Snowberg ....

Yes - it's ANOTHER shot of iNhlosane, and even though the snows have almost melted (this was taken last week Wednesday) I'm sure you'll agree this is an image too good to not share. Taken on that road trip where I braved the muddy, icy roads of the Dargle / Impendle route, this shot reminds me of one I took of the Matterhorn near Zermat in Switzerland some years ago. Both mountains dominate their region, and although I could not claim that iNhlosane has anything like the scale of the Horn, and it certainly poses no equal challenge to mountaineers, I took both photos across a valley that helped to give them an exaggerated appearance of height. (I was a little underwhelmed by the appearance of the Matterhorn - which despite its reputation and altitude of 4478 metres I somehow imagined would be more impressive. iNhlosane in comparison comes in at a modest 1977 metres).

Some photographers would have wait twenty years to get a shot like this. How fortunate I am to have had the chance in my first year in the Midlands. Co-incidentally a rare Johannesburg snowfall occurred the year I moved there - in 1981.

Old Barn ...

One of my TV favourites is Kevin McCloud’s Grand Designs, and some of the episodes I have most enjoyed have been those covering barn conversions, preservations and restorations. Sadly in SA we don’t have a countryside littered with barns dating back to mediaeval times with their splendid oak timber frames, which give these old buildings the charm and preservation worthiness they have. Nonetheless I have been noticing more and more charming old timber and iron farm buildings around the Midlands, and I daresay that if I had access to many more of the farms in the area I may even find one that would start shouting out “Save Me.”  This characterful old example is alongside the road from Dargle to Boston and still being in use, the farm road and open gate leading up to the building was too tempting to pass by. With no-one around on a quiet Sunday to ask permission, I took the liberty of taking a few shots before returning to the main district road and going on my way. The rusted iron roof, dilapidated state and silvery weathered gum tree planks attest to the many seasons this building has provided shelter to its contents – may it see many more – and: Thanks Mr Farmer.

This was one of those fortunate occasions where nature fully played her part in providing a dramatic lighting effect to add interest and focal depth to the image. Right place – right time!!

St Andrews ...

There is a danger that I could end up doing a series of images titled The Churches of Midlands County, as it seems that almost every named Midlands farming area settled in the late 19th century had its own small community chapel. Whereas the skyline of many a small South African town is dominated by the spire of a church (usually of the Dutch Reformed faith) these smaller country places of worship are both more modest and more isolated. Such is the small church of St Andrew's in the Dargle Valley. The original was built in 1882; the present red brick structure dating from around 1934. Built of the ubiquitous local red clay brick fired in the area, St Andrews is a charming example of the country chapel, and is still in use by the local community today. As with St Mark's (featured earlier) the small cemetery surrounding the church has graves of local families dating from the original building, right up to the as yet unmarked mounds of earth indicating a recent double interment. 

In the bright early afternoon sun the rich green of the tree on the left, so typical of much foliage in the area with this year's recent late Midlands' rains, contrasts with the turning autumn foliage of the plane tree on the right. It makes a beautiful setting for the weathered facebrick of the church. 

I believe in late autumn the area becomes a colour fanatics delight. I can hardly wait.

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.