Hidden travel gem that’s Tigoni

A couple having dinner at Thayu farm in Limuru. PHOTO | COURTESY 

By EVELYN SITUMA, esituma@ke.nationmedia.com

In Summary

• This former white highland area retains most of its old colonial charm until today.

Fiona Vernon doesn’t really know why her grandfather, Arnold Butler McDonell came to Kenya from his native England.

The late McDonell commonly referred to as AB among his friends, travelled to Kenya in 1904 and in 1910 bought 350 acres of land in Tigoni, a small town in Kiambu from the then British government.

Mr McDonell would later become one of the first commercial tea farmers in Kenya. This was after he experimented on tea farming with a Camellia seedling that he received as a gift from a friend from India.

The tea at Kiambethu farm has since then been an attraction to thousands of visitors among them Former Us President Jimmy Carter and his family.

In the 1960s, Fiona’s mother, Evelyn Mitchel started tea tours in the farm where she served typical English tea complete with scones and cream and cucumber sandwiches. These tours give an insight into what life is like on a settler farm. Fiona was later to take over the running of the farm upon Evelyn’s death.

Lunch

Kiambethu has still retained its standing as a tea farm of repute even though the family land now measures 35 acres having sold the rest through the years.

In addition to the tea tours, Fiona conducts nature walks in the adjacent 12-acre indigenous forest and offers guests lunch made from ingredients found in the farm. Apart from the two acres still under tea to date, she now keeps a few cattle and makes dairy products for use at the farm.

A visit to the farm makes for a memorable half-day excursion including a superb lunchtime buffet and an insight into the growing and making of tea.

It is a pleasure to sit for lunch in the lush, well-manicured garden as you listen and watch the abundant birdlife and cheeky frolicking monkeys.

Tigoni, then a white highland zone in Kenya has, in many ways, retained its former status, 50 years after the colonial masters left the country.

The place is still dotted with lush green perfectly-manicured gardens, vast tea plantations, rivers and forests. Places of worship like the All Saints Church, a Victorian-styled building remain intact.

The All Saints Church in Tigoni was designed by AB in 1938. He worked on the interior designs. The church has a rich history. Three generations of AB’s family have been married in the church including Fiona’s son.

On its compound are the grave of several white missionaries. Archaeologist and Anthropologist Dr Louis Leakey is also buried here. His epitaph is visible. He was laid to rest next to his missionary parents.

AB is also credited with founding Limuru Girls’ School, which is right next to Kiambethu farm. His four daughters all schooled there.