Cattle Call

Multi-faceted Midlands venue Brahman Hills offers everything needed for a refined family holiday.

- Bruce Dennill

When a country escape is within a stone’s throw of a major national highway, the reasonable expectation is that, well, it might be a bit rubbish. Brahman Hills, visible from the Nottingham Road offramp on the N3, is more or less across the road from Linga Lapa, a popular driver-swopping stop on the run from Johannesburg to the coast. But crucially, the bulk of the property is also on the other side of the first line of hills that rise from the level of the tarmac, and this massif keeps the traffic out of sight, out of mind, and – unless the wind is blowing the wrong way – out of earshot.

On the short walk from our parked car to the reception desk at check-in, we are greeted by a couple of friendly cats. The kids are instantly convinced that we will have a good holiday. Their optimism seems well placed by the service at the desk, where affable, knowledgeable, prepared staff sort out all the bookings and admin for our itinerary over the next few days with humour and professionalism.