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A Tale of Three Graves

Inspired by a chance meeting with a remarkable traveller, Nicky Fitzgerald set out to find the tale of three graves which weaves together the Out of Africa story with Angama Mara
Above: Nicky visiting Karen Blixen's grave in Copenhagen
Above: Nicky visiting Karen Blixen's grave in Copenhagen

Two years ago, a chance meeting in the middle of the Mara between two strangers inspired this little story.

I met a remarkable traveller – she knows who she is and would prefer to remain anonymous – who shared her story about her visits to Denys Finch Hatton’s grave in the lovely Ngong Hills above Nairobi and Karen Blixen’s grave under an ancient beech wood tree in Rungstedlund near Copenhagen.

And further inspired by this quote from Karen Blixen’s Out of Africa, I set out on a grave quest that took the better part of two years.

‘There was a place in the Hills, on the first ridge in the Game Reserve, that I myself at the time when I thought that I was to live and die in Africa, had pointed out to Denys as my future burial-place. In the evening, while we sat and looked at the hills from my house, he remarked that then he would like to be buried there himself as well. Since then, sometimes when we drove out in the hills, Denys had said: "Let us drive as far as our graves.”

View of the Ngong Hills above Nairobi
View of the Ngong Hills above Nairobi

We know the story:

  • 14 May 1931: DFH perishes in an air crash and is buried, as he wished, high up in the Ngong Hills.
  • 7 September 1962: Karen Blixen finally succumbs after a long illness at her family home in Denmark, far from her beloved Ngong Hills.

Karen’s unbearable longing for Africa, her farm and her employees never faltered through all the long years since, compelled by circumstances beyond her control, she was forced to leave Africa in 1931 and never return. In a letter to her mother she writes:

‘I have a feeling that wherever I may be in the future,
I will be wondering whether there is rain at Ngong.’

Signage to Denys's Grave
Signage to Denys's Grave
No chance of missing his grave
No chance of missing his grave

My visit to Denys’ grave with my colleague and city guide extraordinaire, Dennis Mwangi, was quite an expedition. We drove towards those lovely hills through the bustling if somewhat chaotic town of Ngong and ever onwards and upwards. Finally we spotted the teensiest sign – if we had blinked we would have missed it. Damaris, grand-daughter of the farm’s owner, was there to meet us and led us through a garden gate beyond which stood a 12ft obelisk. DFH’s grave is a moving monument to an extraordinary man who lived in extraordinary times. A line from Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s narrative poem, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, inscribed on the obelisk perfectly captures the moment:

‘He prayeth well, who loveth well both man and bird and beast.’

The tombstone on Denys Finch Hatton's obelisk grave
The tombstone on Denys Finch Hatton's obelisk grave
Nicky, Damaris and her baby in front of Denys's obelisk
Nicky, Damaris and her baby in front of Denys's obelisk

My visit to Karen’s grave in far-off Denmark was a complete surprise. My brother, knowing that I dearly wished to visit her grave, gave me this trip as a birthday gift. I had no idea where we were going until we boarded a plane bound for Copenhagen. Can a girl get any luckier? We took a 35 minute train ride from the city to Rungsted Kyst station and from there walked 15 minutes through a lovely forest where we found Blixen’s lonely grave.

Karen Blixen’s grave in Denmark
Karen Blixen’s grave in Denmark
Blixen’s lonely grave
Blixen’s lonely grave

All she owned of Africa, a handful of earth she’d brought back with her to Denmark in a little wooden box, was mixed with the soil of Rungstedlund in her grave. The unadorned tombstone of Isak Dinesen, the world famous author, is inscribed simply ‘Karen Blixen.”
(Apologies – I simply cannot remember where I found this quote)

It was one of the most moving places I have ever visited.

A third grave, I hear you ask yourself? Yes, but no. At our lodge, under a beautiful moth tree, is a plaque marking the spot where Meryl Streep delivers that heart wrenching eulogy in the movie Out of Africa. So Robert Redford’s DFH is ‘buried’ right here. We remember that scene in the inscription:

‘Though in death fire be mixed with my dust, yet I care not,
for with me now all is well’.

