Life's a farm in Bonnievale!

Bonnievale presents a unique setting where kids, camping and church come together for a unique family holiday.

- Leon Botha

At some point in your camping life, you simply have to pitch your tent on a working farm. Witness the journey from farm to shelf as you kick back and take in the land that feed us. That’s exactly what you get to do at Melkhout and Leopard Trail guest farms near Bonnievale.

At Melkhout, you set up camp amid a herd of Jersey cows next to the Breede River, complete with your own bathroom. Leopard Trail lies at the foothills of the Langeberg and is part of the Sitruspoort farm, where you’ll see vineyards and orchards along the way. Forget electricity; a trusty old donkey boiler provides the hot water.

Bonnievale is renowned for its cheese and wine, but to really appreciate it, you’ve got to get to grips with its storied past. A century ago, something extraordinary took place here. First, set up camp by the river or in the mountains, then make time for a jaunt into town.

A WHILE BACK we visited Goudmyn campsite, a good 17 km from Bonnievale and some distance from Melkhout and Leopard Trail. Goudmyn is located along the Breede River, and next to it is a weir that dams the water. From here, an irrigation canal extends all the way past Bonnievale. As you drive past Goudmyn on the R314, the canal remains to your right, with the river just a stone’s throw away.

This canal is the cornerstone of Bonnievale’s success, built more than a century ago. The town’s founder, Christopher Forrest Rigg, played a big part in what, at the time, was said to be the largest privately owned irrigation system in the country.