Midlands and Thukela South Africa
Midlands and Thukela
The
Albert Falls Dam in the Midlands provides endless scope
for sailing, canoeing and fishing.
Bird-watching, horse-riding and walking
are also popular in the resort. Game
includes zebra and several antelope
species. Accommodation is provided in
caravan parks and fully-equipped
chalets. Otto's Bluff is well worth a
visit in winter when the aloes are in
flower.
Howick Falls
The Howick
Falls is situated in the Umgeni
Valley Nature Reserve. Here the river tumbles about 100m in a single fall
over weather-beaten rocks. The Howick falls can be viewed from below and above.
The principal
centre of a richly fertile timber-producing area
and part of the KwaZulu Natal Battlefields
Route,
Greytown has grown rapidly since its formation on
the banks of the Umvoti River in the 1850's.
Natal's distinctive watttle-tree forests encircle
Greytown and the town is a charming example of a
British colonial life no longer with us. It is a
much frequented holiday destination for tourists
interested in history or needing a weekend break
in the beauty of Umvoti County.
Amphitheatre
The
Amphitheatre
is a sheer, four-kilometre-wide basalt cliff face, flanked by the Sentinel and
the Eastern Buttress and is one of the Drakensberg's
most distinctive scenic attractions. The Tugela River plunges over the edge
and plummets 2000 m in a series of sheer falls.
Chelmsford
Public Resort Nature Reserve
Rich in Egyptian
and spur-winged goose, spoonbill, yellow-billed
duck and dabchick, Chelmsford Reserve is a
bird-watcher's paradise. Powerboating and fishing
for carp are added attractions. One section has
been stocked with springbok, black wildebeest,
zebra, red hartebeest, rhino and blesbok. There
are camping and caravan sites.
This
charming village lies in an area renowned for its
excellent trout fishing. The Himeville Nature
Reserve has two lakes amply stocked with trout, as
well as campsites, rowing boats for hire, braai
(barbecue) facilities, and issues angling licenses
for trout fishermen. The Swamp Nature Reserve
close by attracts a variety of waterfowl,
including the rare wattled crane.
The Natal Parks
Board's trout hatcheries are located in the
Kamberg Reserve. From time to time, Parks Board
officials conduct special trout-fishing clinics.
There are a number of trails. One leads through
indigenous yellowwoods, tree ferns and proteas.
Another has been designed for visitors confined to
wheelchairs.
Loteni
Nature Reserve is best known for its
excellent trout-fishing facilities (angling
permits required). Relics of the area's history
have been preserved in a Settler Museum.
Accommodation is provided in cottages, a hutted
camp and a camping area.
The Midlands
Meander is a fascinating drive between Hilton
and Mooi River with
about 70 ports of call en route, ranging from art studios, potters, and painters,
to herb gardens and cheese makers. Some of KwaZula-Natal's finest country inns
are situated in the area. A brochure providing details is available from the
Pietermaritzburg
Publicity Association.
Midmar
Public Resort and Nature Reserve
The Midmar
Historical Village includes a number of historical
buildings, as well as a steam tug and a Zulu
homestead. Midmar Dam is zoned for yachting and
power-boating. The 1 000-ha game park is inhabited
by rhino, zebra, a wide variety of antelope
species and waterfowl. Caravan and camping
facilities are available.
Nottingham
Road is a small town
serving the surrounding stock-breeding,
dairy-farming and trout-fishing area. The remains
of Fort Nottingham, built in 1856 to protect the
Boers and British against Bushmen (San), can be
seen.
The
Sani Pass is
the only road between Natal and Lesotho. The view from
the top of the pass (2 874 m) and the size of the
tots from the highest pub in Africa are quite
unforgettable! If you want to go to the top, take
your passport with you, as you will not be allowed
into Lesotho without it. Giant's Cup Hiking Trail,
starting at the foot of the pass, is one of South
Africa's finest. It takes five days to complete,
covering 14 km a day along mainly flat, but
beautiful terrain. You're likely to encounter
several antelope species en route. The indigenous
flowers are at their best in February and March.
Shaded by old oak
trees, the village commands beautiful views of the
Drakensberg. There is excellent trout fishing in
the district. Annual event (near Underberg): Out
and About Splashy Fen Music Festival in April/May.
The
Midlands were the site of some of South Africa's most significant battles, extending
over more than 200 turbulent years. It was here that the Voortrekkers were confronted
by Zulu armies, and where the mighty British army was defeated by the power
of the Zulu nation. The
battlefields area is also famous for the successful resistance of the Afrikaner
nation to the threat of British imperial colonisation during the Anglo-Boer
Wars.
Near Dundee, the
following are among the most important
battlefields: Blood River Battlefield: In December
1838, the Voortrekkers defeated a Zulu army here.