A plaque in honour of Denys Finch Hatton at Angama Mara
A plaque in honour of Denys Finch Hatton at Angama Mara
The beautiful moth tree from his grave site in the movie
The beautiful moth tree from his grave site in the movie

And in closing, from the movie:

Karen Blixen: The mail has come today, and a friend writes this to me:

“The Maasai have reported to the district commissioner at Ngong, that many times, at sunrise and sunset, they have seen lions on Finch Hatton’s grave. A lion and lioness have come here, and stood or lain on the grave for a long time. After you went away, the ground around the grave was levelled out into a sort of terrace. I suppose that level place makes a good site for the lions. From there, they would have a view over the plain, and the cattle and the game on it.”

Denys will like that. I must remember to tell him.

Note from the Editor:


Please be sure to visit the Karen Blixen Museum next time you are in Copenhagen and book a private tour – it’s worth every cent. To arrange a visit to DFH’s grave in the Ngong Hills, call Damaris on +254 723 758 639 and be sure to have Ksh500 on hand for the entrance. Or better still, Dennis will gladly take you there – contact us to book.

Filed under: Inside Angama

Tagged with:

Copenhagen , Denys Finch Hatton , History , Karen Blixen , Maasai Mara , Nairobi , Out of Africa , Romance

About: Nicky Fitzgerald

After more than 30 years in hospitality, starting with a small hotel at the foot of Africa and followed by a further couple of Cape hotels, most notably The Bay, and sixty plus safari lodges across Africa and India, Nicky has served more meals, puffed more cushions, filled more beds, trained more staff and opened more properties than she cares to remember. Nicky is currently the CEO and is looking forward to handing over the business to take a third crack at retirement after which she will remain a delightfully opinionated member of the board

Browse all articles by Nicky Fitzgerald Meet the angama team

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“We have a lodge in Africa” 27 October 2015 The world fell in love with Karen Blixen's opening line, "I had a farm in Africa, at the foot of the Ngong Hills". For those who identify with Out of Africa, this wild continent is the heart of every safari and many of the film's most memorable scenes were shot overlooking the Maasai Mara at Angama... By Kate Fitzgerald Boyd
That Yellow Plane 16 January 2022 Jens Kozany tells the story of G-AAMY, the Gipsy Moth biplane so famously filmed in Out of Africa, and now resident of Segera Retreat in Laikipia By Jens Kozany
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Join the Conversation (30 comments)

Comments (30):

Jean vanwinkle

9 March 2024

Just watched Out of Africa. Will never forget Karen’s beautiful love story of Africa and Denys. So much beauty.

Phyllis Doverspike

29 July 2023

I enjoyed the article and website but have one concern. Under the photo of Karen Blixens grave there is a paragraph which states that in the film Beryl Markam gave Finch Hatens eulogy. It was given by Karen Blixen as played by Meryl Strep. I have read West With the Night by Markham but do not recall a eulogy having been offered by her. Markhams name in the film was changed to Felicity Fairway... for what reason I do not know.

    Charlotte Ross Stewart

    31 July 2023

    Hello Phyllis, thank you for reading our blog and for putting so much thought into your comment. You are correct, the eulogy was given by Karen Blixen as Nicky writes in this blog.

Shirley Porter

29 July 2023

The Out of Africa story is the most beautiful. I am glad it was as true to life as possible. I re-read their story with a lump in my throat. The film was unforgetable.

    Charlotte Ross Stewart

    31 July 2023

    Hello Shirley, I'm sure you can see that Out of Africa is one of our favourite stories too. While the book was a beautiful read, the movie is especially close to our hearts as part of it was filmed at the same location that Angama Mara now stands.

Montague Court

24 January 2023

A really remarkable love-story - and set in a beautiful part of the world. Quite unforgettable!

