Sandveld Country Cottages

Area Information

Walking and hiking trails

Mountain climbs and walks

4x4 trails

Bird watching

Dam with rowing boat for the kids

Goats, geese, lambs, calves and wild birds

Swimming pool

Braai facilities on Patio

Braai lapa for groups or colleges

Mountain biking

Surrounding Villages:
Redelinghuys (18km)
Aurora (28kms) - excellent restaurant La Aurora
Piketberg (55km) - closest good shops - Spar, Shopright etc.
Elands Bay (45km) - excellent surfing and safe swimming
Lamberts Bay (60km) - fishing village. Excellent restaurant - Strandkombuis
Leipoldville (45km) - home of Louis Leipoldt, the Afrikaans author and poet

Uitkyk is an operating farm. We have game (Eland, Gemsbok, Hartebees, Springbok, Bontebok and Ostriches), sheep, cattle and citrus orchards. We also grow rooibos tea. The main activity on the farm is a citrus packing facility. Guests are welcome to wander around the farm and help with farming if they like! We also assist guests in organising outdoor activities such as mountaineering, hiking, fishing and canoeing

Mountain walking trail

The walking trail is suitable for family groups where the children are older than 10 years. It takes about 2 hours to get to the top and about 1 hour down. The top sections of the trail and the peak are accessable by 4x4 vehicles (special permission from neighbouring farms required).

An early start to the walking trail is essential as the Sandveld can be hot especially in the summer months. It is best to leave before 9am in the morning so that the western end of Driefontein mountain is ascended before it gets too hot.

It is a good idea for each group to take a small back-pack. In this put at least 1 litre water per water and some light snacks. We recommend you take an anorak and hats. The start of the walking trail is on the 4x4 track just above the cottages. Proceed in a westerly direction, after about 100mm you will reach a fork, keep right along the lower track and after about 10-15 minutes you will pass the main Uitkyk farmhouse and see some tall blue-gum trees which you can go above or below. Follow the line of windbreak trees until you find a ladder over a fence. You must now proceed straight on about the same height to the end of the Driefontein mountain. About 400m after the ladder you will see a big rock which looks like a mushroom. It is very easy to identify this rock, it stands at the base of the mountain. The trail leads under the rock and then up to the slopes. There are yellow footprints to guide you. The rock is a good place to take your first break. The next shady place is about 300m further up the slope. The path zig-zags upwards before reaching the ridge of the mountain..There are some shady resting points but the route is fairly steep with the odd rock scramble. You will arrive at a nek with a splendid view amongst some amazing rock features. This directly about the Uitkyk farmhouse that you passed earlier. From this magnificent viewpoint you can see the Cedarberg mountains to the nort-east.Below you are the Sandveld plains. The farm Driefontein where the finest rooibos tea in world is produced lies below you. You may see the rooibos tea curing on the sun-drying beds during the summer months.

Follow the yellow footprints along the ridge until it reaches a 4x4 track, then walk along the 4x4 track in an easterly direction as it rises steeply. The path then branches off the 4x4 track to the left and leads towards the edge of the mountain. From here the Sandveld Cottages can be seen far below. The path leads up to the beacon on top of Driefontein Mountain which is at a height of 482m (The cottages are 150m above sea-level.) From the beacon you can Sneeuberg on the Cedarberg ( highest peak on the nw.horizon), Zebrasberg on the Piketberg mountain range in a easterly direction and The "Engelsman's se baken" to the south. This actually a huge observatory on Aurora mountain. Looking south west St Helena Bay can be seen on the coast. The path leads in a northerly direction and after a 100m or so you will find a big shady rock where you can rest before tackling the scramble down to the cottages. Follow the yellow footprints. They lead down a steep kloof. Take care as the path descends quite steeply. It is, however, not too difficult and soon you will be down at the cottages again.

Day drives from the farm

Route 1: Good for flowers in the season, swimming at Elands Bay, crayfish harbour at Lamberts Bay.

