Oakhurst Farm

Budget Getaways Review

Sitting high above the Wilderness Lakes in rural Hoekwil, Oakhurst Farm has got the getaway recipe down to a tee: Plenty of good ol’ farm fun, clean country air, and a platter of rustic-luxury accommodation that will knock your socks off. 

The Forge, Oakhurst's flagship, fits into a category of its own: 'Romantic Escape Perfected." The meticulously renovated Oakhurst Farm Cottages are tailormade for families with kids and in-laws in tow, while The Schoolyard is ideal for those wanting to be close together, yet have their own space to retreat to at leisure.

But lets kick off with The Forge - a romantic nest combining high octane wow factor, solitude, rustic elegance and easy living.

Ever so carefully restored, The Forge features yellowwood beams, percale cotton linen, soft towels and oodles of rustic-romantic ambiance.

Sleeping six in total, the main bedroom is ensuite, has a king bed and elegant furnishings. The second bedroom with king bed is housed in the original stone portion of the building, while a further two single beds for kids can be found in the mezzanine loft room.

The open-plan living room with fireplace and fully equipped kitchen opens out via glass doors onto a covered deck and patio, to a vista of sweeping lawns and forest views. 

It gets better. There's a plunge pool out on the deck and even your own wood-fired hot tub to soak away in. Try out the shower: open-air and more fantastic views over forest and river. Maybe a little breezy for some in bad weather, but hey, that's the price you pay. 

Moving on to the new five-pack of family cottages, these were once home to Oakhurst’s workers, many of whom worked this land for generations. In tribute, the cottages are aptly named after their colourful characters.

Kween’s Kaya, Awies Attic, Leenies Lair, Hans’s Hollow and Nick’s Nook are identical, with landscaped lawns and views over the surrounding forest.

Each has three bedrooms (a double and two twins) and shared bathroom with shower. The living room, with wooden floors and wood burning fireplace, is open-plan to a small, fully-equipped kitchen.

Leading off from the living room is a generous deck with built-in braai area and dining table - yet another perfect spot for that glass of fine red and a roaring fire. As with The Forge, each cottage has its own wood-fired hot tub on deck level. Nice!

Moving along... in what once was the Schoolyard, this building has been lovingly restored and converted into three charactar-packed, fully equipped units, each with a double and twin bedroom.

The long school building houses three of these units, namely Landon’s Loft, Holly’s Hangout and Anna’s Apartment. The latter two are ideal for larger groups sharing, as they include inter-leading doors between each unit. All have independent braai areas, patio’s, kitchenettes and a bathroom with shower. In the Oakhurst tradition, each unit has its own wood-fired hot tub.

The Schoolyard puts you right in the centre of the action, and within walking distance (500m) of the children’s play area, the farm dam and the swimming reservoir. With those gorgeous rural views and fresh country air, there’s plenty of reason to get out and explore.

Easing the logistics, Oakhurst now boasts its own farm shop, which includes a coffee shop. Here you can buy fresh and frozen farm produce, milk from the dairy, free-range eggs, cooldrinks and just about anything else you need for your stay. To ease the pain of meal planning, get your orders in for the Oakhurst breakfast, braai or DIY burger baskets, beautifully presented and delivered to your accommodation, ready for you to prepare. If you're after a meal out, Wilderness itself is also not too far down the way, as are a couple of decent restaurants. 

The farm has several interesting historic relics - the quaint Oakhurst chapel takes centre stage and is well worth a pop-in and a serious contender for your own big day.
 
Nearby waterfalls, farm walks and forest trails, a gold mine of nearby mountain biking options, guided horse riding trails on the farm and a MTB pump track are all up for grabs.

“The Forge at Oakhurst is the loveliest place we have ever stayed in my opinion!” says one guest. It's not hard to see why.

Go on then, treat yourself.