Annlin, Pretoria

The pretty emerging suburb of Annlin lies minutes outside of the city centre to the north of Pretoria, in the crook of Zambesi Drive in the shadow of the Magaliesberg Mountains. Lying just outside of Pretoria gives Annlin several advantages. Not only is it relatively free of traffic congestion and thus pollution, but it is also a green and leafy suburb with good access to the N1 north of here, making it an ideal place to overnight if you are heading off to Polokwane and beyond.

In this part of Pretoria, people still manage to annexe small holdings for themselves, and, despite the development (townhouse complexes tend to have mushroomed around Annlin), there remains a feeling of country living to the suburb.

To augment this image as a ‘place in the country’, Annlin lies close to the Wonderboom Nature Reserve and is worth a visit if only to catch a glimpse of the incredible wild fig trees. One particular specimen is believed to be well over a thousand years old, although all that remains of it is a 5.5 metre diameter trunk in the middle of the nature reserve. All around it are the tree’s ‘offspring’ - branches from the original specimen drooped downwards, put out roots and set up an entirely new circle of wild fig trees.

One is also within easy driving distance of Onderstepoort Nature Reserve, a pretty leafy reserve that is ideal for bird watching and part of an area of rehabilitated bushveld. If you have further time to explore outside of Pretoria (the city centre is also filled with historical features) then head off to the Tswaing Meteorite Crater, north of Annlin by roughly 30 kilometres.