to sit outside and although close to the road it is still a peaceful spot, food and service is good and the coffees are great.

Church Street

22 on Church – More expensive than some of the other restaurants but particularly good food and service (although the service can sometimes be a little too speedy). Well run restaurant with decent food, nice atmosphere inside, good selection on the menu, 100% worth a visit.

Mimosa Lodge/The Grill House – Recently revamped from a fine dining experience with an a la carte menu, now a grill house with fantastic steaks. Reasonable and a nice, relaxed atmosphere, would recommend.

Route 62 Brewery – They have around 4 ales they brew on site, they offer tastings and also serve tasty platters

318

Die Stal – Situated out of Montagu on the 318 on the left hand-side of the road, around 10/15 minutes’ drive. The food is good, the portions are big, and it is reasonably priced, the surroundings are very nice, you can sit in a large garden which is nice and peaceful.

BARRYDALE IS JUST OVER 60 KM FROM HERE BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF NICE PLACES TO EAT AND THE TOWN HAS A NICE VIBE, DIESEL AND CREME HAS EXCELLENT BURGERS AND GREAT SHAKES.

Fast Food/ Take Away

Purple Pickle – Owned by the same people as Burgundy Gherkin, purely take-aways, the selection is large, and they are reasonably priced, great ribs!

Burgundy Gherkin & Piccolos – Also do take away pizza’s

KFC – Is now situated on bath street, just down from Shoprite.

Things to do (around Montagu and surrounds)

Village Market – Every Saturday in Montagu between 9 – 1 there is a market, just down from the church on long street, sometimes the number of stalls is larger than others but there is always something to have a look at, there are several food stalls if you’re hungry.

Wine Route - Robertson/Ashton are close around 20KM from the farm and there are many wine farms where you can try free wine tasting, and some serve lunch.

Guano Caves – Situated on the R62 towards Montagu from here and on the left-hand side, they serve lunch and drinks. They have a train ride you can take into the mountain into a bat cave where they have found species of bats that are now protected, they also have a lot of animals the children (if you have any) may enjoy walking around and seeing, you have to pay for the train ride and to see the animals. They also have a very nice day pool you can pay to chill by and you can buy lunch although they only accept a certain numbers of day visitors per day so advisable that you call in advance, if you have children a nice way to spend the day if it’s warm.

Museums – There are a few museums in Montagu, Hicks Art Gallery in Joubert Street display paintings in their house, the owner Joy and Richard are very nice. The Old Mission Church in Long Street houses the administrative offices, a collection of pulpit Bibles and church artefacts, including old wedding dresses, form the focal point of the church with its original pulpit, pulpit cloth. Another permanent exhibition is the Indigenous Medicinal Plant research project displayed in one wing.
Joubert Huis, Long Street, a house museum, which portrays the typical country lifestyle of the 1850's. Of special interest is a comprehensive collection of toys from bygone days, particularly the unique collection of individually numbered handmade porcelain dolls. The costumes of the dolls are historically correct down to the last detail, including underclothing and leather shoes. There is an Indigenous Medicinal Plant Garden behind Joubert Huis which over the past 22 years has been researching and recording the history and traditional uses of medicinal plants in the Montagu district, passed down by the Khoikhoi, San and settler farmers from Europe. The garden contains more than 120 plants that have been researched and published in Herbal Remedies of Montagu Museum. The KWV buildings, c/o Long and Kohler Streets are fine remaining examples of historical industrial architecture in a rural area. Here you can view a permanent collection of agricultural vehicles and artefacts in the enclosed courtyard behind the complex, as well as Art & Artefacts in the Art Gallery.

Avalon Springs – Natural hot spring pools, I believe it gets busy on the weekend so for a more peaceful time go during the week. They also have a picnic braai area that you can use, prices vary depending on the season although I found it reasonably priced. The pools are nice, there are some slides for the children, you can buy food and drinks too.

Tractor Ride – Protea farm in the Koo do a tractor ride into the mountain and down and you can book to have a traditional potjie for lunch after the train has finished, entertaining for the children. The tractor can be quite bumpy if it is not full so bear this in mind if you have a bad back.

Walking / hiking - There are many walks around Montagu starting from a couple of different points, from 3km to 18km, please be warned the 18km hike does take 7hrs+ depending on your fitness and it can get cold on top even if its hot outside so take something warm and plenty of water.

Rock Climbing – There are loads of sports routes around the Montagu area, my partner and I are climbers (although we haven’t been climbing for a while since buying the farm and having children).

Guided climbs/hikes – There a few people I know locally that take visitors on guided hikes in the beautiful mountains or maybe a day climbing at one of the many crags in the area. Please ask if you need any info.

