Enjoy the sweet life at Soetmelksvlei

Soetmelksvlei, Babylonstoren’s farm girl sister, was in seclusion for four years before her official debut in May 2024.

A country girl, she differs in appearance and personality from the better-known, more glamorous Babylonstoren, but she has her own charm and attractions. It’s well worthwhile making a trip to the Drakenstein Valley to make her acquaintance.

Soetmelksvlei is about 25 minutes’ shuttle from Babylonstoren’s central hub. Game drive vehicles depart every 15 minutes (buy tickets at the main Babylonstoren reception) and soon you’ll find yourself passing lush vineyards and well-fed cattle, with the panorama of beautiful Babylonstoren spread out below. You’re transported not only physically, but also back in time, to an idyllic depiction of Western Cape farm life in the late 19^th century.

The attention to detail in the Cape Dutch farmhouse is meticulous, from the four-poster bed in the main bedroom, arrayed with lacy coverlets and hand-crocheted blankets, to the farm kitchen, where bunches of herbs and collections of woven baskets are strung from the kitchen ceiling in front of the enormous hearth.

Sepia family portraits, flower-embroidered tray cloths, and china platters take one back to another, more leisurely age. While there is an abundance of detail, the result is tasteful and authentic, never kitsch.

The farmyard is a tranquil scene: ducks bob in a pond in front of an exquisite, white-washed, gabled henhouse; washing dries on the line; hens browse. Demonstrations of farmyard activities include separating milk to produce cream, distilling witblits, carpentry, and blacksmithing. Many of these crafts have practical applications: collectors send ancient oxwagons to be restored here, for example.

The Old Stables Restaurant centres on a long table laden with meat, vegetables, breads, cheeses, salads, homemade butter, condiments and pickles arranged on vast china platters. Farm implements, bunches of dried garlic, and even a brace of stuffed guineafowl hang from the rafters, but the most authentic accessory must be the elderly collie dog asleep on the kitchen floor, within easy reach of crumbs from the buffet.

There are workshops too – I spotted a blackboard listing lessons in flower-pressing and quilting, as well as Cape cookery – yummy melktert, melkkos and koeksisters.

For those who enjoy country style, but lack the time or inclination to sew a quilt or knit an heirloom jersey, the Jonkershuis Farm Shop sells an array of lifestyle products. Think preserves, cordials and biltong, hand-knitted children’s jerseys, crocheted blankets and even old-fashioned, leather rugby balls.

Soetmelksvlei is the perfect outing for children, and a trip down memory lane for adults who grew up in a gentler era. You may not return to it as often as Babylonstoren, but it’s well worth a visit.

Plan your visit:

Opening hours: Wednesday to Sunday, 09h00 to 17h00. Shuttle departs Babylonstoren at 15-minute intervals from 08h30 to 13h00. The journey takes approximately 25 minutes. Returns from Soetmelksvlei to Babylonstoren at 15-minute intervals from 11h00. Last shuttle returns at 17h00.

Cost: R350 per adult (including annual Babylonstoren membership valued at R150) or R200 for adults with valid membership. R100 per child aged 4-17.

Find out more: https://babylonstoren.com/soetmelksvlei