Mooinooi, Bojanala Region

Hugging the Magaliesberg on its densest perimeters, the town of Mooinooi lies just west of Modderspruit, roughly halfway between Hartbeespoort Dam and Rustenburg. Essentially a mining town it rests in a valley used to grow citrus and mine chrome, and makes for wonderfully easy weekend breaks for city slickers and those after a moment's respite after a hard week's work.

Mooinooi is also rife with farm stays and game lodges, in an area where the weather is superb most of the year round and where bird and animal life and an environment that promises wide open space and a feeling of getting away from it all make it a popular place to stay.

Mooinooi's proximity to the Magaliesberg promises outdoor activities, particularly hiking. The mountain range that extends from Pretoria to the Pilanesberg offers numerous trails, most of which you will need permission from private landowners or the various mountain clubs to walk. It is a popular area and regulation of the number of permits per day is controlled as a result. The Magaliesberg was proclaimed a Portected Natural Environment in 1977 and a number of small reserves as well as the larger Kgaswane Mountain Reserve provide kloofs, rock climbing, caves, waterfalls and mountain pools.

Nearby Hartbeespoort Dam has sadly become something of a resort but nonetheless Harties, as the locals call it, makes a wonderful space in which to enjoy water sports, visit local restaurants, local markets and follow the Crocodile Ramble. The dam lies cradled in the lap of the surrounding mountains and offers a wonderful break from the cities on either side of it.

But really an escape to Mooinooi is far more about staying put and soaking up the peace and quiet of a break away from it all.