A horse goes into a bar and asks for a drink and the barman says, “Why the long face?”
It’s worth remembering this old, but apt joke when you embark on your first wine tasting tour by horseback - especially if like me you have never ridden anything taller than a Blackpool donkey. Apparently the key to staying in the saddle and being able to walk the next day is to be as physically and mentally relaxed as possible. Once you are on your beast forget any dressage discipline or jockey posture, just sit in the saddle with your legs dangling down like two drainpipes. Then start the single horsepower engine with a gentle pull on the reins and think mellow thoughts about the glass of merlot that’s waiting for you just over the next ridge.
This excellent advice comes from Pieter Hugo, a fresh-faced countryman with a hint of mischief in his eyes, who has been taking novices and experts on horseback tours around the wine yards of Franschhoek for the last fifteen years. Pieter is a rarity in the area these days as he comes from one of the original Huguenots farming families that sort refuge in the pretty valley 300 years ago. Nowadays tourism has replaced farming in Franschhoek and Pieter earns his living leading groups on his beloved horses while spending his spare time pursuing his passion as a long distance endurance rider. He is a national champion and it is his equestrian expertise combined with his no nonsense approach that makes the vineyard tours so enjoyable. With minimum fuss and basic instruction – “Relax, get in the saddle and get on with it”, he allows the first time riders the thrill of controlling a fully grown horse safe in the knowledge that he will instinctively sense if things are going awry.
The casual approach certainly worked for me as I sauntered and occasionally even trotted towards the first vineyard on Saleema, my dapple-grey Arabian purebred. Actually, it was positively difficult not to relax as we rode through aromatic apricot orchards, clementine groves and up into the wild fynbos. Saleema was a beautiful animal, as elegant as a racehorse but as tough as a mule. She could climb and clamber through the bush on a route that would be impossible follow on foot and after half an hour in the saddle we were high enough to enjoy dramatic views of the Franschoek Valley below.
The most memorable feature of both the vineyards we visited, Rickety Bridge and Mont Rochelle was their elegant Cape Dutch style architecture. Only a few of their wines managed to match the quality of the scenery and surroundings but the tastings were cheerfully professional and a provided a welcome rest from the saddle. After an hours ride in the South African sunshine I had developed quite a thirst and as we sipped from chardonnay to shiraz I did more swallowing than spitting. The sunshine also makes the New World wines a little higher in alcoholic content than normal so by the time we trotted out of our second tasting my confidence had grown and I began to confuse Saleema’s experience with my own skill as a rider. I was all for trying a foxhunting gallop until Pieter pointed out that the real pests in this part of the Cape were lynx and the occasional leopard. It was a sobering reminder that I was in Africa not Aintree so I slouched back a notch into my saddle. Salemma switched to autopilot and we ambled gently back to the Paradise Stables base accompanied by the muffled clink of two well-chosen bottles in Pieters saddlebag.
Franschhoek is a small, manicured town in the Western Cape province just an hours drive from Cape Town. It spreads out linearly along the floor of an attractive valley surrounded by the drama of Groot Drakenstein, the Franschhoek Mountains and the Simonsberg mountains to the west. The horse riding tour starts at Pieter’s farm just few kilometres from the Huguenot monument in Franschhoek and travels along the high southern slopes of the valley, dropping down to visit Rickety Bridge Winery and Mont Rochelle on route. Pieter recommends Spring and Autumn as the best seasons to get the most from the landscape and the ride.
Wine tasting by horseback is one of the many African tailor-made treats offered by the specialist travel operators to escape to. They are a young, friendly outfit who have a developed a knack for spotting hidden gems in Africa that will appeal to well heeled British holidaymakers. Having their headquarters in Cape Town obviously helps feed their local knowledge and I particularly liked their personalised guidebooks and choice of small smart hotels in Kalk Bay and Franschhoek.
As well as the vineyards there is plenty of food glorious food in Franschhoek that’s surprisingly sophisticated and thanks to the exchange rate great value for money. There are thirty five top notch eateries to choose from ranging from Le Quartier Français’ fine dining experience, the Tasting Room with its deconstructed style - mousses, gels and all that El Bulli jazz, to the more rustic pleasures of oak smoked Trout at La Petite Ferme. Accommodation is pretty top class too and I can strongly recommend Akademie Street Guesthouses with their five star welcome, sunny rooms stacked full of original art and an enclosed Mediterranean style garden with swimming pool. Certainly don’t be fooled by the ‘guesthouse’ classification, I had a whole detached house to retire to after my 'John Wayne meets Oz Clarke' experience with enough room in my loft style room to take Trigger for a canter if I fancied.
Four out of five. A really treat for any level of rider or wine taster. Just a shame more of the fine vineyards - especially the beautiful Boschendal are not accessible on horseback.
toescapeto phone 0871 7115282 www.toescapeto.com prices on request
Akademie Street Guesthouses www.aka.co.za 0027 21876 3027
Paradise Stables 0027 21 876 2160
The horse riding starts at 09.30 or 13.30 and lasts for approx four hours. It can be extended to a cover a full days trek into the mountains.