Redelinghuys, Elands Bay, Leipoldville, Lamberts Bay, Graafwater, Paleisheuwel, Het krui and home. Approx 200 kilometers.

Good coastal flower route, Redelingshuys is a small villiage, the Verloren vlei on the way to Elands Bay is the longest estuary in the RSA good birdlife, Elands Bay interesting crayfish harbour and good surfing, safe swimming beach, then drive back on Redelinghuis road and take left turn to Leipodville, interesting small villiage, home of famous poet. On the way to Lamberts Bay you get Muisbosskerm an outdoor beach fish kitchen-excellent. Lamberts Bay has interesting harbour, Gannet reserve and bird viewing hide on the lagoon. Also has crayfish restraunts.Graafwater is not really interesting, turn right 1 km out on Clam William road and head for Het Kruis and home.

Route 2: Good for flowers in the season, interesting geography.

Het Kruis, Paleisheuwel,Graafwater,Clan William,Pakhuis pass, Clan William, old road to Citrusdal on north bank of Olifants River, Citrusdal, Eendekuil and home. Approx 250 kilometers.

Head for Het Kruis at Paleisheuvel you can go over the mountain to Clan William but you will need a detailed 1:50,000 map because the interesting farm roads are a maze or get to Clan William via Graafwater.The villiage is very interesting with old buildings craft shops etc.also has a large recreational dam. Drive up to Pakhuis pass to the top for the view. If you have time you can drive to Wuppertal where they make leather veldskoen. From Clan William take the old road to Citrusdal which takes you on the north side of the Olifants river. This is an interesting dirt road. From Citrusdal drive over the Piekeniers pass and take the Eendekuil right turn at the bottom of the pass. At Eenkuil you take a right turn and head for the Piketberg-Elands Bay T-junction then home.

Route 3: Exceptional mountain passes and views. Tulbagh is a must for lunch.

Eendekuil Citrusdal, take Kouebokkeveld road via Gydo pass to Ceres,Tulbagh,Gouda,Porrterville,Eendekuil and Home. Approx 320 kilometers. Head for Eendekuil and then Citrusdal. Take the mountain road to the Kouebokkeveld. Very scenic drive through the Bokkeveld to Gydo Pass the down to Ceres. Stunning views. Ceres is an interesting fruit-farmers villiage, Has good restruants, then on to Tulbagh, a real must. Has good restraunts and wine cellars. Head for Gouida then Porterville, then Eendekuil and home.

Route 4: Probably the best for flowers in the season, interesting coastal drive.

Aurora, Veldrif, Laaiplek,Veldrif,St Helena Bay, Stompneus Bay, Britannia Bay, Paternoster,Vredenburg, Saldanha, Langebaan, Veldrif, Sauer, Kapteinskloof and home. Approx 280 kilometers.

Take the road to Aurora, which is a small villiage with a really good restraunt L'aurora.Take the road to Veldrift which is an interesting fishing harbour on the Berg river some 7 kilometers from the sea. Drive to Laaiplek and the beach. Then back to Veldrift and head for St Helena. Follow the dirt road to Paternoster. Really interesting crayfishing coast. Then to Vredenburg and then Saldanha Bay. Interesting harbour and good restruants. Move on to Langebaan via the road that follows the bay. Langebaan has excellent wind-surfing and safe swimming, good restraunts. Then head for the road to Cape Town but turn left and north when it reaches the main road, head back to Velddrift and then take the Piketberg road (which you came along earlier) travel about 40 kilometers to Sauer where you will see the Kapteinskloof turn to the left. Travel through Kapteins kloof, then over an intertesting mountain pass. About 10 kilometers from the bottom of the pass you will see the Sandveld Country cottages signboard.

Route 5: 4x4 Trails and Routes on the farm.

There is a short 4x4 route near the cottages which is ideal for guests who would like to do some sand-driving. There are some interesting "problems" to solve such as steep banks etc. The advantage is that should you get stuck it is not far to walk to the cottages for help. The other advantage is that the wife can relax at the pool while dad bumps about having fun in his 4x4.