On the far side of Kings Grant, above the little stream that runs through our property, is a very rocky hill and the site for what will one day be an explosion of colour; an entire hillside that is being transformed into a wild aloe and indigenous garden. It’s a long term project and it starts with the battle against invasive plant species and removing them over time, creating a network of paths that spill out over and around the rocky terrain and planting hundreds of aloes, succulents, indigenous medicinal plants and trees. This project is already beautiful and is an appreciation for the healing spirit of nature. The carved out paths clamber over rocks and into indigenous bush, with twists and turns, views and points of contemplation. Listen to the bees as they collect pollen from Fuchsia blossoms, the call of our resident pair of spotted eagle owls, the song of birds and the calming ‘constant’ of a gurgling stream. Visit this garden all year round, but especially towards the end of May when the aloes are in full bloom.
The Brickfield and kiln was the very first structure the Trappist’s built on the farm. It’s where all the red bricks for the farm were fired, as well as the bricks for the Mariathal Mission, the St Mary’s Seminary and most of the other red brick buildings you see in the district. These days, this secluded historical building stands alone, looking out onto a dam that was once a large clay pit and now a place abundant with birdlife, including our resident pair of fish eagles and crowned cranes. In the summer months, watch thousands of swallows swoop down into the reeds to roost in the early evening and in the early mornings, spot the playful family of otters. The Brickfield is a short walk from Kings Grant and a beautiful private spot on the farm for a picnic or just another extraordinarily peaceful place to soak up the nature and historical beauty of an era gone by. It’s also a favourite spot for photographers in the way of interesting landscapes, a unique family or portraiture location as well as a birding photographer’s paradise.
The massive irrigation dam is located on the farm and offers our guests the opportunity for many different outdoor activities. It’s full up with fish – specifically bass, barble and carp. We have 3 Canadian canoes for hire for those wanting to fish or explore the dam. The St Isidore Dam also makes a perfect spot for open water swimming, with a swimming distance of 900m there and back. Other activities around the dam include farm walks, picnicking, birding and a good place to end the day off with a cold beer while watching the sun go down.
We’ve recently started this new project that will eventually provide our restaurant with an abundance of fruit, nuts, herbs, vegetables and roots. A food forest is a multi-layered permaculture food garden with a diverse species of food bearing plants in an area designed and planted in a way to mimic the ecosystems of a forest. This project is at its beginning. Come and have a look at our progress and learn more about food forests and how to start one.
Kings Grant was originally built by German Trappist Monks and was the food supply farm for the neighbouring St Mary’s Seminary and the Mariathal Mission. Book a Mill Museum tour and learn about the Trappist farm history, including how they operated the 3 storey maize mill without electricity and discover the old blacksmith with its tools and metal forging implements. Tour bookings in advance are essential.
Kings Grant is an excellent birding base and location in that it’s in striking distance of some highly localised, extremely rare to uncommon bird species such as the blue swallow and the cape parrot. Kings Grant farm estate incorporates a lot of habitat diversity, from the mist-belt grasslands, to valley bushveld and wetland areas, farmlands and dams. Its rich variety of habitats attract over 170 different species of birds. The indigenous gardens at Kings Grant are also abundant with birdlife. Some of our favourite resident pairs include the spotted eagle owl, fish eagle, crowned crane, and swallows in the summer months. King’s Grant is a certified birder-friendly establishment.
