In keeping with the lodge’s peaceful, quiet setting, we invite you to “get away” from your work and daily routine, and relax into the natural beauty of this place.
Birdwatching
Our valley and the local area is considered a major draw for twitchers! While novice birdwatchers ourselves, the farm and surrounding area can boast of blue cranes, the national bird of South Africa, the crested crane (also known as mahem), grey heron, storks, and even the occasional secretary birds. Common residents are a range of weavers, bishops, widowbirds, kingfisher, hadida and sacred ibis, guinea fowl, doves, pigeons, larks, and swallows and swifts. In late summer, amur falcons, which make an inspiring annual migration from Siberia to South Africa, can be seen hanging on the fence, telephone poles, and power lines.
Hiking
There are several walking and hiking trails from the house on the farm itself. We can also guide you up the ridge to neighboring farms, which are part of a conservancy linked to the Ncandu State Forest Nature Reserve. Alternately, drive over to Moorfield Farm and, for a modest fee, hike to waterfalls in the Nature Reserve.
Mountain biking
Bring your own mountain bike and travel the untarred roads in this valley and the ones nearby for your adventure. You will be challenged by the terrain while you take in the beauty of this part of the Drakensberg!
Looking for wildflowers
Our valley is always in bloom, and the different parts of the different seasons bring new flowers and plants to our attention. Skim the South African Wildflowers guidebook, or the Leopard Dale Flower book in the Lodge for insight into the range of flowers you might see. (Leopard Dale Farm is another of our neighboring farms, over the ridge in KwaZulu Natal.)
Explore the farm
The lodge has two vegetable gardens and an orchard within a short distance from the house for you to explore. There are two areas where large petrified wood tree stumps, probably from the Permian Age, await your gaze and interest. One area is just under the gum trees near parking and the orchard, and the other is about 1.5km north, down the road in an old farmstead. The Klip river bed also has many fossilized tree stumps visible in and at the water’s edge. Additionally, portions of trees have been found up the valley wall where we believe they originally fell 200-250 million years ago. If you find a small piece of petrified wood on your walk, feel free to keep it. However, we ask that you leave for the enjoyment of future visitors any pieces palm-size or larger.
Dangle your feet or take a dip in the Swimming Hole
A short 15-minute walk west of the lodge, behind the barn, takes you to our swimming hole, fenced off from cattle. A spring, which also feeds the house with its pure water, flows into an upper reed-filled pond, then into the swimming pond. The swimming hole overflows down a stream into a lower dam, build expressly for cattle. On a hot day in mid-summer, we invite you to dangle your feet in the cool water, or if you’re brave, plunge fully into the pond!
Walk the Labyrinth
Behind and south of the house is an old oak grove where we have created a labyrinth. Walking a labyrinth is considered an ancient, sacred and meditative experience. Walk slowly, intentionally, following the path of the maze, and see what revelations come to you!
Read
Bring your backlog of books and magazines to enjoy while you are here. The Lodge also has a small library in the living room where we keep some books for your enjoyment while you are a guest. They include South African guide books and history, books by world-renowned South African authors, and of course, some crime and thriller paperbacks!
Take a nap
Other than meals, we have no schedule here. Drop off for a catnap at your leisure!
Do nothing!
Doing nothing at all is our favorite recommendation. How often do any of us get to do nothing at all? Here, it can be the main pleasure.