Orophile (adj.) A person who loves the mountains. The little town of McGregor in the Western Cape is surrounded by the Riviersonderend Mountains and is a very doable 2-hour drive from Cape Town and a mere 10 minutes from the popular Route 62 town of Robertson. Bordering the Little Karoo McGregor has no shortage of rolling hills and picturesque mountain views which caters perfectly for my orophile soul! And that’s exactly why you’re be spoiled for choice when choosing your McGregor accommodation as most of the cottages in McGregor offer amazing mountainous vistas.
We recently stayed at the perfect little Stone Cottage at Fossil Hills accommodation which offers a wide variety of self-catering cottages just outside McGregor on Thornvilla Wine Farm. Given that the Breede Valley is synonymous with wine, it really doesn’t get better than McGregor accommodation on a wine farm!
The Stone Cottage at Fossil Hills – McGregor Accommodation
The Stone Cottage is completely separate from the rest of the Fossil Hills accommodation, thereby offering the most privacy. Perched up high on a hill, the cottage has stunning views of both the farm and mountain region while watching the Springboks graze in the distance. Despite being secluded, the Stone Cottage offers all amenities and much more! Hot Tubs have being a filter staple for us when searching for accommodation, so if you’re particularly looking for McGregor accommodation with a hot tub, then look no further. We were also amazed at how quickly the Kol Kol hot tub took to heat up – in less than an hour of making the fire, it was ready for relaxation at the perfect temperature!
The lounge area has a fireplace and a TV with DSTV while the kitchen is fully equipped with a stove, microwave, fridge and all the necessary cutlery and crockery, including pretty decent wine glasses! It’s always refreshing for me when accommodations go the extra mile with their conveniences as it just makes the stay that much more pleasant. The main bedroom has a double bed, air-conditioner, TV and an en-suite bathroom with bath and shower. The bedroom is tastefully decorated with old world charm and really compliments the rugged surroundings. And a bonus for the kids is the loft bedroom which has two single beds, a bathroom with shower and beautiful views from the window. Needless to say, we were very impressed with how well equipped the cottage was.
In my opinion, the one thing that sets the Stone Cottage apart from the rest of the McGregor cottages are the two mountain bikes which are included for use during your stay. For most families, it’s already a mission to travel with kids and lugging around mountain bikes as well can become quite tiresome. There are two adult sized and one kids size mountain bikes which you can use to your hearts content in the property or watch the kids use them while you relax on the porch with a glass of wine – the epitome of family friendly McGregor accommodation!
Please note, the town of McGregor was badly hit by the severe Western Cape storm in September. Thankfully though, access to McGregor has been restored however, the gravel roads are still a bit difficult to navigate for a normal sedan and for the time being, I’d still recommend visiting with a high clearance vehicle if you’re opting for a farm stay or at the very least, enquire ahead of time about the condition of the road.
Much More Fossil Hills McGregor Accommodation to Choose From
Fossil Hills is pretty much a one-stop-shop when it comes to McGregor accommodation as they have an impressive 12 self-catering cottages to choose from and each one has their own Kolkol hot tub, mountain bikes and kayak!
In addition to the Stone Cottage, Fossil Hills also has:
Pinotage House – a 15-sleeper house with 5 bedrooms in the main house and 2 bedroom annex with cot has been transformed into a beautiful self-catering home. With a lovely garden and play area for the kiddies, this accommodation is perfectly suited for families, reunions and wedding accommodation in McGregor.
Tango Cottage – this guest house sleeps 10 people and is ideal for families with kids as it also has a jungle gym and the dam is only 300m away from the house.
Aloe Cottage – accommodating 6 people, this cottage has a lovely patio from where you can look out over the dam as well as the town of McGregor.
Lemon Tree and Flamingo are both 4 sleeper cottages with a double bedroom and a second bedroom with 2 single beds. The Flamingo cottage is also wheelchair accessible. Both cottages are a mere 1km away from the well-known McGregor attraction Eseltjiesrus Donkey Sanctuary and Vrolikheid Nature Reserve.
The Lavender, Albatross, Bateleur, Eagle, Crane and Dove cottages all sleep 2 persons. All of the cottages boast patios with gorgeous views of the vineyards and mountains.
For more details, visit www.fossilhills.co.za
Lots of Fun Things to Do in McGregor at Fossil Hills
Ever heard of a Wine Walk? Well now you have! With all the wine farms in McGregor and its surrounding areas, why not start by exploring the one on offer at Fossil Hills accommodation. The Fossil Hills Wine Walks is a three-day guided tour offering a full board hiking experience. Each daily hike covers a distance 10 to 16 kilometres and the trail takes you through several wine farms in the area, ending in a unique lunch and wine tasting experience at one of the region’s acclaimed wineries. There are options available:
Option 1 is a day walk (offered Monday – Saturday) which is about 10km and includes a wine tasting and lunch – ideal for team building outings.
Option 2 is a 3 day walk (offered Monday – Thursday) during which you’ll walk about 10-15km a day and includes 3 nights’ accommodation at Fossil Hills, meals for 3 days, 4 wine tastings and transport where needed.
The remaining available dates for 2023 are: 20-23 November and 4-7 December so hurry and book your wine walk!
Fossil Hills also offers hiking, walking, cycling, canoeing on the dam, fishing, dam picnics and 4×4 routes.
For the full itinerary and bookings info@fossilhills.co.za | +27 76 166 9268 (WhatsApp)
But Wait There’s more – a Function and Wedding Venue!
If you’re on the lookout for a wedding venue in McGregor, the Fossil Hills open venue/lapa has seating capacity for 50 guests and includes most of the basic items as well as a cleaning service after the function. Booking of the Pinotage self-catering house is compulsory when booking the venue. More details are available on their website.
**We were hosted for a 2-night stay at the Stone Cottage. As always, all reviews are honest and unbiased.
