Accommodation in Dargle - Old Kilgobbin Farm, Dargle, KwaZulu-Natal

Situated on top of the hill in the Dargle valley, between green paddocks and an enormous indigenous forest, Old Kilgobbin is the perfect haven for those wanting to escape from the hectic pace and pressures of city life. A 132 yr old Irish settler farm, Old Kilgobbin was built by Meredith Fannin, a Dubliner whose family first arrived in the 1840s and recognised similarities between this valley and that of their home in Ireland, and so named this area the Dargle. The farm itself is named after a 1200 year old castle on the outskirts of Dublin. The Bronner family now own and look after the heritage that is Old Kilgobbin.
Austin Roberts, the famous South African ornithologist, was the son of a Fannin daughter and so spent school holidays at here with his Uncle Meredith and Aunt Mary exploring the mist belt forests and developing his lifelong passion for birds . We still have Cape Parrots, all 3 species of cranes , Crowned Eagles and 150 listed birds in our valley. Take a walk on this 450 hectare farm and you may see reedbuck grazing on the ryegrass fields ,the endangered oribi antelope blending into the hayfields , samango monkeys nibbling on nutgrass at the forest edge, and the shy duiker peeping out of his rocky home near the skinny dip dam. If you arrive home in the moonlight, the pesky porcupine may shake his quills at you and have you running for the cottage door! And of course you will see paddocks full of beautiful black horses because this is the home of Kilgobbin Friesian stud and HorsePlay, a Horse Whispering experience which introduces people to the world of communicating with horses.

Accommodation & Facilities
The main cottage, Gobbins’ Cottage, is a spacious double storey one bedroom home with a large open plan kitchen and a cosy lounge with underfloor heating for those chilly Dargle winters. The kitchen is well equipped with large fridge, oven and hob, microwave and there is a cupboard filled with spices, olive oil, teas , coffees and cookies. The veggie garden is right outside the back door, and you can collect eggs if your egg- finding skills are good (if not, bring your own!!). Climb the wooden stairs, past the Victorian style bathroom (shower and slipper bath), to the large bedroom that has 2 queen extra length beds, complete with down duvets and electric blankets, loads of antiques and a great sense of tranquility. The cool back veranda, nestled beside the veggie garden and old plum trees, offers a perfect spot for quiet reading. The front veranda is perfect for late breakfasts, lazy lunches, late afternoon G&Ts, and has a forest view to lift your eyes beyond all life’s deadlines.

A second cottage, the Chicken Coop, is a quaint Victorian style building with stained glass windows and has 2 single beds, a bathroom with shower, a cooking nook, and a closed- in wood and iron veranda, but is not available at the moment due to renovations.

Outdoor Facilities
Old Kilgobbin is a 450 hectare farm with wonderful walks, 2 dams to fish and swim in, horse arenas in which to play with the HorsePlay team of Friesians and on which to play a family game of soccer or cricket!

Sporting & Leisure Activities   
Our farm is within the famous Midlands Meander area and HorsePlay (the clinics run on the farm) is a member of the Midlands Meander Association. See www.midlandsmeander.co.za and search "horseplay" for our page. There are many shopping and hospitality outlets within a 20km radius of the farm for those who need some retail therapy!

For those birdwatchers, we have wonderful mistbelt forests and grasslands with more thatn 150 listed species. Mountain bikers will find many kilometres of tracks to follow.