Donnybrook

Donnybrook, Natal Midlands

The distinctly Irish lilt to the name of Donnybrook misrepresents the rural village that lies in the midst of green hills on Route 612, between Ixopo and Bulwer, south west of Pietermaritzburg.

There is little other than a police and petrol station to make a detour into the very small farm village necessary. Although train fundis might stop here to take in the remains of the Umzinto-Donnybrook narrow gauge railway that used to terminate here.

This part of the country, so close to the Underberg and the Mkhomazi Wilderness area, must have reminded Robert Comrie, who originally owned the farm on which the village now stands, enough of the suburb in Dublin that he christened it Donnybrook.

Just 42 minutes from the foothills of the underberg, this area is principally farm land. An escape here guarantees stillness, quiet and green hills that steadily give way to the southern Drakensberg mountains in the near distance.

From here you have access to the Marutswa Forest Trail and Boardwalk just outside the little town of Bulwer. A series of trails lead into indigenous forest. There are little lookout jetties, picnic sites and view points from which you can sight herds of bush pig, dassies, bushbuck and any number of birds, for the forest is home to both rare and interesting birds like the Cape parrot.

Other attractions include the Impendle Nature Reserve where you can spot the rare blue swallow; the country villages of Underberg and Himeville; and famous aspects of the Southern Drakensberg, like Sani Pass.

Local day tours to explore the birds of the region and San rock art leave from Underberg, and hikes can be organised into the Drakensberg.