It was an impressive “been there done that” list. Drive from Durban to Nottingham Road – done. Feed goats – done. Play with donkey – done. Browse through antique stores – done. Visit two pieces of South African history – done. Eat breakfast, buy trinkets, take in the scenic beauty – done, done and done.
All this, and more, done in less than 12 hours.
A week ago, I meandered in the KZN Midlands with the two ladies in my life – girlfriend, Megan, and mom, Carol. We left at 7am and were back in Durban by 6pm.
What hits home instantly – once the cold of the morning has evaporated into sun-soaked bliss – is the beauty of the area. I know it’s a romanticised cliché, but you can almost feel yourself unwinding as you take in the sights and sounds of the rolling hills and the bright autumn colours. It’s a lovely part of the world to be in.
We started at The Junction at Nottingham Road, one of the more common stops on the Meander route. It’s a collection of little shops, a restaurant and tourism office. It’s a good place to start a trip to the area. It’s a good idea to get hold of one of the tourist maps – they cost just R5 – because it will give you the names and locations of dozens of places to visit. Choose your activities, find them on the map and drive. It’s that simple.
Our trio decided to head east, towards Midmar Dam. Megan and I had been out this way before, but it didn’t make it any less fun.
First we pulled into the Lush Midlands Eatery, where children were enthralled by the chickens, peacocks and ducks that walk about freely – not to mention the pair of goats that stick their noses through the fence looking for attention. Bags of animal food are available, and if Megan’s delight in feeding the animals was anything to go by, it’s worth getting some.
Given the early start, we thought this was a good place to get breakfast. It turned out to be a very good decision. The food was fresh and full of flavour, warm and hearty and perfect for a chilly winter’s morning. It’s also very scenic, overlooking a small dam.
On the same property is Things We Love, an antique furniture dealership well worth a visit if you’re into that type of thing.
There are a number of these types of businesses along the Meander route, each with some spectacular pieces that made me wish I had deep pockets and a limitless credit card. We also popped into Renaissance, another antique shop, further down the road.
If shopping is your thing, there is a variety of options each with its own feel and products.
Many are, as you might expect, very arty, with paintings and crafts the dominant product. My mom picked up some interesting things at The Ugly Duckling and at Spiral Blue.
Art galleries are also common, including the Art and Soul Gallery at Happy Hills. Works from various local artists are on sale.
At Happy Hills we indulged in far too much fudge from Fantastic, the main shop for Tasha’s Fantastic Fudge. They come in a variety of flavours, some of which are unexpected – such as chilli and Amarula. The fudge is definitely worth stopping for and taking home.
For me, however, the highlights were the two historical places.
The first was the Nelson Mandela capture site, just a few kilometres from Howick. It’s a tiny monument which records that Madiba was arrested by apartheid police before being detained and charged, leading to his imprisonment.
Given how significant Mandela is to South African – and world – history, it’s such a pity that such a significant event is acknowledged by a small structure, the plaque of which is fading and is missing a few bricks.
There isn’t an information board explaining how he was arrested and what the circumstances were. It’s just so sad because Mandela’s character and his life attracts massive attention and it would just make so much sense for this event to be recognised more.
In fairness, some effort has been made with the nearby Truth Cafe, which has a souvenir store attached. This is an offshoot of the Apartheid Museum – which I visited recently – and offers pretty much the same products. Again, sadly, no information is provided as to what happened just 200m away. It’s a missed opportunity.
Back at Nottingham Road is one of my favourite places in the Midlands: Fort Nottingham. It’s nothing more than an enlarged stone shed built by the British and manned by six men to try and stem stock theft across the former Natal colony. Needless to say, it was a dismal failure.
Historical artefacts are housed at the fort, which hosts the annual Highland Games, and the well dug by the soldiers, as well as an ox wagon. This is a must-see.
Tired and hungry, we went for a meal at Bierfassel in Nottingham Road.
This was a great way to end the day. Just 11 hours since we had set out, we were back home. - Sunday Tribune