Farewell to the Midlands 

All good things must come to an end, but before we bid farewell to the Midlands, I wanted to highlight just a few more little places that are well worth seeking out. Some may be familiar, others perhaps less so, but each adds a little something to the magic of this wonderfully unhurried corner of KwaZulu-Natal.

Located on the KZN Midlands Meander, the Lions River Station was a designated stop for the 1947 tour by King George VI, Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother), and young Princess Elizabeth. The historic station building has since been repurposed into a creative arts space and a coffee shop. 

The heart of this little spot is The Platform Gallery. Their curated selection features exceptional works in bronze, bone, wood, stainless steel, and ceramic, alongside an eclectic and ever-evolving collection of fine art across oil, acrylic, pencil, photography, and mixed media. It has been the longest time since I have seen such incredibly beautiful art… 

“The Nguni Guy” is also located here. Their story is almost as interesting as the hides themselves. It began rather humbly when Midlands-born Glen du Preez, who came from a family farming tradition with Nguni cattle, began selling a few hides as a way of making use of what had previously been regarded simply as a by-product of the beef industry. He draped them over the fence outside a little collectibles shop – and a business was born. From those early beginnings, The Nguni Guy has grown into one of South Africa’s largest hide retailers. Today, the extraordinary hides are hand-selected for their distinctive patterns and beauty, while their connection to the region’s farming and cultural heritage remains very much part of the story. They also retain leather bags, some shoes and all other things Nguni-related…

There are fires and then fires on another level. Not just any fires, but fires born right there in the Midlands. Smokeless Fires was the brainchild of engineer and designer Glen du Preez, who set out to create a better way of enjoying a wood fire without spending the evening dodging smoke. After numerous prototypes, he developed a double-walled fire pit that draws air through the walls and back into the flames, creating a hotter, cleaner burn. Designed and manufactured in the KZN Midlands, these handsome fires have become another part of the wonderfully eclectic collection of businesses at Lions River Station. And, as we discovered while wandering around, they aren’t merely functional – some are rather beautiful pieces of outdoor furniture too.

And then there are the cosmos. In the Midlands, these delicate pink, white and mauve flowers have become almost as much a part of the landscape as the rolling green hills and old farm roads. In season, they spill along the verges and fields in great swathes of colour, turning an ordinary drive into something quite magical. There is an irony to their beauty, though: cosmos are not South African natives at all. They are thought to have arrived during the Anglo-Boer War, inadvertently transported in imported horse feed. More than a century later, they have made themselves very much at home.

On the N3, if you’re driving near the Nottingham Road off-ramp, and think you saw a giant head on the hillside near the Brahman Hills Estate, you’re not losing it!  ‘The Giant,’ has become an integral part of the reserve, sparking widespread fascination throughout the Midlands. Composed of 5 tons of concrete and steel anchored by 5 chains, each weighing 10 tons and dug 2 meters into the mountain, this magnificent artwork stands as a testament to perseverance and creativity. The work of South African artist Louis Van Den Heever, it is a permanent fixture in the beautiful Midlands!

Who can resist such a welcoming smile? Tucked away in Nottingham Road, Willow River Interiors is one of those little Midlands finds that is easy to overlook – and well worth discovering. 

For anyone who loves beautiful things, it is a delightful browse, with interiors and décor that bring a relaxed country character to the home. It is exactly the sort of place where you might pop in for a quick look and leave with something you never knew you needed! I ended up with two brass monkey bookends – these young scamps now live on my bookcase…

And finally,  there is The Pantry, which is dangerous territory if you are travelling hungry. Tucked into Piggly Wiggly, it is the sort of place where you pop in for one thing and emerge with a basketful of things you absolutely didn’t know you needed. 

Shelves are packed with good Midlands fare – preserves, sauces, pickles, breads, cheeses, biltong and other locally produced treats – while the homemade pies, quiches and baked goodies have become something of a drawcard.

There is something reassuringly old-fashioned about the idea of a country pantry: good food, much of it made by people who actually know where it came from, and the promise that you might find something delicious to take home. 

It also seems a fitting continuation of Piggly Wiggly’s beginnings, when this sprawling Midlands destination was nothing more than a humble roadside farm stall selling produce from the land around it.

Perhaps that is what we love most about the Midlands: you never quite know what you will find when you take the slower road. An old railway station becomes a gallery, a discarded hide becomes something beautiful, a fire pit becomes a work of art, and a country farm stall evolves into a place where you can spend an entire afternoon. From Lions River to Nottingham Road, these are not grand attractions demanding your attention; they are little discoveries scattered along the road, each with its own story, its own character and its own reason to stop. And sometimes, in the Midlands, the best part of the journey is simply deciding to pull over and see what lies beyond the next gate.

INFO BOX:

The Platform Gallery
https://theplatform.galleryhttps://www.instagram.com/theplatform_gallery/

The Nguni Guy
https://thenguniguy.co.za

Smokeless Fires
https://smokelessfires.com

Willow River Interiors
Gowrie Village, Nottingham RoadPhone: 081-270-2788

Pantry 103
Shop 16, Piggly Wiggly, Lions River, 3280