The Purple Heron guest house is in a beautiful, tranquil location on The Island, overlooking the river. The guest house itself is gorgeous with beautiful views. The rooms are spacious and stylishly decorated with comfortable beds. A huge bonus was the disabled/wheelchair-friendly bedroom downstairs, which my mother, who has difficulty in walking, stayed in.

Our hosts, Jenny and Paul, couldn't have been more friendly and helpful. Nothing was too much trouble, and Paul even did a BBQ for us one evening. Jenny cooks the most delicious breakfasts, complete with home made bread made by Paul, that are impossible to resist.

If you are a bird lover, then staying at the Purple Heron is a real treat. Both Jenny and Paul are extremely knowledgeable about birds and there is constant parade of birds in the garden and on the river. One morning, Jenny pointed out 20 different species to us in a two hour period.

Sedgefield is the only Slow Town (CittaSlow) in Africa. From the recycled bathwater used to water the garden and the student from the local college gaining work experience in the kitchen, to the local produce on the breakfast table and the sweet signs asking visitors to be mindful of tortoises, it is obvious that the Purple Heron embraces the CittaSlow Pledge.More