Pilgrim's Rest, South Africa Days 7 and 8
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| Drakensberg Range |
Day 7: Pick up at Sabi
Sands, drive to Pilgrim’s Rest. Pilgrim’s Rest is a quaint, rustic, very
touristic Victorian mining town on the eastern escarpment region of the
Mpumalanga province in the Drakensberg mountain range established in 1873 (after
it was officially declared a gold field). The town was designated as a national
monument in 1986.We stayed at the Royal Hotel in the center of
town; this is a pretty funky inn, but really the only show in town. The bar,
connected by a hallway to the reception area, was formerly a church and is a
wonderfully atmospheric local watering hole. The walls are covered with framed
photographs of the original miners and other colorful inhabitants of the town in
the late 19th / early 20th centuries as well as significant points of interest
in the surrounding area. The Inn does replicate the times pretty effectively,
the rooms come complete with no modern amenities, creaky brass beds, firm
mattresses, a riot of floral wallpaper, lace curtains, candles (primarily for
power outages) and claw and ball footed French tubs. The food in the Inn’s large
dining facility is very average but the service is enthusiastic and when they
have a big bus group, the staff come out of the kitchen and sing African music a
cappella, very entertaining.
Day 8: Pilgrim’s Rest,
the Royal Hotel. We had a van and driver/guide pick us up after breakfast for a
full day tour of the area. The scenery is spectacular in the Drakensberg Range
where the Blyde and Truer Rivers merge and snake their way through ancient
valleys. The history is fascinating. There are geological wonders to marvel at,
potholes and waterfalls, as well as the long distance views of the valleys and
mountains. We stopped at least eight times during the drive to hike into areas
with stunning views including God’s Window. We stopped for lunch and shopping in
Goskop where I found some beautiful hand woven African silk scarves.
Lyell Franke 2012