Hogsback / South Africa

Along the route from Durban to Cape Town the land changes drastically in each pocket, as does the community of people, the style of the homes, and the local lifestyle. The main point of our trip was to surf, so we hugged the coastline most of the time. But, we decided to spend one night in the mountains to break up a ten hour drive from Coffee Bay to Jbay.

We wound our way through farmland and then up into a dense green mountain toward Hogsback. We ducked out of the light rain into the Away with the Fairies reception area, which was also the bar. We were greeted by a friendly British accent in the dark and cozy room, fire simmering away, and a heavy wooden table perfect for never-ending board games. The Irish gal and Harry Potter fan in me instantly felt bound to this place. We only had one night to spend, but wish we had another to take advantage of the outdoor bath that overlooks the valley. Amidst the dense dark trees it’s not hard to imagine the fairy-adoring, dream-catching, hippie colony that must’ve formed up there decades ago. It was a refresh from the hot beaches.

At a glance…

• Stay at Away with the Fairies.
• Do take an outdoor bath there.
• Tips – there’s a gas station just a few minutes up the road.