The Dargle

A few kilometres south of the N3 highway between Lion's River and Nottingham Road lies the scenic Dargle Valley, or simply The Dargle. Many I have spoken to since announcing my plans of moving to the Midlands have reminisced with such fondness of this area and visible from home, it was inevitable I'd get there before too long. I now understand why it would leave such a lasting impression - it is tranquil, beautiful and offers much to see. The road to Dargle has some of the finest art and craft attractions of the Midlands Meander, whether you are looking for furniture, pottery or visual art. Add a plethora of accommodation, gentler hikes and walks than the deeper Drakensberg mountains hold, rivers and waterfalls, and the warm hospitality of its people and you have everything set for a worthwhile detour, or longer stay. The valley takes its name from the Dargle River (a tributary of the Umngeni) in its turn  named by an early Irish settler after the Dargle Stream near Dublin. The Irish connection is inevitable - but how many shades of green can there possibly be? 

For this image I reverted to panoramic mode to try and capture some hint of the sweeping grandeur of the valley vistas. It is almost impossible to replicate what the eye will absorb - not least the changing hues of colour and the light variation which, with the gathering clouds, changes almost by the second.