Welcome to Sutherland

The Northern Cape town of Sutherland is about a four hour drive northeast from Cape Town into the Karoo. We spent the weekend there in order to visit the South African Astrological Observatory (SAAO) nearby and to do some stargazing.

no stoplights needed in Sutherland!

The town was built in 1855 around this Dutch Reformed Church. Way before the SAAO! (P.S. And in case you were wondering, there isn't a Roman Catholic Church anywhere even remotely near Sutherland.)














We chose to stay at the Rooikloof Gast Farm outside of Sutherland rather than a typical hotel in town. It is a cluster of individual cottages surrounded the central farmhouse on the property.

We chose a roomy self-catering one bedroom cottage.

It had a private boma and braai facilities.

It was lovely. Very quaint and nicely appointed a la farmhouse chic. No electricity, but after a season of load-shedding, this was not a problem for us. A fireplace in the kitchen, a wood burning stove in the living room, a gas heater in the bedroom, hot water bottles, lots of candles and gas lamps, and a gas-powered stove and refrigerator in the kitchen in case we wanted to cook ourselves. We didn't.

After we dropped off our stuff at the guest house we headed into "town." At the end of the main street, we found the Ou Meule Restauarnt and Pub.

Vince came away with an invitation to go hunting

Recently reopened by a local couple, the dining room served fresh locally sourced fare. Along with running the pub, the husband is also the local police man. His wife is the chef.

Vince had a double burger and eggs for lunch. It was a meat lovers dream! And if that wasn't enough meat for you, we came back to the Ou Meule after the SAAO day tour in order to have a beer (Vince) and do some reading (me) before dinner and the owner offered Vince a taste of the fresh springbok boeries he had left over from the Saturday braai lunch. They had clearly bonded over their love of meat. He even invited Vince to come back to the Karoo and do some hunting.

I ate the fries!

Our proprietor at the Rooikloof recommended the restaurant Cluster d'Hôte for dinner. Specialty of the house, Karoo lamb shanks. More meat! Vince was covered.

I started with a perfectly seasoned tomato bean soup and had the chicken pot pie as my main with lots of veggies. We shared a delicious lemon meringue pie for dessert.

I think he liked it!

There was evidence of electricity being installed in the very near future in the cottages of the Rooikloof. But I think it will be less charming once that happens. I am glad we knew it when.

inside the boma

The next morning, a beautiful sunrise on the farm.

Sutherland is dreamy.