GRADE: S TIME: 1 hour, return or round trip DISTANCE: 1.5 km TERRAIN: Undulating well-marked path. Top Gate is the starting point. Take the path left, through the Pine Trees and the old jeep track towards Cowslip Falls Dam. Walk along the dam wall then left for a short distance and then immediately right. The
GRADE: S TIME: 1 hour, return or round trip DISTANCE: 1 km TERRAIN: Undulating well-marked path. The starting point is the car park behind the 70s block. There is an information board here with details of the trail, and many more information boards at points of particular interest along the way. Walk up the mowed
GRADE: S TIME: 1 hour, return or round trip DISTANCE: 1.5 km TERRAIN: Undulating well-marked path. The starting point is just alongside the lower tennis court. Walk towards the Stables and along Darter Dam wall. At the northern side of the dam cross the river and then follow the meandering path through the valley. There
GRADE: STIME: 1 hour, return or round tripDISTANCE: 1.5 kmTERRAIN: Undulating well-marked path. The circular return leg has a bit of a climb up reinforced steps. The starting point is behind the children’s dining room. The path leads through the pine trees. Beyond the pines head for a big cypress tree growing next to an
As you approach the Cavern Resort & Spa, in the Northern Drakensberg, the gentle arms of nature immediately cradle you. It is all around you; hillsides of waving grass hiding families of resting Mountain Reedbuck, steep rocky ravines with tumbling waterfalls, Protea-covered slopes, secret places within the forested kloofs. The hotel itself nestles happily at
The most common butterfly at the Cavern is the Garden Acraea. It is small, mostly dull orange with a few black spots, and with conspicuously transparent fore-wings. It flutters weakly around its favourite plant, Kiggelaria africana (Wild Peach tree). This is where it lays its eggs, so the caterpillars have the right food. Nearly every
About 2000 eland roam the Drakensberg and its foothills. Roam is the correct word, which is why we don’t see them at The Cavern every day. Summer tends to be spent grazing in the higher berg while the grass is at its most edible. Individuals congregate in breeding herds, maybe 50-strong. In winter the herds
Birds sing to advertise. Males do most singing, to announce that they hold a territory. The song warns other males to keep away, while enticing females to come closer. The song itself also identifies the species of the singer: it does not do to fraternise too closely with the wrong species. Because the song is
Drakensberg birding during the winter months can be a wonderful affair. A host of endemics are quite common in certain areas. If one does some careful research there are some fantastic hotspots with Drakensberg accommodation close by. A wise choice for accommodation in the Drakensberg would be The Cavern Resort & Spa – they host
Snakes are not confined to the tropical lowlands and are actually quite common in the Berg. They are often seen at The Cavern, causing something between fascination and alarm among visitors. Nearly all are harmless. Most frequent, especially in the garden, is the Natal Green Snake. It is pure bright green. It sometimes zooms across
