Vryheid Flora & Fauna
The natural world in and around Vryheid has a way of getting under one's skin. The quiet, scenic beauty of the town nestling at the foot of the friendly Lancaster Hill, or Vryheid Hill as it's known to the locals, spells magical enchantment that warms the heart and touches the soul. The grasslands have their own specific smell, the forest patches have unique muffled sounds, the spring flowers have their shy but splendid colours and the misty hill evokes a feeling of well-being and a sense of belonging.
Vryheid Hill Nature Reserve, bordering the town, is a superb place for nature lovers and bird watchers. Very few towns or cities have, not only the privilege of their own conservation area on the borders, but also a resident pair of crowned eagles, which nest in a Cape ash tree in the forest overlooking town. The conservation area is incredibly diverse, with grasslands, rocky slopes, protected pockets of forest as well as mixed woodland. It therefore supports a variety of animal and plant species. Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife are the custodians of this park. Hikers can expect encounters with the grey duiker, mountain reedbuck, oribi, eland, Burchell's zebra and blesbok.
The unique Ntingonono Environmental Centre is at the entrance of this reserve. This is an educational facility with the focus on environmental education for school groups. It offers accommodation for 60 people and seats up to 100 people in a beautifully designed hall. Specialist speakers offer their services on request and learners have the opportunity to get hands-on exposure to the natural world.
South of the town is the man-made Klipfontein Bird Sanctuary and various other wetlands. Over 340 species of birds have been recorded in the greaterVryheid area. Birders are always keen to spot the 'Vryheid specials; which include red-chested flufftail, grey crowned crane, bush blackcap and Baillon's crake. Another amazing place and botanical hotspot is the Bivane dam. It offers many rare and endemic plant species, including the Bivane-waterwood, lthala gladiolus and wild teak. The Vryheid veld is an ecological transitional area and offers a natural gateway to the Zulu land bushveld to the south-east and the middle and highveld to the north-west. Many eco-destinations, ranging from game farms, game and nature reserves and other conservation places, are situated in close proximity to the town. But, there is a risk, watch out! The magical enchantment of the Vryheid area may become an addiction.