11 things to do in South Africa’s lake district

Posted on 5 August 2011

Twitcher; history buff; lover of the outdoors – no matter who you are, South Africa’s equivalent of the famous lake districts in England and Scotland has something to offer. Comprised of some 270 lakes and pans concentrated into a 20-odd kilometre radius surrounding the town of Chrissiesmeer in Mpumalanga, the area is thick with lush, luminous grasslands. Flocks of chattering southern red bishops, so noisy they drown out the drone of tractors, flit across the surrounding fields. Then there are the lakes themselves. Lake Chrissie is the largest freshwater lake in the country. Together with the rest of this freshwater network of lakes and pans, it forms the source of four of South Africa’s main rivers: the Vaal River which joins the Orange before draining into the Atlantic; the Komati and Usuthu rivers that flow into the ocean in Mozambique; and the uMpuluzi which flows into Maputo Bay.

Apart from the natural beauty of the surroundings, there’s also an eclectic mix of cultural and historical sites. The problem is you’ll come for a day and end up spending the week. Here are our top 11 things to do in the area.

1. Start at the dead end
The town cemetery is the final resting place of many Boer and English soldiers who lost their lives in the Anglo-Boer War and at the Battle of Chrissiesmeer which took place here on 6 February 1901. Those visitors not into military history will surely be captivated by the true love story of Arthur William Swanston. He died a hero in a 1900 battle while attempting to save the life of a young private (buried nearby) and his fiancé, who lived in Scotland, sent flowers to the local post office with a request to have them placed on the fallen soldier’s grave. While she never visited, a bunch of heather – sometimes blue, sometimes pink – arrived each October for 65 years. The touching tale lives on and is recounted every year during the annual wildflower celebrations.

2. Flora galore
The annual wildflower celebration is held every third weekend in January. The spring and summer months (August to February) bring a burst of colour to the fields surrounding the town and there’s always something to marvel at. The area is also well known for its 12 species of wild orchids and local guides offer walking or driving tours of the sites randomly scattered around the town and on nearby farms.

3. The tale of the lake bushmen
There are numerous rock art sites to visit on the farms around the town and further afield. The Florence (where you can see depictions of cattle, buck and giraffe) and La Rochelle sites are most popular.

Interesting stories about the diminutive and hardy tribesmen who created these sites abound. Take the Tlou-tle, a tribe that lived on reed rafts that eventually took root and grew into islands in the centre of some of the lakes. Folklore has it that they hid underwater for hours on end, breathing though reeds, to avoid danger posed by aggressors. A hunter’s account from the 1830s relates how he heard a high-pitched wailing and went to investigate. As he crested the hill overlooking a large lake, he saw “˜yellow-skinned elves’ disappear into the water. When he told the others in his party, they said he’d been in the sun too long, but subsequent excavations of an island in Riet Pan between Chrissiesmeer and Carolina have turned up numerous arrow tips and stone hearths, giving substance to the Lake Bushmen story.

4. Brilliant birding
Chrissiesmeer is best known for its incredible birding. The shallow lakes and pans are home to about 80 aquatic birds and 170 other species. The biggest attractions include the 20 000-odd greater and lesser flamingos that gather here to feed and nest as well as opportunities to spot red-winged francolin, chestnut-banded plover, Hottentot teal and Cape shoveler. Unusually, all three of South Africa’s crane species occur here too.

The best time of year is from September, when the first waders arrive, until March. The Frog coffee shop and local guesthouses have birding maps that indicate the best places to see various species on a 60-kilometre circular route map. A 4×4 or a vehicle with high clearance is necessary, especially after rain.

5. A frogging great night out
A sign on the outskirts of Chrissiesmeer pleads with motorists to slow down for crossing frogs. The area is also known as Matotoland, which is Swazi for “˜land of the frogs’ and, for more than a decade, the community has hosted frogging nights. The event includes a talk on breeding ecology and a frog-catching expedition. Visitors don headlamps and grab plastic bags and venture out into the night to collect all 13 species found in the area, which are then identified. This event, which is a great way for kids and adults alike to engage with the environment, usually takes place early in December and is organised and hosted by the owners of Florence Guest Farm. Book early as the frogging safaris are very popular.

6. Beautiful buildings
Chrissiesmeer has some impressive original sandstone buildings which date back 130 years. One such building, the dilapidated Dumbarton Oaks Hotel, was a popular stop for wagons and coaches on their way to Delagoa Bay. The hotel accommodated everyone from scallywags to kings, including murderess Daisy de Melker, actress Moira Shearer and Swaziland’s King Sobhuza. Legend has it the nearby St George’s Anglican Church was designed by renowned architect Sir Herbert Baker.

Many of the buildings, five of which are churches, are used as shops, homes or guesthouses and if you really want to immerse yourself in the spirit of bygone days, check into the old jail for a night. The rooms of the Jailed Bird Guesthouse used to be cells and the charge office has become a lounge, dining room and bathrooms.