Isandlwana Battlefield: In January 1879, a British
regiment was annihilated on this site by an impi
(army) of 25 000 Zulus. Rorkes Drift Battlefield:
In January 1879, 100 British soldiers won a
12-hour battle against overwhelming Zulu odds.
Talana Battlefield: Scene of the first battle of
the Anglo-Boer War (October 1899).
Nestling in the
foothills of the Drakensberg, Bergville is a
typical pioneer settlement with charmingly
restored buildings. The village provides a perfect
stopover for motorists travelling to resorts and
reserves in the northern Drakensberg and the
Battlefields Route.
Several major battles were fought in the
area during the Anglo-Boer
War. Exhibits relating to the war can be seen in the Robert E. Stevenson
Museum. The key is obtainable at the
Colenso Police Station. Nearby, the Blaauwkrantz Monument serves as a reminder
of the massacre of Voortrekkers by Zulus in 1838
Not
surprisingly for an important coal mining town, Dundee
's excellent Talana Museum depicts various
facets of the coal industry, as well as local
Zulu, Boer and British history. In the grounds,
there are graves of British soldiers who died
during the Anglo-Boer War. Battlefields in the
district are indicated by a cannon on road signs.
The reconstructed Blood
River Battlefield features 64 full-scale bronze oxwagons, as well as replicas
of cannons used in the battle.
Estcourt
is the
centre for an important livestock industry. The
Bushmans River provides good trout-fishing
conditions. Upstream from town, the Wagendrift
Public Resort Nature Reserve is an excellent venue
for fishing, sailing and boating
Giants
Castle is a major Drakensberg resort, renowned especially for more than 5
000 Bushman paintings on the walls of caves. The
Bushman Site Museum is well worth a visit. The
reserve provides sanctuary for black-backed
jackal, serval, caracal, and a prolific bird life.
Bird Life includes bearded vulture, Cape vulture,
jackal buzzard, black eagle and lanner falcon. A
bird hide facilitates the viewing of
cliff-dwelling species. The 40-km Giant's Castle
Two Huts Hike takes three days to complete.
Accommodation is available in hutted camps.
The Siege of
Ladysmith (118 days) involved numerous battles
between the British and Boers. Anyone interested
in the Anglo-Boer War should visit the Ladysmith
Siege Museum for insight into the Battles of
Colenso, Spioenkop, Vaalkrans and Tugela Heights.
Guided tours to nearby battlefields are arranged
by museum staff. Open Monday - Friday:
08:00-16:30; Saturday: 10:00-13:00
In 1879, this was
the setting for one of the most famous battles of
the Anglo-Zulu War. The main attractions of the
Rorke's Drift Battle Museum are a fine model and
audio-visual depiction's of battles fought in the
region. Over the past 30 years, the fame of
Rorke's Drift as a battlefield has been matched by
the fame of the Evangelical Lutheran Church Arts
and Crafts Centre. The centre employs about 80
people who specialise in excellent handwoven
tapestries, pottery and silkscreen fabrics. The
rugs and tapestries are made from pure karakul
wool. Every work is unique, as no design is ever
repeated.
Royal
Natal National park is one
of South Africa 's finest tourist attractions,
probably best explored on horseback. Scenic
highlights include the Amphitheatre,
Mont-aux-Sources and the Tugela Falls. In addition
to breathtaking scenery, comfortable accommodation
and mountain streams stocked with trout, visitors
have a choice of 25 walks and hikes. The most
exciting leads to the top of Mont-aux-Sources and
panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.
The hike is strenuous and involves climbing two
chain ladders up a sheer rock face. Not
recommended for the average Sunday afternoon
stroller. The park has also become a popular base
for climbers.
Dominated
by the rugged mountain where Boers and Britons
clashed during the Anglo-Boer War, the resort
offers a wealth of outdoor attractions including
fishing, yachting and powerboating on the Tugela
River Dam. From the summit of Spioenkop, there are
grand views of lush green plains and the peaks of
the Drakensberg.
This sweeping pass over the Drakensberg
is one of the major road and railway passes of southern Africa. The route was
originally used by migrating herds of zebra, hartebeest, blesbok and wildebeest
which moved seasonally between winter grazing in the Midlands and summer grazing
in the highveld. Llandaff Oratory in the nearby village of Van Reenen, is thought
to be the smallest Roman Catholic church in the world.
Situated
in the foothills of the Cathedral Peak area,
Winterton is perhaps best known for the Drakensberg
Boy's Choir School close by. Given the choir's enviable international reputation,
it's not surprising that the school's concerts attract capacity audiences. The
repertoire spans classical, contemporary and African songs. Look for the signs
to Dragon Peaks Holiday Resort. The school is next door. Booking is essential.
Three of the Drakensberg's finest hotels are situated in the vicinity.