Some weekends stay with you in small, wonderfully specific ways. The feel of grass under your tennis shoes. Clay on a sock. A familiar face across the net. A conversation that carries on long after the plates have been cleared.
From 24–27 September 2026, Courts of the Forest brought our Baseline Africa Tours guests to Portland Manor in Rheenendal, near Knysna, for a Heritage Weekend of tennis, local discoveries and time together.
We came with racquets. We left with rather more to take home.
Knysna gave us a little scare with some unplanned rain. But the sun cannot shine until the heavens clear. And when they did, the weekend found its rhythm: time to play, time to explore and time simply to enjoy the company. In the end, it was a perfect few days, at just the right pace.
Our welcome began with a glass of Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel and the pleasure of finally being together. The sparkle returned for our celebratory Heritage braai, as we raised our glasses and settled into an evening of good food and easy conversation.
Grass, clay and a fresh feel for the game
Playing on a different surface asks you to pay attention again. On grass, you find yourself watching the bounce a little more closely, getting lower and trusting your reactions. On clay, a point can open up differently: another ball to chase, another chance to build the rally.
At Portland Manor, those changes were part of the pleasure. Tennis felt familiar enough to bring everyone together, and different enough to give us something new to discover.
Coaches Marzahn Botha and Lucinda Gibbs were part of the weekend, with Elrie Visser helping bring the journey together. Around us, the forest and the estate gave the days a setting that was very much their own.
A Heritage Cup with room for new connections
Our Heritage Cup brought visiting guests and Knysna players together on court, with special thanks to Debbie Hyde for bringing the Knysna team. Doubles has a lovely way of shortening introductions: before long, you are calling for the ball, finding your rhythm with a new partner and laughing between points.
Between the tennis came courtside strawberries and cream, a glass raised and time to catch up. These pauses belonged to the weekend as much as the matches did.
A little colour beyond the court
Saturday took us into another kind of creativity, with an art session at Tru Art House in Knysna. Trading a racquet for a paintbrush gave everyone something else to try—and something else to talk about afterwards.
Lunch at The Bell in Belvedere was, as our waiter kept assuring us, “supa doopa!” It became a little refrain of the afternoon, and a rather good description of the welcome. Later, our grand finale banquet brought everyone around the table again, with the weekend’s stories already finding their favourite retellings.
Diemersdal accompanied the pauses between activities and our grand finale banquet dinner. A refreshing glass, a candlelit table and time for one more story: these were pleasures worth lingering over.
On the journey home, Seeplaas gave us seafood and a sea view worth stopping for. One more shared table before the road back to Cape Town.
The people who made it possible
Thank you to our guests for the spirit you brought to every part of the weekend, and to the Knysna players for joining us so warmly.
To the Portland Manor team: thank you for the hard work that went into preparing the courts and welcoming us. Claudia, your food was a highlight—truly five-star in our book. Karen and Talida, thank you for keeping everything steady and seamless. And to all the support staff, thank you for the friendliness, the care and the smiles that met us throughout our stay.
Our thanks also go to Cape Dreams Real Estate for the thoughtful touches it brought to the Heritage Cup and the keepsakes our guests took home.
A little something to take home
The goodie bags were another way to say, “We’re glad you’re here.” With contributions from Revite SA, Eat Naked, Cape Dreams Real Estate, Simply Bee, and Kromputs’ delicious cheese bombs, there was plenty to enjoy beyond the court.
“Honestly, the goodie bags were extra special and such an unexpected treat.”
— Ceri
Cape Dreams Real Estate also sponsored ceramics by Christiaan Snyman: collectible Baseline Africa memorabilia to take home and use, with a memory of the weekend close at hand.
Thank you to Kay & Monty and Polkadraai Strawberries for our strawberries-and-sparkle pause, to Nuy Winery for the mimosas, and to Media Vision Communications and Lucinda Gibbs for their support. Each contribution helped make our guests feel welcomed and cared for.
“Best best best weekend! I haven’t had that much fun in such a long time.”
— Ashley
A little Heritage Cup, wherever you are
The adventure has a playful life beyond the weekend, too. Our Courts of the Forest Heritage Cup game lets you take on Marzahn on grass, then Lucinda on clay—with Marzahn’s yellow sunglasses adding a familiar touch. A little courtside fun to enjoy from anywhere, until we meet on a real court again.
A weekend worth coming back to
We’ve created Our Weekends for our guests and sponsors—a place to revisit the moments we shared. Browse the photographs and stories, and keep your favourite memories close. We’re still adding photos, so pop back to see what’s new.
The Knysna-Plett Herald also covered the grass and clay courts at Portland Manor.
Keep an eye out—we’ll be sharing our next Courts of the Forest dates soon. In the meantime, explore Courts of the Forest or get in touch if you would like to hear about the next adventure.
Travel deeper. Play harder.
We’ll serve the adventure.