Steven Hayhoe longs for the quiet of Balogwan in the Midlands
What makes your town unique?
IT'S a mixture of up-market, English-style boarding schools, rolling countryside, the quaint shops of the meander and the shack-filled townships, all existing side by side.
Tell us about one secret wonder that a tourist wouldn't know?
If you sneak into Michaelhouse boarding school, you can climb the bell tower to get a great view of the surrounding countryside.
What is your best form of entertainment in your town?
It's a toss-up between mountain biking on scenic trails and shopping on the Midlands Meander.
Where's the best place to eat?
La Lampara for pasta and pizza is set in a magnificent valley, and the Beer Fassel serves great German sausages with jalapenos.
And to drink?
The Cape has its wine route, but we have a beer route all the way from Durban, through Wartburg to the Midlands. Rawdon's Hotel is a great place to grab a pint.
What can you get in your town that you can't get anywhere else?
Pickled Pig Porter, Whistling Weasel Pale Ale, Tiddly Toad Lager and Pye-Eyed Possum Pils-ner.
What do you miss most about your town?
The absolute silence at night, pierced by a lonely train whistle.
What makes someone typically from your town?
Our undying love of the quiet, country life and the camaraderie of country folk.
Which is your favourite part of your town?
Walking anywhere in the wilderness of the rambling scrub.
What is the place you must see before you leave?
The site of Nelson Mandela's capture in 1962 is nearby. A monument has recently been erected there. The extraordinary sculpture by artist Marco Cianfanelli is made up of 50 steel columns set into the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands landscape. At certain angles, they form an image of Mandela's face.
What should a traveller avoid?
The Piggly Wiggly shopping complex on a Saturday over a long weekend. It's busier than Sandton during the Christmas rush.
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