Guzzlers’ travels

“FOR THOSE IN THE KNOW, IT’S A 90-KM-LONG GOURMET HIGHWAY THROUGH THE COOLEST WINELANDS IN THE CAPE”

BOT RIVER

FOR FARM STALLS, PULLED PORK AND EXCELLENT WINES

Whether it was Robert Louis Stevenson or Buddha who originally coined the phrase, there’s a lot to be said for the journey being as important as the destination. And it’s certainly true for the sleepy hamlet of Bot River.

To get there, travel an hour out of Cape Town, over Sir Lowry’s Pass, through Elgin and down into the heart of the Overberg: for most travellers, it’s nothing more than an unavoidable stretch of tar en route to somewhere weekendish, like Hermanus or the Breede River.

But for those in the know, it’s a 90-km-long gourmet highway through the coolest winelands in the Cape, past the wagyu cattle and acorn-stuffed piggies of Oak Valley, flanked by sprawling orchards that produce most of our world-famous apples. It’s also home to Houw Hoek farm stall’s excellent wine cellar, Peregrine’s delay-worthy venison pie and, just past the landmark Kromco apple shed, the Hickory Shack: an authentic smokehouse barbeque pit-stop with horns on the wall and a menu that would lick its own fingers if it could.

We’re talking pulled pork, beef brisket and truly artisanal bangers, served with serious attitude and seasoned with a pinch of laid-backness that typifies the region. Which makes it a great preparation for the town you’ll find at the bottom of the Houw Hoek Pass.

The first sign of activity you’ll stumble across is the legendary Botrivier Hotel: an establishment straight out of the Basil Fawlty guidebook. It’s a quirky throwback to a bygone era and