Ron Barnett

9 November 2022

Wonderful.Firstly,I loved "Out of Africa "(what a wonderful musical score ).I have found out about and read so much ofKaren and Denys.I am currently watching in Australia a semi doco called About Karen Blixen which commences not long after Denys died when Karen returned to Denmark.I am excited to be able to see that period of her life after Denys Best regards Ron Barnett (age 82 )

    Charlotte Ross Stewart

    9 November 2022

    Hello Ron, the music is definitely my favourite part of the movie. I especially love the scene where Karen and Denys are flying in his plane over beautiful Kenya. We'll have to see if we get 'About Karen Blixen' here, that sounds fascinating. Thanks for reading our blog, we wish you all the best!

Patricia Cyphers

13 April 2021

Just watched the movie again after about 30 years, and still loved it. It's a great romance and both actors in the major rolls did a wonderful job.

    Ryan Brown

    21 April 2021

    Hi Patricia, glad it still resonates after all this time. Nicky's dream is to get Meryl back someday...

Evelyn Jannauer

8 September 2020

So go back and see this beautiful place again. Apparently it is waiting for you. It is waiting for your dreams to come true. Don't put off anything for later.

    Kate Fitzgerald Boyd

    8 September 2020

    Thank you for these thoughtful words Evelyn

Amber

4 August 2020

Nicki, wonderful to have found your article by mere chance, a lovely read. i can now the grave sights clearly in my imagination, thanks to such fine description. Would love to visit someday.

    Kate Fitzgerald Boyd

    7 August 2020

    Thank you for your note Amber, we hold the story of Baroness Blixen very close to our hearts. We hope to welcome you to Angama one day in the future

Giang

19 September 2019

Hello Nicky. I am translating Out of Africa into Vietnamese and found your post by chance. Thanks for a nice post.

    Nicky Fitzgerald

    20 September 2019

    I am delighted to hear that this little story interested you - thank you so much for getting in touch and all the best with your translation of this magnificent memoir.

Maria Morrison

12 March 2019

Hi Nicky, After watching the movie "Out of Africa", I fell in love with Kenya. But because of physical limitations, I'm unable to visit Kenya to visit Karen Blixen's farm and also visit DFH's grave. Copenhagen is now in my bucket list. It would be a great experience to see the Karen Blixen Museum. Thanks for sharing all the photos. For whatever reason, I watched the movie again tonight after about 5 years. Such a wonderful story.

    Nicky Fitzgerald

    13 March 2019

    Dear Maria Thank you so much for this lovely comment and wishing you a wonderful trip to Karen's home outside of Copenhagen. Please consider taking a private guided tour - worth every cent. Warm regards Nicky

John Hunt.

15 August 2018

I am 85 years young.last night I dreamed I was on the Ngong Hills next to DFH's memorial.Last visited 1957.!!!!!

    Nicky Fitzgerald

    15 August 2018

    Dear John What a beautiful dream - DFH's memorial is lovingly cared for by the family that own the land. I am sure Kenya has changed dramatically since your last visit but I can assure the kindness of the Kenyan people is just the same. warm regards Nicky

Kathy Small

12 May 2018

One one of the many more important pursuits to a person's soul that can matter!

Tessa Graham

30 November 2016

What a lovely story... Thanks for sharing.

Duncan Butchart

27 October 2016

So beautifully written Nicky . . .

    Nicky Fitzgerald

    27 October 2016

    Thanks so much Duncs - you set the bar very high

erika

26 October 2016

I visited Karen Blixen's home and grave in 2001. I has just finished 2yrs of Peace Corps service in Namibia. She has been a long time hero of mine and I rewarded myself with a trip to Denmark. I had the opportunity to see some amazing things in Southern Africa but this will always be a highlight for me. I even brought some Namibian dirt to place on her grave. I hope to one day visit her home in Kenya and DHF's gravesite as well. Thank you for this wonderful posting ...just the walk from the train station to her home brings a smile to my face.

    Steve Mitchell

    27 October 2016

    Thank you for sharing your lovely KB story Erika - we look forward to welcoming you to Kenya one day soon

Nancy Decker Davidson

26 October 2016

Nicky I am so jealous! You have just given me another item to add to my wish list.

    Nicky Fitzgerald

    26 October 2016

    Hi Nancy Lovely to hear from you! When you come to Kenya we will go to DFH's grave together - it's one of my most favourite places

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