Hillhouse Accommodation was featured in Elle Decoration - The Country Issue June/July 2013. Also in House and Leisure - The Travel Issue, 101 Dream escapes in May 2015. Again in Getaway mag 2015 and Midlands life in 2008.
At Barland we offer you the chance to come relax and unwind in the beautiful KwaZulu Natal Midlands. We are situate well away from the hustle and bustle, but close enough to the action of the Midlands Meander. Ten minutes from Midmar Dam ...
Millford Farm has magnificent suites available for B&B guests each with a private entrance. They have been beautifully decorated by Kate in a most elegant and tasteful manner. In the Victorian style bathroom you will find a slipper bath with hand ...
Waterfall Cottage has 3 bedrooms sleeping 8 people. We have full DSTV premium and WiFi at our cottage, 2 lounges with 2 TV's.
Solitude Retreat Centre is a space set apart from the busy-ness of life for connecting with ourselves, each other and God. It is situated in a tranquil part of the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, near Midmar Dam...
The main cottage, Gobbins' Cottage, is a spacious double storey one bedroom home with a large open plan kitchen leading onto a cosy lounge with underfloor heating for those cold Dargle winters. The kitchen is well equipped with large fridge, oven...
If your heart yearns for a tranquil blend of seclusion and luxury then Lions River Country Cottages, award winning accommodation, is your perfect escape into the solitude of the countryside.
Architecturally designed and delightfully comfortable, our three AA Superior Crab Apple Cottages are set on the edge of Kilgobbin Forest and the Dargle Valley Conservancy. Each thatched, self-catering cottage has an unique character...
Inversanda is a country lover’s haven situated in the beautiful Dargle Valley in the Midlands of KwaZulu-Natal.
Our goal at Beverley Country Cottages is to make our guests feel welcome, comfortable and at home with our own personal touches. We pride ourselves in our service excellence and providing clean, fresh cottages that are looked after by our honest, willing
Nestled in the rolling hills of the KZN Midlands, Whispering Waters offers several accommodation options surrounded by lush pastures and glistening dams. Enjoy excellent trout fishing and the ultimate in countryside relaxation. Whispering Waters offers y
Welcome to Ferndene Farm, a little bit of peace and quiet in the Dargle Conservancy Area. We have lots of beautiful space and a very comfortable self-catering home, perfect for large groups of people and families. Or just anybody who wants to stretch out.
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A 15 minute drive from Howick, and just north of the Midmar Dam, Dargle is a minute hamlet set in the enchanting landscape of the Natal Midlands. Dargle is centrally situated on the Midlands Meander and contributes its share of craft outlets and establishments offering cosy country hospitality to this well patronised art and craft route. During cold winter spells, Dargle is a favourite destination for snow hunters coming from the warmer climes of Durban, just over an hours drive away.
The countryside surrounding Dargle was sparsely populated prior to the mid 1800s due to its incorporation in a Zulu Royal Hunting Preserve. Game was plentiful and elephants roamed the hills and valleys freely. Attracted by its lush vegetation and abundant water supplies, the area was soon settled by dairy farmers and in 1882 the picturesque St Andrews Church was built in Dargle. In 1889 trout were introduced into the region's rivers where they thrived and today, Dargle and the surrounding villages have become a popular destination for fly fishermen.
Guests visit to Dargle
We recently took our visiting German friends on a weekend trip through KwaZulu Natal's Midlands Meander. Our family has often taken this 80km Midlands Meander.......... stretching from just north of Pietermaritzburg through towns such as Howick, Lions River, Dargle, Karkloof, Curry's Post, Rosetta and so on, and we thought we knew the Midlands Meander well, but every time we discover exciting new places to explore, and this time was no exception.
The Midlands Meander brochure, informed us that there are over 160 places to eat, drink, shop and sleep, with a variety of Midlands Meander accommodation along the route for every preference - from old hotels, bed & breakfasts, self catering cottages, self catering chalets, guest farms and bush lodges.
By noon we'd experienced the world of The Midlands Meander........crafts - weavers, potters, woodcrafters and leather workers, and we'd sampled some interesting cheeses and locally brewed beer, just before pulling in to Balgowan for lunch. The Bierfassl Restaurant and Pub was an excellent choice, as they dabble in German cuisine, which suited us perfectly.
We continued on to Nottingham Road (to The Stables Wine Estate) for their April annual grape crushing festival, which was an afternoon of never to be forgotten foot stomping fun!
Saturday night we took a short detour off Nottingham Road and booked into Hawklee Country House accommodation - a charming Midlands Meander Bed and Breakfast situated on the banks of the Lions River. We must thank Dean and Belinda of Hawklee House for a wonderful evening of cosy old world charm and comfort, which included a spa bath in our guest suite, and luxurious goose down duvets.
After a rather late breakfast we continued on the Midlands Meander, (which by the way means 'to wander at random'), and took our time driving through Rosetta to Mooi River (which is the semi-official Midlands Meander end point), stopping along the way to browse and sample the many delights on offer - from lavender farms and wrought iron works to more thirst quenching breweries. On the 'down run' we spent a lot of time in one place of particular interest - a herbal centre where the girls splurged on boxes of essential oils.
Although we'd planned on arriving home in Durban late Sunday afternoon, we decided to stop at the Everglades Hotel in Dargle, as it's only just over an hour's drive from Durban. This Midlands Meander holiday resort, situated at the foot of the Inhlosane Mountain is a true 'country' hotel, and after a few jovial hours in the "Wattle & Daub" pub, we settled for one night's accommodation in Dargle, and enjoyed a leisurely dinner followed by a few games of snooker.
As it turns out, Dargle, just a 15 minute drive from Howick, is a charming Midlands Meander town nestled in a beautiful valley of mostly dairy farmers. This little 'hamlet' is well worth a second look, especially for a bit of Fly fishing for trout in the well stocked dams and rivers.
Perhaps next time we'll choose Dargle self catering accommodation, or even a Dargle guest farm for our stay. And once again, our thanks goes to wheretostay.co.za for their unbelievable variety of Midlands Meander accommodation options.
All in all, the KwaZulu Natal Midlands is a world all on its own,
Brenda and Marco
