Guided Hikes & Art News

This is Danny, our Guided Trail person, who is looking forward to walking with you in the near future. He is seen lurking under a Podocarpus Henkelii common name Henkel's Yellow-wood.

This one is in our garden at The Armagh. Incidentally we have planted in excess of 200 indigenous trees on our two adjoining properties (2 acres in total) which contain the Armagh Guest House, Candlewood and Oak Cottages and the Tsitsikamma Mountain Spa....this over a period of 15 years since we built the Guest House.

Our latest venture, which will shortly appear on our Main website, www.thearmagh.com is related to ART. We are re-starting the Art Courses run in the past by the late and great Tim Robson. This is the ideal opportunity for you to join a 4 -day course being held in August this year. The venue is our Bitou Studio set in the middle of our own home property, surrounded by forest and tweeting birds. Learn the Very basics of Watercolour. This is for rank beginners and the frequently asked questions will, we promise, be answered. Combine this with yummy food at Rafters, cosy beds at The Armagh, and the odd walk,( see Danny above) thrown in. (With apologies to Danny - I didn't mean that he will be thrown anywhere) - but you get the drift!!

Apply now for this course, and, please note, numbers are extremely limited. Email us on armagh@mweb.co.za and we shall be delighted to send you the Itinerary. Johan always says he initially got into Watercolour painting because he can easily wash the Brushes!! Need we say more?

Autumn Glory @ The Armagh!

We don't have too much evidence of Autumn here in the Tsitsikamma but some years ago we planted an ornamental vine and its leaves turn the most exquisite colours at this time of year. I have just taken this picture looking across from the Fynbos Terrace @ Rafters to the Spa Reception. It really is the most wonderful day!.... as it gets cooler it is so right for the long hikes that one would like to do but prove rather uncomfortable in high summer! This is a very short story today as it has been a day of local visitors and lots of chats - refreshing to see our neighbours in tourism who now have a wee bit more time to get out and deliver Brochures and shoot the breeze a little.

A long absence but here I am!

Candlewood Cottage from the deck with natural gardens in the foreground and the Tsitsikamma Mountain range in the background. This Cottage has been such a success that it has hardly been empty for one night since its inception in mid December. Ideal for that corporate stress releasing break or the Honeymoon hideaway; the addition of the jacuzzi around September and the Spa treatments already just around the corner makes it a unique spot. Custom made Packages on application.

Now what have we been doing? We have been amazingly busy for the time of year but next week is showing the May month syndrome ..our quietest month in this area. it gives us a chance to draw breath and get some plants potted, admin backlogs dealt with and even, dare to dream, a little holiday for us!! It is definitely the time for our Staff to have a really well-earned break.

Since I last wrote Earth Hour came and was celebrated through-out our little Village; Guests in Rafters Restaurant thoroughly enjoyed the atmosphere with candlelight adding flavour to the food and ambiance.

Lovely appreciative Guests have stayed with us, the weather has been, and still is, absolutely perfect - it is virtually winter here in the Tsitsikamma but winters here are very mild - just a wee bit chilly at night. We have cosy snuggle up beds and log fires in the Restaurant. We are hoping that the British coming to support the Lions Tour (see website http://www.thearmagh.com/ for fixtures) will feel welcome to come and visit us - make your trip worth while and extend it a wee bit so you can get some sight-seeing and adventures packed in...incredible Packages and reduced rates in the months of May, June, and July make it even greater value for money in our country.

At the very top of our post you will see two lovely honey-mooners who just left this morning after spending 5 days in the Oak Cottage with various activities laid on to keep them out of mischief. We wish Marie and Keith much happiness and health to enjoy their newly found love.

Gatineau Products have arrived!!

Here we are telling you all about the Spa again! We shall change the subject shortly! However, we just had to say a big Thanks to Oupa for the lettering on the Reception of the Mountain Spa, featuring in the latest pictures with Tracey and Bernadine.

Oupa has painstakingly and perfectly, as is his wont, crafted the individual letters. Oupa is Johan's father, and Ouma and he have lived in the Village of Storms river for approx 25 years.

Since the day we arrived Dec 1993 they have supported us in every way. Ouma makes all the preserves; the wonderful Grape Jam and the yummy Marmalade which appear every morning at Breakfast, the preserved Guavas, Pears, Green Beans, Beetroot and delicious Carrots, all in awesome syrups and sauces, served in Rafters in the evening.

AND the tables and chairs in the restaurant are also made by Oupa - supporting role played by Johan! Guess what? Ouma and Oupa are now 86 years old. So a very big thanks to them for all they have done to help and support us in the 15 years since we arrived and built The Armagh.

And now to the Gatineau, which arrived yesterday; Bernadine is already booked up with facials and pampering treatments. Soon Ouma will be making her way to the Spa when she hears the news - she has become rather partial to beauty treatments, particularly the facials!

We shall still have to work a wee bit more on encouraging Oupa!

I have just taken a photo of Bernadine with her trolley full of these lovely products.

Tracey,Our Manager,&Bernadine at New Spa Reception

Well that was a job and a half getting these two to pose at the new Spa Reception.

The laughs we had meant that we had to go back for re-takes several times!! From yesterday already Bernadine has been kept really busy with the Spa set up, and some lovely treatments - we have also been busy with our Gatineau order so we can quickly start the facials early next week. More essential oils for the treatments will be arriving tomorrow.

The weather is perfect; we have had big numbers for lunch on the Fynbos Terrace - Tracey has been busy with those and with booking new Guests into our rooms. An air of real happiness pervades the Armagh. In a few days we shall also feature the Night Staff.... they must also have their fun posing for the cameras.

Tsitsikamma Mountain Spa @Armagh Country Lodge

We are absolutely delighted to welcome Bernadine to the Armagh Country Lodge Team; she is our new Therapist at the Tsitsikamma Mountain Spa. Just returned from working on a cruise liner - visiting exotic locations - she is eager to get started! She comes with a wealth of experience, and a gently caring and holistic attitude; her clients can be assured of a healing and empathetic touch. Fortuitously we are re-launching the Spa, with some lovely new Treatments and even better and more personalised service than ever before, on the 17th March 2009 - couldn't be a better day than St Patrick's Day at The Armagh!


We welcome old and new visitors to the Spa, set in the middle of the fynbos, as you can see by the picture of Bernadine!

Incidentally it is a long time since I have written on this blog; we have been hectic with such a wonderfully busy period, both at the Guest House and Rafters Restaurant which has been bursting at the seams; and with our new Menus and special new dishes such as an exotic Nile Crocodile (secret recipe) proving a really great HIT!. Other new things include an updated website http://www.thearmagh.com/ a new website http://www.candlewoodcottage.com/ for our highly successful new Cottage, a new Assistant Manager, Tracey, photo will follow next blog, family visits from both Johannesburg, France and Switzerland...seems like it is already a Year of change - for the better - always at The Armagh....!!

Return of the Prodigal Daughter!

Natasha, featured above, came back to visit The Armagh yesterday; we luckily had availability for one night in the Candlewood Cottage when she telephoned - so there they stayed. Natasha first came to us as an Intern from the George Campus of the Nelson Mandela University Port Elizabeth. When she completed her studies she returned to us as Assistant Manager.

We were so pleased to see her, and there was much giggling in the kitchen when our Staff saw her again, and, of course, she had to have the grand tour to check all the changes we have made since she left in 2007.

She is now working for an airline company and cannot be persuaded to return - what a pity! She was very much loved by all our Staff, and the Guests were totally charmed by her gentle ways.

Here she is having Breakfast with her friend Hassan.