Rhodes, North-Eastern Highlands, Eastern Cape
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Comfortable, spacious en-suite accommodation, a cosy pub complete with a wood-fired pizza oven, fine country cuisine and hospitality in the best traditions of the "Platteland" make Walkerbouts a veritable home-from-home. We also have self-catering accommodation in houses and cottages in the historic hamlet of Rhodes.
Walkerbouts has six en suite bedrooms tastefully decorated with bold colours and furnishings to suit. Four of the bedrooms have showers and two have baths. It is one of only ten houses in Rhodes which can boast of having Eskom electricity and one of five dwellings which has satellite TV reception!
Guests are accommodated in five spacious bedrooms and a smaller "honeymoon suite" (ie with no place to hide). All beds are fitted with duvets as well as electric blankets to ward off the winter chill. The dining room and lounge are heated by an open fire-place as well as an anthracite heater. The cosy pub, whose walls could tell many, many stories, if only they could talk, also has two wood-fired pizza ovens providing an alternative and adding another dimension to the wholesome country fare served in the dining room. More specialised victuals such as vegetarian meals can be prepared by prior arrangement.
Picnic hampers can be made for lunches in the field. In addition to standard washing and ironing of clothing, a tumble dryer can save the day for times when inclement weather makes life difficult. Fax, photocopying and e-mail facilities can also make life easier for guests.
The village is 1860m above sea level and is 16km due south of the Kingdom of Lesotho. It is surrounded by the towns of Maclear, Ugie and Elliot that lie below the nearby escarpment. Barkly escarpment and Barkly East lies west above the escarpment. It is 60km or 60 minutes drive from Barkly East on a narrow and winding gravel road that must be driven with care. It is a remote village, almost frozen in time, a relic from the past and a living record of the trials and tribulations of the surrounding farming community. The unique nature of the architecture finds it's origins in the Victorian era and is a compromise between fashion, availability of materials and practicality. Houses range from grand trader's residences to flat-roofed "kerk-huisies" used as town houses in days gone by when traveling to the village from surrounding farms was a major outing. These buildings are sprinkled amongst tree-lined streets and all contribute to the quaint charm of the village that was proclaimed a Conservation Area in July 1997 rendering the entire village a National Monument.
The streams and rivers are home to rainbow and brown trout as well as indigenous species such as the small and largemouth yellowfish, both great sport fish that can be caught on a fly. The Wild Trout Association was founded in 1991 and has its headquarters at Walkerbouts. Fishing can be arranged on more than 200km of running water within an hour's drive of Rhodes that is located at the geographical centre of the fishery.
Other attractions in the area include horse riding, mountain-biking, birding, crafts, wing-shooting, hiking, rock art, 4x4 trails, Alpine and sub-alpine flowers in summer.
Three star grading by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa and rated in the “Recommended” category by the AA Quality Assurance programme. More importantly, we’re the only 365/365 catered venue in Rhodes!
Houses and cottages: in addition to Walkerbouts, accommodation can be arranged in the village and environs ranging from "Paraffin Palaces" to Eskom-powered self-catering establishments. Rates from R140/p/n .
Meals for non-residents can be enjoyed by prior arrangement.
Breakfast 08h00 to 09h30 from R40/person
Lunch 12h30 to 14h00 from R30/person
Dinner 19h00 to 21h00 from R85/person
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