From time to time we receive enquiries from our customers, but also in general, about outdoor activities other than flyfishing at Treeferns Trout Lodge and elsewhere. Therefore we think it appropriate to publish some info in this regard on our web site for the convenience of visitors to our web. We trust it will be of some value. Of course the list will not be complete by any means, and will be added on as information become available. Anybody who wants to contribute, will be more than welcome. We are also prepared to exchange links ( See “Links” ). Our web averages just about 100  hits per day for the past 6 months.

The main activities in our immediate surroundings we are aware of are hiking, horse riding, game viewing and hunting, birds of prey demonstrations, and 4×4 trails.

Hiking.

A number of hiking trails are available in the area of which those in the Steenkamps Mountains are best known. Treeferns Trout Lodge also has a new trail in the beginning stage of development. See “Hiking” on this web site.

Horse riding.

Horse riding in South Africa with its fine weather and beautiful scenery is a very popular outdoor sport.  The Eastern Highveld and Trout Triangle are no exception and offers fabulous riding. Many horse trails and horse riding opportunities are within easy reach of Treeferns Trout Lodge, and references are available.

Game

A few neighbouring farms also stock various types of game either for viewing and/or shooting, viz. eland, blesbuck, zebra, wildebeest, etc.

Flying Displays (birds of prey)

Dullstroom Bird of Prey & Rehabilitation Centre offers flying displays  with informative and educational talks on the habits and behaviour of birds of prey.

4×4 Trails

Mpumalanga and particularly the Eastern Escarpment boasts some spectacular scenery for four wheel driving. There are numerous fantastic 4×4 routes in this beautiful mountainous region. Vlakfontein farm, home base of Treeferns Trout Lodge, with its uneven rough terrain, is ideally suitable for 4-wheel driving offering breathtaking views.

Mountain Biking

Mountain biking is also very popular, and beautiful scenery can be explored with many exciting and rocky routes.

Photography

The area and Treeferns Trout Lodge alike also attract the keen photographer who wants to capture the most beautiful scenes, sun rises, sun sets, flowers, birds, game, rock formations.

More information.

Contact details of  venues are available at Mpumalanga Tourism, 086 010 4069, web address www.mpumalangatourism.info and Dullstroom Reservations, (013)254-0254, www.dullstroom.biz

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°Treeferns Trout Lodge is situated in the north-eastern part of South Africa, as shown on the Google Earth map below. I have sticked the pins into Treeferns Trout Lodge and surrounding towns.

If we zoom into the South African map and have a look at the Mpumalanga province and the location of the pins related to Johannesburg and Pretoria, we see:

Finally, the Google Map’s big zoom. Here we see that the pin indicating Treeferns Trout Lodge is about the centre between Dullstroom, Belfast, Machadodorp and Waterval Boven, a region with spectacular views from mountainous routes.

Exceptionally, from a view point on the farm,  one can see the towns of Dullstroom,  Waterval Boven and Machadodorp.  Only the town of Belfast is not visible, due to a small hill in the line of sight.

Imagine standing on one of the highest points in the country with  a 360° scope of approximately 40 km in diameter, circumference of 125 km, and an area of 1300 km². Awesome !  How great Thou art !

A sight to enjoy  – from the lookout point – is to view these towns at night with the town lights shimmering against the night sky.  Come and experience this unbelievable view.

You will notice on both sides of the pin indicating Treeferns Trout Lodge  farms indicated by dark blocks of  cultivated land.

Also notice the Eastern escarpment between these farms with  Treeferns Trout Lodge situated on the edge of the escarpment, which falls away hundreds of meters eastwards down to the Lowveld.

T

he village of Waterval Boven is nestled in the Drakensberg Mountains on the fringe of the escarpment, at the foot of the southern hills. It is rich with historical sites and buildings, which belonged to the old NZASM and are now proclaim national monuments.

There is also the old ZASM Tunnel and Five Arch Bridge, as well as President Paul Kruger’s official residence where he resided in 1900 before going into exile in Europe. The Elands River Waterfall is visible from the mouth of the old Railway Tunnel.

Waterval Boven has always been a railway town. The Nederlandsche Zuid Afrikaansche Spoorweg Maatschappij railway line reached Waterval Boven in 1894, opening up a direct line from Pretoria to the port of Lourenco Marques, known as the “Easternline” or “Oosterlijn”.

Today the Oosterlijn Steam Company has preserved this dramatic piece of history in the operation of class 15F and 25NC steam locomotives, as well as the “JAN WINTERVOGEL” the last remaining NZASM steam locomotive. Vintage rail safaris run through the lush semi tropical lowveld following the course of the Elands River or up through the Mpumalanga highlands into trout country covering some of the most scenic and adventurous steam locomotive routes in Africa.

Accommodation in the town ranging from budget and backpacker to upmarket fraternity chalets.There are numerous fly fishing dams and rivers of the Waterval Boven Trout Association for the fly fishing enthusiast.

