When the first Welsh sheep farmers immigrated to New Zealand they also took with them their trusty Welsh cakes and before long the traditional, sugary bites were renamed Kiwi cakes instead. Thankfully plenty of them still remain – sheep farmers and cakes – so that any weary camper who stay at Hillside Farm today has one happy guarantee: rain or shine, there’ll always be cake at the end of it.
Widen your hungry human instincts beyond their honesty shop and there’s plenty more to be pleased about at Hillside Farm. The views, as the name suggests, are stunning; the welcoming Taylor family, who’ve farmed the area since 1840, are hardly short of local knowledge; and the sights and sounds of agricultural life, from lambs in spring to cattle in summer, give a buzzing backdrop of rural activity.
Central to it all, of course, is the accommodation itself. Safari tents are situated just beyond the family farmhouse. Inside the canvas lodges, there’s a sort of Country Living feel to it all. The open kitchen and dining area has two separate bedrooms feature a double bed in the first and a twin with two full-size single beds in the second. For an extra bit of fun the amazing ‘cupboard bed’ does exactly what it says on the tin – think of opening up a pair of curtains to reveal a cosy, bedded cocoon inside – and has the only downside of inevitable bickering over just who gets to enjoy it.
When you’ve stuffed yourself (and your pockets) with Welsh cakes and homemade produce from the shop, Ellen and Andrew will happily guide you to Rhossili Bay. It’s an easy 5-minute drive to the famous beach – a top spot for surfers and a regular front-runner in the papers’ Top Beaches in Europe articles – or trace your way along the Gower’s excellent coastal path to find quieter, hidden coves.