Beacon Vlei Farm - The Manor House & Self Catering | Bed and Breakfast Balgowan

Nestled in the heart of the Kwazulu Natal Midlands, The Manor House at Beacon Vlei Guest Farm offers luxurious B&B accommodation with a touch of history. Our 57 acre private dam, and the surrounding wetland area, is home to many beautiful bird species, as well as large brown and rainbow trout.

Guests need not leave the farm to enjoy fly fishing, birding, boating or a picnic after a leisurely walk around beautiful Beacon Vlei. Other outdoor activities that can be arranged in the surrounding countryside include, hot air ballooning, mountain biking, horse riding, canopy tours, battlefield tours and even paragliding.

Beacon Vlei Guest Farm is a family friendly establishment centrally located on the famed Midlands Meander, and only 1 km from Michaelhouse School. The Midlands Meander offers visitors an abundance of art and craft shops. There are also many fine restaurants, delicatessens and cheese farms in the Balgowan district, within 3 to 5 km of Beacon Vlei.

We are dedicated to providing our guests with a relaxing and therapeutic stay. Whether this means taking it easy at one of the top quality day spas in the area, or challenging yourself to something more adventurous, such as mountain biking, horse riding, canopy tours, birding the Midlands Birding Route or hot air ballooning, Beacon Vlei and the KwaZulu Natal Midlands has it all! We can arrange bookings for these and other activities in the region, as well as advise on the many arts and crafts shops found on the Midlands Meander. We are also surrounded by a selection of great restaurants, and can make these reservations as well.

Beacon Vlei is a birders paradise some of the birds of special interest found on Beacon Vlei include the Crowned Crane, Purple Heron, African Fish Eagle, Olive Woodpecker, African Jacana and Marsh Harrier. We are a birding site on the Midlands Birding Route and are confident that during the spring and summer months the multitude of birds that flock to our dam and the surrounding wetland will delight most birders. We are also extremely lucky to have a pair of Crowned Cranes nesting in the wetland around the dam. Trails, viewpoints and picnic spots around the dam and property provide our guests with hours of entertainment and relaxation.

Depending on the season, duiker, reedbuck and bushbuck can be sighted. Other wildlife on Beacon Vlei include otters, jackal, porcupine and genet.

The Manor House is a large, elegant and comfortable farmhouse which has two en suite double rooms and one four sleeper family suite. All of the rooms take in sweeping views of our 57 acre private dam and the surrounding countryside. Breakfast is served in the dining room, around a striking, custom made White American Oak table. In winter, all of the rooms are warmed by roaring fires or heaters.

Tea and coffee making facilities are provided in each room, and guests have full use of the spacious and comfortable lounge and other rooms in the house. TV is available. Braai facilities are also available on request.

Address
Beacon Vlei Farm
Balgowan
Kwazulu Natal
3275

Contact Us

Directions

From Durban:
Take the N3 (Toll Road) to Johannesburg. After Pietermaritzburg and after Hilton there are three turn-offs to Howick. Take the HOWICK NORTH/TWEEDIE off-ramp. At the top of the off-ramp turn LEFT. You go under a railway bridge, up a hill and come to a T junction. At the T junction go RIGHT. You will now be on the R103. You will shortly see a sign BALGOWAN 19km. (Balgowan is where you wish to get to.)
After 19 km you will see a sign CURRYS POST 12KM. Turn RIGHT here up a dirt road and Beacon Vlei is 300m up the dirt road on your Left. There is a Beacon Vlei board.
You have arrived! The Manor House and the Boat House are at the bottom of the drive which is about 800m long.
NB. There is more than 1 road sign to Currys Post. Be sure only to take the turn at the sign “Currys Post 12 km” sign.

From Johannesburg:
Take the N3 (Toll Road) to Durban. Shortly after the Mooi River Toll-Gate there is an off-ramp to NOTTINGHAM ROAD. Take this off-ramp. At the top of this off-ramp go RIGHT to Nottingham Road. Follow the road for 8km into Nottingham Road. At Nottingham Road stay on the R103 as it bends left (do not turn right under the bridge). Stay on the road you are on (R103) and follow the sign to BALGOWAN (Balgowan is where you wish to get to.)
10km after Nottingham Road you will pass Michaelhouse School on your right. Immediately after the school is a sign CURRYS POST 12KM. Turn LEFT here. Beacon Vlei is 300m up the dirt road on your LEFT. There is a Beacon Vlei sign board.
You have arrived! The Manor House and the Boat House are at the bottom of the drive which is about 800m long.