For the more adventurous the world-renowned rock climbing cliffs offer challenges to the outdoor enthusiast.

Visit us for accommodation, fun, flyfishing, bird watching, rock climbing and other adventures in the Western Middleveld!

Machadodorp was named after Joachim Machado – the Portuguese surveyor and Governor of Mozambique who established the route of the railway line from Maputo (formerly Lorenzo Marques) to Pretoria.  A railway station opened  on 10th July 1894.

The town started as a railway village in 1894. in 1900 it became the capital of the old Republic for 3 weeks when President Kruger ran his government from railway carriages in a siding of the Machadodorp Railway Station. Following his defeat at the Battle of Berg-en-Dal he went into exile in Mozambique.

Machadodorp is therefore an interesting historical village where President Kruger ran his parliament for 3 weeks during the boer War during 1900. There is a very interesting Boer War Grave Yard at the outskirts of the village, and many other historical sites
Ruins in the form of round stone circles, built by  ancient people, are evident in the area.

Machadodorp is similarly well known for its fly fishing in the Elandsriver, the municipal dams and at a number of private dams in the area.  In 1907 a consignment of trout fry destined for a local farm were too weak to travel to the farm, and in stead tipped into the river and grew to large fish. This is how Machadodorp became a trout fishing destination.

Machadodorp has developed into a little service village for the surrounding sheep, cattle, and trout farms and lodges in the area. It also houses people working for the Asmang Manganese Processing Plant just outside the village. In and around the town various venues can be found for the accommodation of fly fishermen, tourists, etc.

The climate is warm to hot in summer, and brisk and cool in winter.

Regarded as one of the coldest towns in Mpumalanga, it is one of South Africa’s   premier flyfishing destinations. The town is situated at 2100 m above sea level,  making it also one of the highest towns in the country. Dullstroom features the  highest railway station in South Africa at 2,077 m above sea level.

Dullstroom was established in 1883 by Dutchman Wolterus Dull to settle Dutch immigrants who made their way to the place of “eternal mist”. The first settlers from Holland arrived during the period 1884-1887.

Wolterus Dull visited the farm Groot Suikerboschkop during 1890 and found that the settlers had established a small village. This village was proclaimed  a town in 1892 by Paul Kruger and was originally named Dull’s-stroom, later simplified to Dullstroom, after Wolterus Dull and the Crocodile River (stream), which flows nearby.

During the Second Boer War the town was destroyed and most of the settlers returned to the Netherlands. After the war some of the immigrants, including T.N.H. Janson, returned and started to rebuild the village from the ashes. In 1921 the village was granted the status of  Town Council.

Dullstroom is on the panorama route, halfway from Johannesburg to the Kruger National Park.

Dullstroom has five claims to fame:

• it is one of the coldest villages in South Africa
• it is South Africa’s premier trout fishing area
• it is the home of the highest railway station
• it is the only place where elm and beech trees grow in any number
• it is also the only region in South Africa where you will find the endangered Crowned Crane, the Blue Crane, as well as the Wattled Crane which are critically endangered.

In and around Dullstroom there are also numerous venues for accommodation and fly fishing.

Fitzgeraldstreet

The founder of Belfast was Richard O’Neil, whose grand-father was born in Belfast. Ireland. He possessed a large portion of the farm Tweefontein and some other property. On 30 June 1890 the farm Tweefontein was declared  a town by the name of Belfast by President Paul Kruger.

Near the Drakensberg escarpment and 210km east of Pretoria, Belfast is one of the coldest places in South Africa. The grassveld district is known for cattle, dairy and sheep farming. The wattle and bluegum plantations are the oldest in Mpumalanga.The town also boasts a tulip nursery that attracts large numbers of visitors in spring. Coal, black granite, fire clay and kaolin are mined. Large deposits of chrome and iron are found in the area.Many rivers and streams rise on this watershed. They are clear and cold and are renowned for their excellent trout  fishing conditions.

A large number of first class venues in and surround Belfast cater for accommodation, and fly fishing of which Treeferns Trout Lodge is proud to be one.

Sight-seeing and activities include:
Berg en Dal Monument
Anglo Boer war monument
Hiking Trails
Trout Fishing

Location

Vlakfontein, District Belfast

Scope

Construction of dams/chalets for trout fishing and accommodation of tourists, holidaymakers and fishermen.

Risk Factor

Low risk due to low density and activity( “footprints”), maximum of 24 people over weekends, and low occupancy mid-weeks.

