Vryheid - North

Where eagles soar

The area north of Vryheid is primarily afforested; wattle, pine and gum being the dominant species. Open, often rocky, grassland covers the unplanted areas, with small wetlands and forest patches scattered in between. The two main rivers in this area are the Bivane and Phongola, both renowned for good fishing. This region is also steeped in German history and culture due to the arrival of German settlers in the mid  1800s. Water is one of the main attractions, with a bottling plant and hot water springs in the Bivane valley. The R33 tar road links Vryheid with Paulpietersburg (50km) and the neighbouring Mpumalanga Province (65km).

 

Situated on Lancaster Hill, just north of town (1km), lies the Vryheid Hill Nature Reserve (N1). The reserve is a great location for quality birding and botanising and enjoying a picnic or stroll. A network of roads and trails criss-cross the major habitats of the reserve and within a morning one could explore forest, woodland, wetland, grassland and rocky outcrops. More than 200 species of birds have been identified in the 700ha, making it a birder’s paradise. ‘Special’ birds include bush black-cap, broad-tailed warbler, bluff-streaked chat and swee waxbill, and of course, the African crowned eagles which breed in the forest overlooking the town.

Naturally occurring and re-introduced mammals include oribi, eland, blesbok, caracal, mountain and common reedbuck, grey duiker, bushbuck and Burchell’s zebra. Most of the grassland species can be found on the loop road on the plateau. Special plants abound and include charismatic species such as the common cabbage tree, forest bushwillow, paper-bark thorn and Cape beech. Smaller gems include various orchids, the carnivorous sundew, gladiolus, watsonia, agapanthus and scadoxus species.

The British army had a base camp on the mountain, occupied by the 2nd Royal Lancaster Regiment, and in December 1900 they successfully defended Vryheid against the Boer invasion of Natal. Battlefields to the north of Lancaster Hill are Kambula (N4, 30km); the site of a famous British victory over the Zulu army of King Cetshwayo in 1879, and Holkrans / KwaMthashana (N5, 35km), unusual in that it was one of the few engagements of the Anglo Boer War in which black people were involved.

The Kruger Bridge (N6, 35km), a border crossing between the then Nuwe Republiek and the Zuid Afrikaanse Republiek and the Natal Spa (N7, 35km), straddle the Bivane River. The rocky riverine vegetation of the spa also attracts a number of bird species, with the stars being the pair of African crowned eagles that nest in a nearby stand of eucalyptus trees. These birds can be viewed from a hide, allowing in-depth insight into the breeding behaviour of these powerful hunters. Other beauties include mocking cliff-chat, violet-backed starling and the greater double-collared sunbird. Rock hyrax are common around the pools and seem oblivious to the fact that they form the main diet of the African crowned eagles!

The delightful Drostdy (N8, 50km) in Paulpietersburg and the Lutheran Church and cemetery at Luneberg (N9, 60km) are also worth a visit, as is Ntombi Drift, scene of yet another British disaster in the Anglo Zulu War of 1879. Botha’s meeting place (N10, 53km) is another interesting place in this area. Further west lies the impressive Pongola Bush Nature Reserve (N11, 90km), domain of adventurous naturalists who can reach the highest point in Zululand with their 4x4’s. The incredible beauty of the reserve justifies a visit, but the bird and plant life are equally special. The cool, Afromontane forested slopes are home to orange ground thrush, chorister robin-chat and white-starred robin, while the rocky outcrops support Gurney’s sugarbird, various chats and wheat-ears, martial, African crowned and Verreaux’s Eagles. Samango monkeys occur in the forest, as well as chacma baboon, leopard and bushbuck.

Contact the EKZN Wildlife officer in Paulpietersburg to obtain permission to visit. Well-known public fishing haunts in the AbaQulusi area include the Grootgewacht (N2, 10km) and Bloemveld (N3, 15km) Dams.