Memiors of Happy Valley

Popularised through books  (Ghosts of Happy Valley by Juliet Barnes, Child of Happy Valley by Junita Carberry and movies (White Mischief By James Fox), and better known as Wanjohi Valley — was the playground for English and some not-so-English aristocrats in the 1920s and 1930s. Welcome to the theatre of actions and beautiful scenery, mountains, streams, and forests.

An imposing old settlers house in the Wanjohi Valley, often called The Happy Valley. The house was built in the 1930s by Alistair Gibb

Clouds  House was built by  Idina Sackville in the Wanjohi Valley, often called The Happy Valley in the 1930s after her divorce from Jocelyn Hay

Kenya’s Happy Valley — popularised through books  (Ghosts of Happy Valley by Juliet Barnes, Child of Happy Valley by Junita Carberry and movies (White Mischief By James Fox), and better known as Wanjohi Valley in Nyandarua County — was the playground for English and some not-so-English aristocrats in the 1920s and 1930s. The key players included Idina Sackville, Lord Errol and a host of others 3rd Baron Delamere and his son and heir the 4th Baron Delamere , The Hon. Denys Finch Hatton , Sir Jock Delves Broughton and wife Diana Delves Broughton, Alice de Janzé (cousin of J. Ogden Armour) and her husband Frédéric de Janzé . Other less-known includes Gilbert Colville, Hugh Dickenson, Jack and Nina Soames, Lady June Carberry (stepmother of Juanita Carberry), Dickie Pembroke, and Julian Lezzard. Lord Errol’s death has remained a mystery and there is no sign it will ever be resolved. Enough has been written about the Happy Valley, but  its edges and the hills around it SIMPLY BREATHTAKING.  A venture beyond Happy Valley takes one through newly gravelled road from Ol Kalou past the former home of Happy Valley member Morgan Glenville, which is by Malewa River, the main feeder of Lake Naivasha, and up the escarpment. The view of Happy Valley to the south as you climbs the escarpment and Lake Ol Bollosat to the north is simply breathtaking. In Shamata, which in Maa language means ‘high place’, this cold place is to the east of Happy Valley. Here, other pioneer settlers, who were not as well-known as the Happy Valley lot, built elegant colonial houses. The very elegant house formerly owned by Nigel Trent and next to Aberdare Forest still remains intact. It offers a scenic view of the Laikipia plains, and the Rift Valley and its lakes. The house looks modest by Happy Valley standards. About four kilometres from Nigel’s house is Kaheho town which hosts another big colonial house nearby which is now demolished halfway and is part of a secondary school.
Spend days mesmering at the heydays and current political, social and enviromental landscape of Happy Valley, some 8 decades on.

To keep the lyrics alive, we have organised some trips, back memory lane  Happy Valley, the good, Serenity and fun

Welcome to the adventurous and vintage  journeys of our lifetime.