A few weeks ago, my husband and I, with our 3-year-old Australian Cattle Dog named Ringo, took a trip t0 the Drakensberg for the long weekend. Having spent a fair number of holidays in Underberg and Southern regions of the berg, we were all too keen to explore further North with our little adventure-loving buddy.
Being admittedly quite particular people, we looked long and hard for places to stay that would tick all the boxes for our getaway: private, cosy, open views, nearby activities, easy on the wallet, and the most crucial yet most limiting – dog friendly.
I stumbled across Emafweni on Google Maps which is located within the Cathkin Park region. The website immediately lured me in and after chatting to the owner who had recently just taken over, I wasted no time and booked into the Lakeside two-sleeper cottage.
We arrived on Friday to a personalised note on the gate and a very warm welcome from the property manager. We briefly discussed activities in the area and eagerly strapped on some trail shoes and went to explore our surroundings by foot and paw. The cottage is a stones-throw away from Monks Cowl which offers spectacular hikes but unfortunately is not pet friendly, so we stuck to the smaller paths and where there were none, we made our own… and stumbled across a lake near the Champagne Castle Hotel where we enjoyed the views and let Ringo run off some energy. Back home the sun set behind the cottage painting the lake pink below us. We lit a fire first outside and then transferred the warmth to the fireplace inside, and nestled ourselves into the cosy couch with the best berg-night duo - dark chocolate and red wine. We awoke early to a song of birds and the sunrise beaming through the wide bedroom windows. Coffee in bed, a full English on the sunny patio, a day bag packed and out we headed to explore the greater area. Champagne Valley/Cathkin Park is a dog haven so we did not struggle to fill up the next two days with activities. We did a few more trails near the cottage; we visited Kabbo Burger Restaurant, the Valley Bakery, Drakensberg Brewery and Dragons Peak Mountain Resort where we embarked on a few more hikes, shared a meal at the Dragons Peak restaurant and introduced Ringo to a host of other dogs as well as some fairly-friendly horses, zebras, and peacocks.
On Sunday we packed up and headed off to our next stop roughly an hour north of Emafweni. We arrived at the Alpine Heath gates mid-morning and made our way right through the resort and began to climb the mountain before us. As the road became increasingly rocky, Mat became increasingly excited, and we eventually engaged 4x4. Then we saw the cottage.
Aptly described as being “as close to heaven as you can get”, we arrived at Ad Astra. We “wowed” our way through the cottage as we unpacked and attempted to digest the unspoilt Drakensberg Range beauty before us, and keenly munched on the warm bread baked only minutes ago by Dorothy. Not that we needed to climb any higher to appreciate the setting, but nonetheless, we laced up and hit the mountainside. We stopped for a moment and watched the sun start to dip. We were completely isolated apart from the Eland, Oribi and Reedbuck grunting and bleating and skittishly dancing deeper into the safety of the mountains. Back at the cottage we layered up and warmed our insides with a glass of complimentary sherry. We sat back and allowed the view to absorb us. The sunset cast an orange shadow on the mountains and before we could fully appreciate the hue, the stars cut through the sky and as they moved overhead, they dragged the Milky Way into view. Later that evening, we heard jackal crying in the distance, so we let Ringo scout along the boundary fence to show off his typically-ACD bold protectiveness.
As the night grew darker and colder we hopped into bed hopeful of another soul-filling day ahead, knowing our alarms were set a few minutes before the sun – a habit we stick to when exploring new places.
We enjoyed the sun rising from our patio, covered in blankets and beanies and with warm mugs in hand. Feeling fuelled by the sun’s energy and some biscuits from the Valley Bakery, we took a slow walk around the area, taking recommendations from the guest book. We again enjoyed utter tranquillity being the only people within an impressive radius. Time seemed to move quicker than we could and left us longing to explore further but sadly home was calling. We left the cottage having already contacted the owner to book our next stay.
Our bodies may have left the berg, but our minds were still sitting on the bench overlooking the glorious Creation before us. Every so often when work and life get a bit crazy, I close my eyes and picture myself there on that bench at Ad Astra, or on the stoop at Emafweni. Coffee in hand, my boys next to me, gleaming with pure happiness and contentment. This is why we travel – for a regular re-set of the soul found in being quiet - where our city senses are calmed and our busy minds are renewed by the unhurried beauty of Creation, and to remind ourselves to never stop chasing adventure, never stop climbing. When you reach the Clouds, don’t give up. The Stars are waiting for you. But whatever you do, don’t forget to take your four-legged pal with you.
- Mat, Carey and Ringo.
14 Apr 2024
