Bartholomeus Klip

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Bartholomeus Klip

Luxurious full-board and self-catering farm stay and venue at a working farm near Riebeek Kasteel Wild Olive House sleeps 6 adults, and Heron House sleeps 12.

The exclusive, elegantly renovated Victorian farmhouse has only four bedrooms and a suite, so you are assured of personal attention from our friendly staff, and our food by chef Louise Gillett and her team is justifiably renowned. We also have two separate houses suitable for self-catering families or groups of friends, each with its own swimming pool. Food and farm produce can be ordered and deli

vered. Bartholomeus Klip is located on a working sheep and wheat farm, right at the edge of the private Elandsberg Nature Reserve. Join us for guided nature drives and sundowners in an open Land Rover, explore the reserve on foot or on bicycle, or take in the magnificent scenery from the quiet calm of a kayak on our farm dam. Riebeek Kasteel, with its quaint restaurants and art galleries, is only a 20 minutes' drive away.

10/09/2026

Nowhere else on Earth. Literally. 🌍✨

Spring at Elandsberg Nature Reserve isn’t just a flower season - it’s a masterclass in biodiversity. Out of over 840 plant species found here, some occur nowhere else on the planet. Their scientific name says it all: elandsmontana, uniquely rooted in Elandsberg soil.

Ranger Esmeralda recently headed out into the veld with her camera, capturing some of our most remarkable floral treasures and the clever ways nature keeps them thriving:

🌸 From the striking Moraea tulbaghensis (Rooiflappie) and iridescent Moraea villosa, to the exceptionally rare Moraea elandsmontana - found only right here at Elandsberg.

🪲 Baeometra uniflora (Kewerlelie), seen here cradling a fuzzy monkey beetle dusted in pollen. These flowers evolved specifically to welcome beetles looking for food and shelter, turning them into unwitting pollen couriers.

🐦 Microloma sagittatum (Bokhorinkies / Buck Horns) produces copious rich nectar to entice sunbirds. Their long, curved beaks pe*****te the tight blossoms, lifting pollen sacs on their tongues to carry to the next bloom.

Towering gracefully above the low-growing renosterveld is the Black-headed Heron (Swartkopreier). Unlike typical waterbirds, these patient terrestrial hunters stalk through the open grassland, freezing dead-still before striking at grasshoppers, lizards, and field mice.

🌼 Experience it before the season ends:

Book your guided nature drive, lunch & stay: link in bio
www.bartholomeusklip.com
[email protected]

📸 Ranger Esmeralda

08/09/2026

Smoke & Fire with Leeuwenkuil Family Vineyards | 9 October 2026 🔥

For the upcoming edition of our Smoke & Fire pop-up, we are opening our table to Leeuwenkuil Family Vineyards on Friday, 9 October 2026.

🍷 Est. 1693, Leeuwenkuil is one of the oldest wine farms in the Swartland. Led today by 7th-generation Willie and Emma Dreyer, alongside winemaker Pieter Carstens, their wines are crafted with wild fermentations that celebrate the raw, honest soul of the Swartland.

🧑🏻‍🍳 Pair those wines with Chefs Louise Gillett and Christo Pretorius’ signature farm-to-fire-to-fork, smoke-kissed dishes, and you have an evening which feels like pure magic. More details on theme and venue to follow.

📅 Friday, 9 October 2026
📍 Venue: Elandsberg Farms
💌 Seats are limited, bookings essential: [email protected]
ℹ️ Information about past events: bartholomeusklip.com/events/smoke-fire-pop-up/

01/09/2026

RANGER DIARY 🌿 Here’s what caught Ranger Keeley’s eye this week:

🌼 A peacock moraea, tucked in the fynbos, built to attract just one rare pollinator.
🐢 A leopard tortoise, unbothered, taking its time to cross the grass.
🦌 A red hartebeest playing hide-and-seek (found you!).
🐦 A secretary bird, spotted through a pair of binoculars.
🪺 A Southern masked weaver keeping busy.
🌸 Bokkie baroe (Cyphia volubilis).
🌺 Erica plukenetii, known as hangertjies ("small charms or pendants") ... you can easily see why with those gorgeous, pendulous tubular flowers!
🌺 A delicate spikelily standing out in the veld.
🌼 A long rush iris adding a splash of spring color.
🌿 A sundew flower—a carnivorous plant balancing insect traps with attracting pollinators.
🌸 Serruria candicans (Shiny Spiderhead) visited by a shaggy monkey beetle pollinator.
🪴 Pyjama bush / Eight-day healthbush: medicinal and beautiful.
🌾 And a Leucadendron, showing off its majestic shapes and colours.

As the farm settles in for the evening, a quiet falls over the valley. Just an ordinary day out here in early spring.

Come join us for a drive, settle in for lunch, and stay the night at the Farmhouse to experience it all firsthand.

📅 www.bartholomeusklip.com
📧 [email protected]
📸 Keeley

26/08/2026

Some things are worth reading over coffee. ☕

Our newsletter just went out! 📬

🌸Ranger sightings, seasonal specials, what's blooming, what's cooking at the Conservatory, and upcoming events, all in our new feauture.

Missed it? You can still subscribe so you're on the list for next time - and catch up on this issue online.
👉 Subscribe: www.bartholomeusklip.com/newsletter
👉 Read this issue: https://www.bartholomeusklip.com/?na=view&id=111

25/08/2026

Nature puts on quite a show at sunset. 🌅

Right now, the reserve's veld is dotted with delicate wild irises and the unmistakable Peacock Moraea - its dark, eye-like petal markings evolved to attract exactly the right pollinator. 🐝

🌼 Blink and you'll miss it; these blooms only last a few weeks each spring.

