Iona Cottage

This Cottage is set on its own erf in the fertile Swartland area in Clarens. Surrounded by mountains, high Horeb rises to the east of Iona. Sometimes when Horeb is capped, collared or caped in cloud, rain is forecast. Looking to the west, there is a huge convex cliff which juts out to the left of Iona. And to it's right, directly opposite the cottage, and part of the range, is a section of concave cliffs.

After heavy rainfall, a waterfall flows from the corner to right of these precipitous cliffs. The cascading water is both visible and audible from the garden of Iona. In addition, gymnogenes and brown eagles nest in these cliffs. They can be caught gliding underneath and weaving along the winding wall of the escarpment.

Why the name 'IONA'?

In his book "Civilisation", Kenneth Clark describes the island of Iona off the west coast of Scotland as secure and sacred, with a feeling that 'some God is in this place'. He adds that 'Iona gives one more than anywhere else... a sense of inner peace and freedom'. There are several places on earth which have such qualities and I believe Clarens to be one of these.

Besides the awe-inspiring natural beauty of the area, it is thought that the earth's ley lines repeatedly cross here to provide an energy surge which revitalises the body and soul. Visitors often return to Clarens to recapture this feeling and to experience the sense of quiet serenity and relative security which prevails here.

The Cottage

Iona is a fully furnished self-catering cottage set in a rose garden with a large, leafy grove of twelve walnut trees. The property is enclosed by fencing and a sandstone wall. There is a stove, a microwave oven, a fridge and all the necessities required of a fully equipped kitchen.

The large dining-sitting room area is provided with soft furnishings and decorated in period and new furniture and original paintings, including landscapes by Conrad Theys (a pupil of Boonzaier) and Artur Monteiro.

The main bedroom is en suite and has a queen size, extra length bed. The second bedroom has two single beds with access to its own heated bathroom. There is under floor-heating in the bedrooms, a T.V., a gas heater, braai facilities and a carport. Bring your own SMARTCARD in order to access DSTV.

Nearby Activities

• Numerous restaurants, art galleries and shops within walking distance. Hiking trails, mountain walks, backpacking.

• Tennis, golf, bowls, archery, fly-fishing, abseiling from the convex cliff opposite Iona.

• Bird watching (from Iona), game viewing, dinosaur sites, rock art, historic Boer War sites & the Golden Gate.

• Quad biking, cycling, 4x4 routes. White river rafting, canoeing, kayaking, skiing-resort in Lesotho. Game drives on various farms in the surroundings. Also, the colossal Katse dam in Lesotho is a major tourist attraction.