Last year I had the great privilege of “doing the Midlands Meander”. And what a wonderful experience it was!
The Midlands Meander traverses through the heart of KwaZulu-Natal and it offers travellers the chance to see South Africa at his best. There are so many wonderful stops, with a wide variety of sights, restaurants and activities to accommodate any taste or preference.
Below is a map of the prearranged routes of the meander:
We started out journey from Stutterheim in the Eastern Cape and slowly made our way up the route, with no agenda; stopping at whichever town, restaurant or interesting site caught our eye.
The absolute highlight of our trip was stopping at Gunthers. It is a restaurant owned by Gunther Janz who has a passion for sharing the German and Switzerland culture and cuisine. We were able to sample original German beer and sample the most divine German sausages – Your choice of sausage is served with sauerkraut and potato… very delicious and a wonderful, unique atmosphere. We had a great time meeting with Gunther as he regaled us with his adventurous tale of moving to South Africa.
Approximately 5 kilometers outside Howick is the Mandela Monument. It was created by Marco Cianfanelli and consists of 50 steel columns. These 50 poles represent the 50 years since his capture. It is a highly impressive design which really blew our minds. It is a relatively new addition to the Meander (it was unveiled in August 2012.)
Another lovely must-do is a stop at The Nottigham Road Brewery which a beautiful place to have lunch and sample a collection of original beers.
We also visited Howick Falls – not so impressive in themselves, but nearby is a beautifully quaint village with lovely antique, clothing shops and cafes with outside seating areas. Buskers entertain you with their music: Divine and relaxing.
And once you’ve completed the Midlands Meander the best place to spend the last few days of your trip is the Wild Coast Sun.
What an awesome time!
by Kim Wilson