1. Families living in the central business area of the farm, will be resettled, and their unattractive structures leveled and rehabilitated.
2. A site development  and building plan will be drawn up and submitted to Highlands Municipality for approval.
3. Construction will comply with National Building Regulations.
4. SABS materials will be used.
5. To facilitate blending with the environment, natural stone from the farm will be used similar to existing buildings.
6. The dams will be constructed in the lower stream along the valley.
7. The chalets will be erected along the lower horizon.
8. The existing water and electrical reticulation will be expanded.
9. The existing entrance and road to the farm will be used, and precautions made to minimize erosion.
10. The existing small borrow pit planned for rehabilitation will be used for back-filling and to prepare it for filling with water as a pool.
11. The existing old irrigation canals will divert stormwater and prevent erosion.
12. Physical refuse will be sorted and dumped at the Belfast municipal refuse dump.
13. Sewage will be pumped and removed.
14. Waste during the construction phase will be reduced to the minimum, and stored for planned disposal.
15. Construction material, e.g. sand, stone, bricks, concrete aggregate, etc. will be stock-piled safely and away from the watercourse.
16. Sement and building material will be stored in the farm shed.
17. Construction personnel will be educated to limit waste to the minimum, and to adhere to safety regulations.
18. Construction personnel will be accommodated in existing sleeping, cooking, and sanitation facilities.
19. Activity will occur on a steep slope in excess of 30 meters from the edge of the wet zone of the watercourse. Occasional low risk fast flowing stormwater of short duration occurs.
20. Dams will be registered with the Department of Water Affairs.
21. Appropriate monitoring and inspection measures will be implemented in regard to stormwater control, erosion, safety, and groundwater pollution. Bacteriological analysis of drinking water will be done periodically.
22. Indigenous growth are preserved, and wild life protected.
23. Littering by workers and visitors is strictly prohibited and controlled.
24. Fire breaks and fire prevention form part of the management of the farm.
25. A post-construction audit will be carried out to identify shortcomings to be rectified.
26. The owner will take personal responsibility for the supervision, monitoring and maintenance of the development.

The farm Vlakfontein, originally in excess of 2000 hectare and presently 572 hectare,  was established in 1865 when the first title deed was registered in the name of Frederik Jacobus Mare, great grand-father of Frederik, who is still living on the farm. (See also Farm History.)  The first structure on the farm was a stone and earth  cottage of  48 m2,  presently hosting an old ox wagon.

The old kraal for cattle was also erected the same time against a slope in view of the cottage.

The cottage soon became too small, and a more spacious house was built close by with a lean-to storage room and stable. A section was  converted to a residence for a manager. The remaining portion is presently being used as a shed for farm equipment.

Before the Anglo-Boer War a still larger homestead was erected,  but destroyed during the War. It was re-built in 1908 and later further enlarged. It is still in use by the owners and family. The early residents and relatives were buried on the farm in the family graveyard.

The rest of the farm structures consist of out-buildings, viz. sleeping quarters for workers, storage facilities, chicken house, kraal, etc.

The old canal water system was up-graded to a pumping and pipe-line  reticulation network from the eye of the spring to the farmhouse, employee housing, chalets, and cattle watering troughs. Three fase Eskom electricity is available. A Sentech (FM radio) antennae, as well as  a Telkom line, Vodacom and MTN base stations service the farm. Roads consist of farm roads regularly maintained. Refuse and sewage management is properly taken care of.  (See “Environment” on this web-site.)

The clean and neat farmyard, as part of a farm infrastructure, is characteristically alive with poultry, viz. geese, duck, turkey, peacock, chicken creating a real rural ambience and attraction for children.

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As prescribed by the Environmental Management Plan, the ruins of vacated villages are systematically demolished, and natural growth allowed to rehabilitate the site to its former state. Refuse are collected and either burned or dumped on a refuse site.

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Treeferns Trout Lodge is proud of its safety record. We are committed to the safety of our guests, and therefore on arrival guests are made aware of risks on the farm by means of a notice board displaying safety signs :                                                                              

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In the 15 years that we have been hosting guests, not a single incident or accident occurred that could have been prevented. A few minor bruises and hook injuries were treated. Also no loss of guests’ property were reported.

Management is sensitive to the health, safety and security of quests, and conducted a comprehensive risk analysis. Procedures and  programmes are presently being drawn up to eliminate or minimize risks to guests. Some items have already been implemented, viz.warning signs, road signs, fire extinquishers, barriers, hand rails, security doors, etc. Fire breaks and road maintenance are part and parcel of the overall management of the farm. Fire fighting equipment is available, and personnel are trained in fire prevention and fighting. Drinking water is analised and monitored regularly. Sewage is pumped and removed, and physical refuse dumped at the municipal refuse dump.

Forgotten items are collected and kept indefinitely.

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Guests are encouraged to bring to the attention of Management  any hazardous situation, and parents made  aware of the safety of  their children specifically near the dams.

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Safes for valuables have also been installed in the chalets.

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From a farming point of view, the health and safety of employees also receive special attention. Safety instruction is part and parcel of  training and day-to-day operating; likewise the safety and health of animals, i.e. cattle. To enhance the easy and safe handling and vaccination of cattle, the old crush was recently replaced with a new mobile crush :

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