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Angler & Antelope

Somerset East Eastern Cape - South Africa

Email Angler & Antelope Reservations: booksa@madbookings.com

Guesthouse, B&B & self-catering accommodation in Somerset East, Eastern Cape. The Angler and Antelope guesthouse and B&B is situated centrally in the town of Somerset East. The location of the guesthouse (B&B) makes access to the fishing waters around the town of Somerset East hassle free. Somerset East is a gem on the edge of the Karoo, with four biomes within 20 km of the town; Karoo, savannah, grassveldt and indigenous forests.

The microclimate induced by the Boschberg mountain ensures that an unusual amount (for the Karoo anyway) of rain falls annually. This is great for fly-fishing enthusiasts, as it makes Somerset East an exceptionally good fishing spot for trout.

Experience wild fly fishing in the Karoo. The trout are stocked as fry and fingerlings, and left to fend for themselves, which ensures your wild fly fishing in the Karoo.
However, trout is not the only species that you can target whilst fly fishing. The river system surrounding Somerset East boasts six more fish species that can by caught on fly; indigenous yellow fish and moggel, as well as barbel, carp, mudfish and black bass.

Angler Antelope Accommodation

The Angler and Antelope guesthouse accommodation consists of seven rooms in total. Guests are accommodated on a bed and breakfast or dinner, bed and breakfast basis. The rooms have all been individually decorated and reflect the personalities that inhabited the house before it was restored and converted into guesthouse accommodation.

The Angler and Antelope property is centrally situated in the town of Somerset East and comprises three separate buildings:
The guesthouse (B&B) that was built in 1893 as a residence, and housed only three families in 100 years.
The accommodation in the guesthouse is divided into one double room, one double/family room, one twin/family room, three twin rooms and one standard twin room.

Next door to the guesthouse is St Francis, the culinary centre, which was built in 1906. St Francis is an old Roman Catholic church where you can relax, eat and drink.
A fine selection of malt whiskies, apparently a favourite of the priests of the past, is worth sampling at Nigel's Pub, in the church.
The confessional is still in one of the vestries of the building, and is now a fully stocked fly fishing shop - it ensures that fishermen are honest about their catches!

The presbytery is our self-catering Fisherman's Cottage. All of these buildings are situated within a huge indigenous garden, also offering ample secure off street parking.
The bathrooms at the Angler & Antelope are worth a special mention. They are something to behold. Each is uniquely decorated featuring double vanity, bath, shower and WC . The under floor heating is a must for the cold winters in the Karoo. It's just wonderful walking into your bathroom on a cold winter's morning, barefoot, on the lovely warm tiles.

The Fisherman's Cottage is a fully equipped three bedroomed house.
A total of six guests can be accommodated in the self-catering cottage, in two twin rooms and one double room.
- Crisp cotton percale is supplied, with goosedown duvets and pillows, together with mohair blankets.
- Should you be allergic to down, please let us know so that we can supply finefibre equivalent bedding. Towels are supplied.
- The kitchen is fully equipped with a full sized stove and oven, microwave oven, fridge-freezer, kettle and toaster.
- We have tried to supply all the utensils, cutlery and crockery you may require, but would welcome feedback if there is something we haven't thought of.
- The kitchen has a six-seater dining room table for a cosy meal.
- The bathroom in the Fisherman's Cottage is spacious with a shower over the bath.
- The self-catering cottage also has a comfortable lounge with TV.
- A DSTV decoder is installed in the lounge, please bring your smartcard along in order to view the DSTV channels. If you don't have a smartcard, the four standard South African channels are available.
- The Fisherman's Cottage garden is completely private, with your own braai (BBQ) area.

Don't forget to visit Nigel's pub next door, or pop in to the fly-fishing shop for anything you may require.

Room features:
All the rooms have the same basic features:
· Air-conditioning
· En-suite bathroom with both bath and shower, double vanity and underfloor heating
· Cotton Percale linen, mohair blankets, goose down duvets and pillows (If you are allergic to down, hollow fibre can be supplied)
· Coffee and tea making facilities, with homemade rusks and biscuits
· Hair dryer
· Electronic safe
· Television - the double and family rooms are equipped with DSTV, while the twin rooms have the four standard South African channels
· Free Wireless internet
The standard twin room has all the features above, with the exception of air-conditioning, underfloor heating, and the bath. The bathroom is in-suite.

Children's policy:
Children of all ages are welcome at the Angler and Antelope. Children under 12 years will be accommodated on sleeper couches in the parent's room. Please let us know if you need a cot for your baby under 2 years, so that we can ensure your room is perfect when you arrive.