The best way to catch them? Join one of our expert rangers on a guided Land Rover drive through Elandsberg, then relax over lunch at the Conservatory. Stay the night in our Victorian Farmhouse and you'll be first out at sunrise for round two.

📅 Book your drive, lunch & stay: link in bio / www.bartholomeusklip.com
📧 [email protected]

📸 .gregor

20/08/2026

Wildflowers, canola fields, and... cake 🌼🍰

Planning a trip to see the wildflowers?
Add Elandsberg (just outside Riebeek Kasteel) to your list!

Not just because the flowers and fields look absolutely stunning right now, but because where else can you pair flower spotting with a decadent high tea or farm-fresh lunch?

For the full experience, book a guided nature drive in an open Land Rover, and book a bed at the Bartholomeus Klip Farmhouse.

🚙 Day Trips: bartholomeusklip.com/day-trips/
🚵 MTB Trails: bartholomeusklip.com/cycling/
🥞 Brunch: bartholomeusklip.com/food/brunch/
🫖 High Tea: bartholomeusklip.com/food/high-tea/
🍽️ Lunch: bartholomeusklip.com/food/farm-lunch/
🛏️ Rooms: bartholomeusklip.com/stay/main-house-full-board/

📸 .gregor

03/08/2026

🌺 Wildflowers popping up all over the reserve make spring at Elandsberg a very special time ( as if there are ordinary times at Elandsberg 😉 )

After our annual maintenance break in July, where we juggled some fresh painting and behind-the-scenes upgrades (more on our revolutionary new sewerage system later), we're back with renewed energy and ready to host you.

Here are some snapshots from ranger Keeley to welcome everyone back to the new season 🌼

26/07/2026

🌼 Wildflower season has arrived at Bartholomeus Klip, and so has your excuse to escape to the country!

Picture this: long Sunday lunches at the Deckhouse, good company, and endless panoramas of colourful wild flowers carpeting the reserve and farm. It's the kind of Sunday you'll want to linger over.

Grab your spot on one of our upcoming dates:
📅 22 Aug | 30 Aug | 6 Sep | 13 Sep

Booking essential, subject to availability. Dietary requirements (vegetarian, vegan & more) happily catered for with advance notice. Rates exclude bar purchases. Ask us about our regional wine list.

Book now: [email protected]
More info: https://www.bartholomeusklip.com/events/sunday-lunch/

23/06/2026

While the crisp and wet Cape breeze moves through the Swartland, our Soap Aloes (Aloe maculata) are putting on a spectacular show!

These striking, flat-topped blooms range from fiery oranges to deep reds, creating a vivid canvas that the local sunbirds simply can’t resist. Their name comes from the slick, soapy sap traditionally found in their spotted leaves.

Elandsberg Nature Reserve is a critically important conservation area, protecting highly threatened Swartland Renosterveld and Fynbos ecosystems. If you’re looking to swap the city bustle for crackling fires, sweeping mountain views, and quiet nature walks, our guesthouse doors are wide open. Come find your cozy winter escape right in the heart of the reserve. 🌿

INFO: bartholomeusklip.com/the-magic-of-winter/

10/06/2026

Close to Cape Town. Worlds Away 🌻

From the pristine beauty of the Elandsberg Nature Reserve to the luxurious comfort of our farmhouses and the refined flavours of our Conservatory restaurant, every moment is crafted to enchant, delight and inspire.

Reserve your escape today: bartholomeusklip.com/campaign/

26/05/2026

🐢 Big news from our Geometric Tortoise Headstart & Rehabilitation Project!

After carefully raising them in our protected shelters to maximise their survival rates, we are officially releasing almost 40 critically endangered geometric tortoises back into the wild.

The goal of this head-start project is to protect these hatchlings until they are big and strong enough to withstand natural predators. Now, they are ready to explore their recovered natural habitat. We hope they live long, happy, free lives and help this beautiful, resilient species thrive once again!

👉 Learn more about our conservation efforts and the project here: bartholomeusklip.com/tortoise-project/

24/05/2026

🌸 RANGER DIARY Winter in the Cape Floral Kingdom brings its own unique magic, and right now, our Renosterveld is coming alive with the vibrant colors of Oxalis (commonly known as wood sorrel).

From bright yellows to delicate pinks and crisp whites, these small but mighty flowers are currently carpeted across the reserve.

Oxalis flowers are highly sensitive to light. They open wide on warm, sunny days to welcome pollinators, and close tightly when clouds roll in or the sun goes down. ☀️☁️

📸 Keeley

15/05/2026

What a night at the tractor shed! For the latest edition of Smoke & Fire, chef Louise joined forces with Christo Pretorius (Azure at 12 Apostles), Asher Abramowitz (The Pan Collection) and Tremayne Smith (The Blacksmith Wines). See more photos at bartholomeusklip.com/gallery/?cat=442

If you missed this one, the fire is already being stoked for the next edition. Bookings are now open for the next Smoke & Fire pop-up with : 🔗 bartholomeusklip.com/events/smoke-fire-pop-up/

BOOK | ENQUIRE: [email protected]

Address

Elandsberg Nature Reserve
Hermon
7308

Website

https://www.bartholomeusklip.com/, https://www.elandsberg.com/

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