Mischief on the Midlands Meander - A Rocky Ride

Still recovering from the wedding the night before, and going on an early morning Game Drive at Tala Game Reserve, did not stop us from exploring the beautiful landscape and quaint stopovers in the Kwazulu Natal Midlands, till it was time to head home before the sun sets.

I forgot to share a pic of my dearest friend and me on our way to the Wild Wedding. My young friend has been my guardian angel since my awful loss last year.

Her son was our pilot driver, with his friend as co-pilot co-driver, especially when the road became rutted, muddy, and a tad perilous at times. Note he only got his driver's license a couple of months ago but drives like a pro!

We took to the N3 which is a national route that connects the coastal city of Durban to the city of gold, Johannesburg.
We took the Nottingham Road turnoff to get onto the R103 Midlands Meander route; with potholes here and there especially following the recent rains, but enjoyed the rolling green hills, and farmland scattered here and there.

Our first pit-stop was Blueberry Cafe that I raved about a while back, but there have been changes and my young friends were keen to see what all the fuss was about on Google reviews as well.
The loos with a view have not changed and the Ancolis and Alpacas are still there; it really was worth a second visit as part of our meander.
There were surprises around every corner.

I tried highjacking this old Humber, a new addition to the brewery at Netherwood; was hoping to get away with it, but no such luck!

I had to be satisfied with beer tasting - the Pilsener and Laros Craft Lager were very good, but the English Bitter Ale was a tad too bitter for my taste buds. Ice-cold beer on an extremely hot day was more than welcome!

The beautifully refurbished tricycle bike stood proudly in one of the many passageways leading to various themed nooks and crannies; from quaint, to stylish, and contemporary.

Our driver's not looking too impressed with his 'co-pilot' suggesting they pack the ox-wagon to continue our meandering ;)

Netherwood Farm belongs to a world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon Dr. Rob Kleinloog, so it is no surprise that ancient surgical implements have been remodeled into decor items like this Cardio Pulmonary Bypass circuit that now houses bottles of liquor.

Old tractor seats now serve as bar stools.

Time to say goodbye to Netherwood Farm and hit the road again. It was just as well that I did not know what I was in for when we reached the turn-off for...

Swissland Cheese Farm!

The road started relatively easy, but eventually turned into a rocky, very steep, and narrow track. I honestly thought we were going to roll down the mountain high hill and end up front-page news the next day!
Not surprisingly, I also became a co-driver at this point ;)

I honestly thought at that point no one else in their right mind would venture up this road to Swissland Cheese Farm, so it was a surprise to see several cars, one or two of them small cars! How they made it, I have no idea, but as there's no turning around, the only way is to the top!
I would highly discourage anyone with a small car from tackling this steep and rocky road!

The views and the tranquility from the top were worth it though.

One can order a picnic basket filled with delicious cheeses, wines or coffees, and other delectable eats; it comes with a blanket to enjoy a picnic on pallets under the trees and some even suspended in the trees, making it a unique experience!

We were still not hungry after our big breakfast at Tala but did get to buy goat's cheese to take home, although their stock was running low following the holiday season. We enjoyed a small tub of rich and creamy ice cream, got to feed the Saanen Goats, relax, and enjoy the stunning views.

I heaved a sigh of relief when we managed to get to the bottom of what seemed like a mountain, without rolling down what they call a hill!

The day was not over yet, and we made two more stops further along the Midlands Meander, which I will share with you next time, but that little off-road adventure to Swissland Cheese Farm ended well, and we did not make the local headline news!

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