Activities:
Day Trips
Ideas of what can be done to fill your days in Somerset East
All day trips in the Somerset East area are available daily. However, the specific activity may already be booked if you decide to wait until you get here before confirming. If you would like to partake in one of the activities, please let us know when you book your accommodation, so that we can pre-book your activity in order to avoid disappointment.

Guided Fly fishing - Spend a day with our R.E.F.F.I.S. and THETA accredited fly fishing guide, Alan Hobson. Alan will take you on a day's excursion targeting trout in the waters around Somerset East. Whether you are a beginner or more advanced, the day is structured to suit your needs. The full day's guiding includes instruction from casting to entomology, lunch and certain local beverages.

Glen Avon Falls - This beautiful 90m waterfall in the Karoo is a must see. Hiking to the waterfall can be arranged, with a small gate fee payable to gain entrance to this Provincial Heritage Site. This can be done without the assistance of a guide. The Naude's river is stocked with Rainbow and Brown Trout. Should you want to fish, you would need to be accompanied by our guide, as fishing is not available for day visitors without a guide. Our guide will transport you to within a kilometer of the waterfall, and lunch and certain local beverages are included in the rate.

Yellowfishing the Paul's River - Catch one of South Africa's feistiest fish - indigenous Yellow fish. Gain access to these exclusive waters only with our guide. You have a choice of access only (which would include transport and lunch), or the full guided experience, with instruction, techniques and tips, transport, lunch and certain local beverages included in the rate.

Five star game drive - Visit the 5-star game lodge - Kuzuko Lodge - in the northern section of the Addo Elephant National Park. Kuzuko Lodge is an hour's drive from Somerset East, but well worth the effort. Included in the day is a game drive and 5-star lunch. Transport to and from Kuzuko Lodge can be arranged.

Cultural tour - 1/2 day - The beautiful Georgian home of the Pastors of the Dutch Reformed Church is a must for travellers. There is a wide range of implements, books and other items from the early 1800's on display. This is a tour not to be rushed, else you are sure to miss something. The exhibition in the museum of the Slagtersnek rebellion is a must see. Once done at the museum, visit the Walter Battiss Art Museum where a number of his personal paitings are displayed, together with local art and even a few Maud Sumner paintings on display! Walter Battiss is one of South Africa's most celebrated artists, who drew much of his inspiration from Picasso, a personal friend. Finish off with a light lunch at the Coffee Shop, opposite the historic Dutch Reformed church.

Adrenalin sports - For the more adventurous - a gorge glide! The drive up to the cliffs is beautifully scenic and forms part of the whole experience. This glide is approximately 150m high and 200m long - not for the faint hearted. Combine your gorge glide with an abseil to round off the experience.

Horse riding - Experience an outride on a farm just outside Somerset East, with an experienced guide. This ride is for the slightly more experienced rider, not beginners. Horse rides for beginners or shorter rides, can be arranged at a venue in town, even if this is your first time on a horse!

Activities for ladies:
Somerset East, Eastern Cape, South Africa
If you are not a fisherwoman, don't despair. You need not send your significant other on a boy's fishing trip. Somerset East offers a variety of activities for ladies to partake in.
· Spa treatments
· Mohair shop
· Coffee shop
· Walter Battiss Art Museum
· Somerset East Museum
· Horse riding
· Bird watching

Location & Directions:
Somerset East is located approximately 180 km north of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. It is surprisingly central in the country as it is virtually equal distances from Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban.

By air:
International flights arrive in either Cape Town International Airport or OR Tambo International airport (Johannesburg). From here you can take a connecting local flight to Port Elizabeth.
By road:
From Port Elizabeth, proceed on the N2 towards Grahamstown. Where the N2 splits with the N10 northwards as Ncanaha, proceed via Paterson to Cookhouse and Cradock. At Cookhouse, take the R63 to Somerset East.
From Johannesburg, travel south on the N1 via Bloemfontein and Colesburg. At Colesburg, take the N9 to Middelburg, then the N10 to Cradock and Cookhouse. At Cookhouse, turn right on the R63 to Somerset East. This is approximately 900 km.
From Graaff-Reinet, travel east along the R75 towards Jansenville. Approximately 16 km from Graaff-Reinet, take the R63 via Pearston to Somerset East. This is approximately 120 km.
From Cape Town, you would either travel up the Garden Route, and then come to Somerset East via Port Elizabeth, or travel along the R62 (inland route) and follow the instructions from Graaff-Reinet.

Email Angler & Antelope Reservations: booksa@madbookings.com