Activities to do at
What most people like to try
Forest Walks at Midlands Forest Lodge
Midlands Forest Lodge boasts 15 hectares of indigenous mist belt forest – exclusive to this Midlands area. Yellowwood trees of differing varieties are scattered though the forest with some being estimated to be easily over 500 years old. A pair of resident African Crowned Eagles raise a baby every second year in this magnificent setting. Aside from the forest there is a beautiful grassland area which is very endangered in the Midlands with less that 3% natural grassland left. Three different walks are available on the property: two through the forest and one across the grassland. Each walk is approximately 1,5km in length and varying degrees of difficulty from easy to moderate. A non guided walk with a map is available at a minimal conservancy fee. A guided walk is also available by appointment only for an additional fee.
River Rafting down the Lions River with Trailblazer
Our Motto is “Every day is Saturday” This reflects how every day on an adventure with us feels.
We are based at Mill Cottages in the Midlands. And beautiful setting and the start of our white-water rafting trips on the Lions River. The section is a fun filled half day outing. The white water is Grade 2 at low water and 3 at high water. With the international White-water grading from 1 to 6 the stretch or river is the perfect level to get the heart rate pumping. Stepping into the valley and floating down river while having the challenge of navigating rapids is exhilarating. And the beauty of the midlands is truly experienced from on river.
Our trips include all equipment access to and from the take out. On river refreshments and Qualified and experienced river Guides. We use single seater inflatable rafts that are supper easy to paddle. It so awesome to see how quickly people adapt to paddling their own craft down river. If you are nervous you also have the option to join one of our guides in two-seater raft. All guest needs to bring is a costume, sunscreen, and a sense of adventure. We are open all year but the best time to be on river is in summer. We also offer beginner paddling lessons. This gives novices to paddling exposure to different types of boats, how to read river or learning the Eskimo roll in a white-water kayak. Already are a paddler? Join our social trips. Keen An eye on our Face book and Instagram for details of trips.
Tour and Tasting at Balgowan Brewery at Midlands Forest Lodge
Balgowan Brewery is a company registered by two young, enthusiastic entrepreneurs who are products of Rhodes University. Cindy Slater obtained her PhD in Biochemistry in 2015. Stefan Just studied Applied Mathematics and Physics with Electronics and recently submitted his thesis for his MSc in Electronics.
In their final year at Rhodes, and 6 years after Slater’s first brew, they developed their social and brewing skills with academic peers at Rhodes, brewing beer on weekends. Needless to say, they both claim a love for science and their fascination of fermentation turned a passion for home brewing into a career. After leaving Rhodes they decided to settle on the Midlands Meander and concentrate full time on their brews and forming the Balgowan Brewery on the beautiful property of Midlands Forest Lodge – 3.5km up the road from Caversham Mill
After months of experimentation, Just and Slater have scaled up and perfected their brew process with recipes for several types of beers. Good beer starts with water, malts, hops and yeast but consistency is the heart of any product. Meticulous planning and execution are key in maintaining a consistent brew process. Balgowan Brewery aims at creating both quality and authentic tasting beers using local as well as imported ingredients.
The exciting launch of Balgowan Brewery on 13th August 2016 was an awareness celebration of this new, exciting brewery in the KZN Midlands, halfway between Nottingham Road and Howick.
For more info follow Balgowan Brewery on Facebook or look them up on the web at : www.balgowanbrewery.co.za.
Mill Session
Terry and Diana Acres established the Mill Sessions around 2010 .
Mill Sessions are live music events presented in a concert format and featuring artists primarily performing their original music ie singer, songwriters.
A feature of these shows is the level of musical proficiency with , as well, a high entertainment value.
The quality of sound production is another core element of these sessions.
A driving force in Mill Sessions is a desire to support live music and locally based artists.
