Boston Dargle Impendle

The iconic Inhlosane ridge, visible from across the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, rises to 2026m from the surrounding settlements of Impendle, Boston and Dargle.   From the peak, the views of countryside and the Drakensberg are incredible. In this area, you are likely to spot the Cape Parrot flying between patches of indigenous forest, Wattled Crane foraging in…

Weenen

If you head out of Mooi River along the Greytown Road past Bruntville, then turn off to Middlerus and trundle along, you eventually get to Weenen. The drive is magnificent. A good dirt road through bushveld and past rural homesteads. This is tough country and I am always astonished at how people survive in this…

Story of a Small Town

Despite the rain, two hundred people gathered for the premiere screening of Story of a Small Town: Howick last weekend. The wet weather was perfect, as the focus of the film was on water, something which unites everyone. Story of a Small Town: Howick is part of a series of six documentary films to be…

Bill Speight

Many years back, when driving past Howick, Bill Speight would say to his wife Liz, “That looks like a nice place to live.” 30 years ago, they bought a recently flooded house in Moonwalk Drive and settled in. “The best thing about our property was the wild wetland and veld right next door,” he remembers….

Hilton Produce Exchange

It’s a big job saving the planet, but starting small, with bite size chunks, can really make a difference. This is exactly what Karen Zunckel has done by initiating the Hilton Produce Exchange. Making compost and growing vegetables comes naturally to Karen. With her family, she has created a resilient oasis in Hilton, with beans…

Sulie Suliman

The Veg Guy There is just one traffic light in Mooi River. It’s a stop street sort of town, with small stores and cows on the kerbs. Shopping at the Green Grocer seems slightly old fashioned and charming nowadays. Residents of Mooi River and surrounds still do, as they are fortunate to have Farm Fresh…

Dargle

Dargle valley lies at the foot of Inhlosane mountain, visible from just about anywhere in the Midlands. Rolling hills, healthy rivers, hidden valleys and interesting people make this a very special place. The first settlers in the valley were the Fannin’s who were transported to the area by Dick King in 1847, apparently passing a…

Cliffie Daniels

“A pessimist finds difficulty at every opportunity but an optimist finds an opportunity in every difficulty!’ There is just one traffic light in Mooi River. It’s a stop street sort of town. Moving here, into the unknown, was a big decision for Durbanite, Cliffie Daniels, who is the Specialist Incident Manager for the N3 between…

Nottingham Road

‘Notties’, as the locals are apt to call Nottingham Road, began as a railway station to serve Fort Nottingham, a garrison set up by the Sherwood Foresters in 1856 to protect farmers from raiding Bushmen and grew into a thriving farming village. Today Fort Nottingham has an fascinating museum in the old stone barracks depicting…

A Good Place

Over the last 30 years, Midlands Meander has settled peacefully into the hills. Original members were creative folk with a yen to live life simply, who practiced their crafts in frugal luxury, watching the sunrise and eating home grown spinach for supper. They worked together to draw tourists from the towns to admire their exceptional hand-made…