SOUTH Africa’s Blair Atholl is among the most beautiful and tranquil country retreats on the planet – just ask our Executive Editor Gary Player who has kept a home there for over 25 years. And yet, it’s the accessibility of the place that makes it all the more enticing.
The stunning development, that incorporates a Gary Player designed Championship golf course, an extensive Equestrian Centre and a Spa and Wellness Centre as well as a sprawling country Estate, is deceptively convenient in its location.
You could be anywhere at Blair Atholl. Stand just north of the stone-clad clubhouse and look back at it through a screen of indigenous bush and you could be at an exclusive private bush lodge, miles from anywhere.
Visit the rustic halfway house with wooden walkways and decking set in a cool, shady glade on the Crocodile River, and you could be on the banks of a trout stream in the mountains.
Walk through the meadows that flank the 10th hole, sweeping down the valley, framed by mountains hazy in the distance, Blair Atholl could be anywhere. But it’s only 15 minutes from Fourways and five minutes from Lanseria. It doesn’t feel as though it’s in easy striking distance of Johannesburg or any of its amenities. And yet, it is.
With 330 plots, which are on average 3,700m2, residents at Blair Atholl are assured of plenty of space between themselves and a handful of neighbours. Many sites are completely invisible from the road and are not overlooked by anyone, screened off by riverine vegetation. There is at least half an acre as a “buffer zone” between each plot – and often much more.
New homes are now going up in Blair Atholl to accompany the house that’s been there all along – Gary Player’s country retreat. Watching them develop it’s interesting to see that the magic of this place has caught on.
You won’t see columns that put the Acropolis to shame, or miles of paving, massive gatehouses or multi-storeys. There are no 20 foot walls. It’s just not that kind of place. Instead you’ll see houses that are dwarfed by the huge spaces around them – not only by the stand area that must stay undeveloped, but also by the wide open spaces that separate each plot.
It’s not just the openness of the space that complements the houses – although with the Estate being over 600 hectares space is the keynote – it’s also a sense that people want to stay in touch with nature. They want to savour the values that Blair Atholl brings to them and their families – privacy, peace, tranquility, nature and a relaxing retreat.
The Gary Player course itself is a sight to behold and a joy to play. At over 7,500 metres, it takes in all the different features and moods of the Estate. From sheltered green, shady spots to big skies and rolling views, from aloe-strewn miniature rocky koppies to great sleepy meadows, the course includes fantastic water features and only two holes run alongside one another. It’s one great, expansive loop – even the fairway stands have intentionally been set well away from the playing lines. | In terms of water, the course will be entirely self-sufficient, with waste water from the Estate being recycled and purified, then used to irrigate the course and the common gardens. Full of scenic running water features, small streams, and big sleepy dams, every drop of water is part of the greater scheme of water conservation, re-use and sustainability.
Players and residents are treated to beautiful, environmentally responsible playing and viewing conditions. At the clubhouse, with its old farmstead water feature and stone façade, you would be forgiven for thinking you were in an Italian hilltop village. From the open terraces this impression is confirmed, with its north aspect overlooking the Crocodile River Valley, the neighbouring conservancy, and the Magaliesberg mountain range. Inside, the clubhouse has a restful, yet sociable ambience, with subtle lighting, big windows overlooking the spectacular view, and a sense of understated relaxation and reward. In a corner full of bookshelves and glass cabinets, memorabilia from Gary Player and other golfing greats are displayed. This includes replicas of the complete set of Major trophies he has won.
The Blair Atholl Wellness Centre is situated conveniently close to the clubhouse, yet it has an air of being completely removed from it, a perfectly tranquil hideaway.Designed in a courtyard setting, opening onto a lap pool, the centre has facilities for Pilates and gym, and private treatment rooms for reflexology, as well as relaxing, rejuvenating beauty and spa treatments. Other services offered include sports massage, physiotherapy, personal training, sun beds, tanning sprays, Jacuzzi, steam room, Vichy shower, facials, manicures and pedicures. You can even relax after your treatment or work out with a healthy refreshment at the juice bar.
Another attraction for the whole family is the equine facility. Long associated with racehorses, the farm has always kept impeccably bred horses in immaculate white post and rail paddocks, and now these beautiful features are being extended to the entire Estate. One of the visual pleasures you will enjoy is driving past peacefully grazing horses in their paddocks as you enter the Estate from the top gatehouse.
Central, private stabling is available for residents only, complete with lunging and jumping arenas and dressage ménages, as well as expert care and stable management. The stables have the most remarkable, breathtaking view of the Magaliesberg range and can accommodate 70 horses.
Outrides on the bridle paths take in a thousand acres of shady, winding river trails and open inviting hillside canters. All are well suited to the needs of both the beginner and the experienced rider. Tuition, available in private and group lessons, is also on offer.
With such a fantastic array of facilities housed in an area of outstanding beauty, accessible from many of South Africa’s major cities, it’s no wonder Gary Player loves Blair Atholl so much – it’s a feeling shared by everyone who visits this wonderful place. For enquiries visit: www.BLAIRATHOLL.co.za |
