Home & Away with Robert Walshe
Destination Hotspot Glenavon Country House Constantia Cape Town
Glen Avon is a premier guest house with easy access to top destinations like Cape Town, Table Mountain, Kirstenbosch Gardens, Constantia wine route, white sandy beaches and much more. The title deeds for the property date back to the mid 1700’s built by slaves of that time. Since the 1990’s owners the Stringer family have lovingly restored Glenavon to its former glory. In 2015 they purchased an adjacent property adding
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to the garden size where boardroom meetings can be held in the peace and tranquility of a magnificent piece of Constantia real estate. This tastefully furnished lodge, with its yellowwood beamed ceilings and breathtaking mountain views are a getaway for all those wanting to escape into the wine lands. All superior rooms are fully air-conditioned with en-suite contemporary bathrooms. A flatscreen TV and a seating area with a sofa are also offered each leading onto a patio or balcony overlooking landscaped gardens. Glenavon also offers a thatched recreation
Award winning cuisine at Glenavon Lodge. Eagles Nest Vognier Wines Constantia Capetown.
area by the pool where guests can relax with a book from the library or surf the internet with their tablet. Fine, South African cuisine and local Cape wines is offered in the restaurant. Expect a mouth watering dining experience from owner and cordon bleu chef Wendy all characterized by local flavours. The family encourages you to start the evening with sun downers and canapés on the front patio in summer or beside the fireside in winter. Their three course menu changes daily and breakfast the following morning was the best I had during my 10 day trip to Cape. www.glenavon.co.za Glenavon is also situated at the start of the Constantia Wine Route – the oldest wine producing region in the southern hemisphere with an uninterrupted history of winemaking since 1685. The area is also steeped in history and is home to some of the best examples of Cape Dutch architecture. Enjoyed by Napoleon Bonaparte and royalty in the 18th century Constantia Valley wine farms are perfectly positioned between the Table Mountain range and the coastal False Bay area allowing for a perfect micro-climate. One of my favourite vineyards in the area “Eagles Nest” can be traced back to 1836 when farmlands were used as a refreshment station between the
Glenavon Lodge Constantia Capetown.
area now known as Wynberg in the east, and the harbour of Hout Bay in the west. This vineyard is planted predominantly to Shiraz, Merlot and Viognier. The decision to plant these grape varieties was done after extensive soil and climatic research to ensure that what was planted was best suited to their unique terroir. www.eaglesnestwines.com Nearby Buitenverwachting (Dutch for beyond expectation) is a definite must-see on any Constantia wine tour! This winery originally formed part of the Constantia Estate, which was founded by Simon van der Stel, first governor of the New Dutch colony at the Cape of Good Hope on the southern tip of South Africa, in 1773. In 1825, 90,000 vines were planted in deep, decomposing granite soils and cooled by temperate sea breezes from the nearby oceans. While the
Buitenverwachting history is deep, the current renewal started in 1982; today the winery produces internationally acclaimed wines of great complexity with unique aromatic profiles famous for its “sauv blancs” www.buitenverwachting.com Turkish airlines fly daily from Dublin to Cape Town via Istanbul. Their business class service is by far the most impressive of the Middle Eastern carriers departing Ireland. Rather than just serving a “restaurant service”, “Flying Chefs” make you feel like a star with “Turkish Hospitality” above the clouds. In fact all business class meals are served in porcelain dishes on flights. For great fares www.turkishairlines.com Robert Walshe is a travel broadcaster with Q Radio & Travel Editor for numerous print and online publications on the island of Ireland. www.robertwalshe.com