7. Pull in at the tractor museum
Farmer Jan Randell’s Ranch Museum has one of the largest collections of vintage tractors in Africa, including examples of nearly every tractor model sold in South Africa since the 1920s. Three large sheds house more than 150 of these machines, immaculately restored and in running order. The oldest workhorse in the collection is a mid-1920s Massey Harris. There are also a few vintage cars and motorcycles on the premises. This is a private collection so call ahead to make an appointment.

8. Rocks of ages
There are a number of interesting rock formations in the area. Mpuluzi’s Footprint (also called Goliath’s Footprint), a large impression in a granite rock face, has particular spiritual signifi cance to some peole. Traditional healer Credo Mutwa calls it the holiest place in South Africa and many people, including a contingent of Native Americans and conspiracy theorist David Icke, have made pilgrimages to the site.

Another natural anomaly is the natural stone bridge alongside the road to Ermelo. This arc of rock, at 27 metres long and seven metres wide the largest natural bridge in South Africa, crosses the Vaal River and was used by Voortrekkers when the river was in flood.

9. Wool you lie with me
Be sure to visit McCloud’s, a pillow and duvet shop in one of the old sandstone buildings in the main drag. Luxurious woollen duvets are made by hand and it’s said to be the only factory of its kind in the country. The 100-per-cent wool-filled, cotton casings are hypo-allergenic, super-warm and, at less than R1 000 for a king-size duvet, very well priced.

10. Experience a working farm
If sleeping in a jail just doesn’t appeal, head a little way out of town and stay on a working farm, many of which have cosy fireplaces that go down well with red wine and a good book. At Miss Chrissie’s Country House, you stay in an converted barn. You can cook your own food in the large farmhouse kitchen, but to avoid dinner envy, make sure you book one of the hearty, home-cooked meals. They also offer camping in a forest of old oak trees that small game and (if the owners are to be believed) fairies call home.

Florence Guest Farm offers various accommodation options which are also worth considering. Keep in mind, these are working farms so expect the cockerels, cattle and tractors to start early. Your hosts at either of these farmstays can arrange excursions, birding and frogging walks and will direct you to all the attractions.

11.South Africa’s Santa
Ben Bezuidenhout runs the town’s information centre from his Frog coffee shop (which stands for Fully Relying On God). The jovial man, who grows his white beard for up to nine months a year, is well known in Potchefstroom where he works as an authentic Santa Claus. He’s abundantly passionate about the area and quick to whip out old magazines and books to illustrate his tale. He’s a hive of local information, can direct you to attractions such as the Bonnefoi ghost town, La Rochelle Bushman rock art and Murder Rock, and put you in touch with his daughter, who offers weekend tours of the area.

A brief history
Alexander McCorkindale, a Scottish settler, fell in love with the area that reminded him of his homeland and bought 200 farms from the government in a shrewd deal that involved selling the mineral rights of the farms to raise the funds to buy them. They were given Scottish names such as Lochiel, Dundonald, Bonnie Brae and Arthur’s Seat, many of which are still used.

In 1864, McCorkindale renamed Zeekoei Pan, calling it Miss Chrissie’s Lake in honour of Christina, the daughter of President MW Pretorius and someone he and his wife, Mary-Ann, were very fond of. Through the years the lake became known as Lake Chrissie and more recently Chrissiesmeer. The town of Chrissiesmeer started as a staging point for the wagon route to Delagoa Bay (now Maputo Bay), which was to become the first tsetse fly-free route to the coast. Unfortunately, while on a recce to establish the navigability of the Pongola River, he contracted malaria and died on Inhaca Island in 1872. It took the government 20 years to sort out the wily businessman’s estate.

You can still visit his farm on the banks of Lake Banager and explore the cave that was his home while he built a cottage nearby. The current landowners have built a lapa and braai facilities, making it a remote and peaceful place to picnic.

Getting there
From Johannesburg, take the N4 towards Machadodorp, then the R36 to Carolina; 4 km from Carolina, turn right and travel for 20 km to Chrissiesmeer.

Other useful contacts

  • The Chrissiesmeer website is a comprehensive portal covering the history, activities, accommodation and more. www.chrissiesmeer.co.za
  • The Frog shop and info centre, tel 073-194-6801.
  • McCloud’s, tel 017-847-0053 or 082-801-4158, email [email protected].
  • Jan Randell’s Ranch Museum, cell 082-807-5515, www.randellsranch.co.za.

Where to stay

  • The delightful family-run Miss Chrissie’s Country House offers rooms in a converted barn with a dining room, kitchen and self-service bar. Selfcatering from R230 a person a night sharing and DB&B from R370 a person a night sharing. Camping is R50 a person a night. Tel 082-821-3081, email [email protected], www.misschrissies.co.za.
  • Florence Guest Farm has cottages and rooms ranging from R260 to R390 a person a night sharing. Choose from room only, self-catering or DB&B. Cell 082-804-1771, email [email protected], www.florence.co.za.
  • The Jailed Bird Guesthouse sleeps a maximum of seven (four adults and three children) in two cells. It costs R180 a person a night sharing for self-catering (children pay R100). Tel 017- 847-0078 or 082-929-1219, email [email protected].

Click here for more accommodation in and around Chrissiesmeer, starting at just R220 a night.

 






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