HOUSE RULES 

CHECK IN/OUT

• Check-out 10:00 am unless otherwise agreed
• Check- in 2pm unless otherwise agreed

WE ARE VERY RELAXED AND ALWAYS OFFER AN EARLY CHECK IN AND LATE CHECK OUT WHEN POSSIBLE. AN EARLY CHECK IN CANNOT BE CONFIRMED UNTIL THE EVENING BEFORE AS OUR CUT OFF IS ONLY AT 8PM FOR BOOKINGS, A LATE CHECK OUT WILL BE CONFIRMED DURING YOUR STAY.

NOISE POLICY

So, all our guests can enjoy a peaceful stay we ask that you please keep the noise to minimum between the hours of 10pm – 10am. There are no parties or gathering allowed in any public areas of the farm, unless agreed before your arrival. Not adhering to these rules could result in you being asked to leave the premises without a refund.

HOT TUBS - HOT POT

All properties have wood-fired hot tubs. The tubs take around 1.5/2 bags to get up to temperature, and around 2 hours. Depending on the temperature outside it could be quicker or slower. GO BIG ensure that the whole drum is filled with fire so that as the water passes through the coil in the drum it is all heated, if not it will take longer. YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO ANYTHING, THE TUB SELF CIRCULATES THE WATER THROUGH THE COIL, THE LEVER ONLY DRAINS THE WATER. If you need your water changing during your stay, please let us know.

WI-FI

For your convenience we have 4 Wi-Fi zones on the farm, meaning everyone should have a good signal, if you have a problem, please let us know. Please check below for your wifi name and password. If you are staying at one of our cottages your smart TV is already connected to the internet 😊

Sugarbird, Honeybee & Fish Eagle

Wi-fi: Glen Eden Farm
Password: GlenEden

House on the Hill

Wi-fi:  House on the Hill
Password: GlenEden

Blue Crane House

Wi-fi: Blue Crane House
Password: GlenEden

Glen Eden Ranch – Lily, Aloe & Protea Pod

Wi-fi: Glen Eden Ranch
Password: GlenEden

Little Eden – Pixie & camping site

Wi-fi: Little Eden
Password: GlenEden

CLEANING

All our properties at Glen Eden are all self-catering, and not serviced, meaning we do not offer a cleaning service during your stay unless are staying with us 7 days or longer. If you are with us for 7+ days we will come and clean for you, we will change the bed linen and your towels. This we will organize during your stay.

If you would like a cleaner to assist during your stay of less than 7 days, please let us know and if possible (depending on staff’s workload) we can arrange it for you at an extra charge.

All pools and gardens are cleaned the day of your arrival if you need any extra assistance with the pools and cleaning during your stay, please let us know.

If you have rubbish bags which are full, please let me know and we will come and collect them if left outside.

TOUCH FARM

We have a lot of animals for you to enjoy, most rescued, you are welcome to walk through the touch farm at any point, if you want to go into the pens, please ask a member of staff. Although our animals are tame, they can still bite and are used to us. If you want you to feed the animals, please let us know so you can join us, the animals are fed twice a day.

IF YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE, PLEASE DON’T HESITATE TO CONTACT US ON 0711 002 782, OR JUST ASK A MEMBER OF STAFF

EMERGENCY NUMBERS

HOSPITAL

Emergency: 023 614 8100

Montagu Hospital: 023 614 8109

Sozo Ambulance/Emergency: 023 614 2628

POLICE

Emergency: 10111

Montagu Police Station: 023 614 8300

DOCTORS

Dr Le Roux  - 060 966 2863 (Open Saturdays)

Dr Nel – 34 Bath Street: 023 614 1964

Montagu Clinic – Park Street: 023 614 2234

Montagu Pharmacy (Has nurses on site for basic things): 023 614 1370

DENTISTS

Dr Le Roux: 023 614 1281

VETERINARY CLINICS

Montagu (only sells food, toys, tablets, can give an examination, injections etc but cannot x-ray or do surgeries): 023 214 2938

Robertson Dierekliniek (also out of hours/emergency service): 023 626 2951

Cornerstone (Montagu clinic only open Monday – Friday 8am – 1pm): 023 626 1652

SNAKE SIGHTINGS

If you see a snake please call 071 100 2782, we have a snake catcher called Gerrie Haynes, in Montagu who we will call to come and try to remove and relocate the snake.

FURTHER ASSISTANCE

If you need any further assistance, or there is a number you need that is missing don’t hesitate to ask us. Call 071 100 2782