Jan 15, 2019 | Nelspruit Lodge
The name Lydenburg means “Place of Suffering” and was so named by the Voortrekkers in the early 1800s, those who were fleeing the heat and malaria prevalent in the lower lying areas. Although Lydenburg was a cooler and much healthier area to live in, the settlers in the area had to fight many battles with the local Bapedi tribe who at that time lived in the region.
Lydenburg has a long and interesting history. And being quite close to Nelspruit, you can spend the day exploring when you are staying at our Nelspruit accommodation. Here are some facts you should know about the town of Lydenburg:
- The pass that connects Sabie to Lydenburg is named “Long Tom Pass’. After the final Anglo Boer War battle that took place on the slopes of Mauchsberg, between Lydenburg and Sabie, the pass was given its name. At Devil’s Knuckles, near the summit of the pass, stands a replica of the Long Tom Cannon, a silent reminder as to how the pass got its name.
- Established in 1972, the Lydenburg Museum is a place for the history lover. The museum is situated on the pass at the entrance to the Gustav Klingbeil Nature Reserve. Although it is a small museum, it is said to be one of the best museums in the Mpumalanga. The museum is filled with archaeological and cultural history. The best know history in the museum has got to be the Lydenburg Heads. These replica 7 heads (the real heads are kept in the National Museum in Cape Town) are believed to date back to the Iron Age, around 490AD. Ludwig Von Bezing, a 10 year old child that was playing on his father’s farm, made the discovery of the intricately carved ceramic heads in 1957. Cultural items from the settlers as well as from the Pedi and Ndebele people that occupied the area at the time are also included among the artefacts in the museum. Beautifully recreated and displayed outside the museum is old farming equipment as well as an ox wagon. Long Tom Cannons from the Anglo Boer War, as well as other military history and early gold mining exhibits can also be viewed.
- Another interesting display in the Lydenburg Museum in the distillery. Here one can sample the traditional Afrikaaner brew known as mampoer.
- If you would like to take a step back in time, a visit or stay over at the De Ark Guest House is a must. Built more than 150 years ago, the De Ark House is the oldest and most prominent building in Lydenburg. Although the original house was built in 1857, it was converted to a double storey building in 1893.
- Today you can choose from bed and breakfast or self-catering rooms and the De Ark Guesthouse is able to accommodate 28 people sharing. Each room has a theme, so you can stay “In the Library” or “On the Green”, in the “Gothic” or in the “Louis XV1” room. There is a Victorian Style Tea garden with rose thickets and a breakfast/dining room fit for royalty. De Ark Guesthouse caters for weddings, with the garden gazebo being transformed into a romantic chapel, with beautifully landscaped gardens and fragrant roses making it the best place for your special day.
Nelspruit Lodge offers the best accommodation in Nelspruit, at the most affordable prices. Contact us today to book your stay!
Jan 12, 2019 | Things to in and around Nelspruit
While staying at our comfortable Nelspruit accommodation, the avid golfer has a variety of spectacular golf courses in and around the area. Read our list of places to play golf.
- White River Country Club
Nestled in the plantations just outside White River, the White River Country Club offers an 18 hole champion parkland golf course. This golf course is a proud member of the CMASA and is a SAGU/70 – WGSA/70 course.The White River Golf Course was established way back in 1923, and the cost of the construction was 100 pounds with an annual maintenance bill that came to 150 pounds. Back then the mowing of the course greens was done by oxen and mules with the grounds men spraying paraffin on the excess grass and burning it off.During the depression years of the 1930’s, and the war years thereafter, the club was declared virtually bankrupt, surviving only due to the generosity of the Vice President.
Today the golf course has improved tremendously from those humble beginnings and after surviving a drought now has its own borehole. The club also sports a squash and tennis court, cricket and hockey facilities and an amazing swimming pool which is adjacent to the clubhouse.
The club has an excellent conference facility which can cater for up to 100 people with full bar and catering facilities, and it is fully air-conditioned. Recently, the Country Cafè was opened and has quickly become a gathering place for golfers and the general public. Not a golfer? Not a problem! You can enjoy a Sunday breakfast or brunch, or just a coffee and snack.
- Mbombela Golf Club
Formerly known as the Nelspruit Golf Club, this club was established in 1928 and moved to its present location in 1939. The Nelspruit Golf Course started out and remained a nine hole course until around 1967 when an additional nine holes were added. And this is the way it stayed until 1998 when it was once again upgraded.The Nelspruit Golf Club was made famous by annually hosting the Jock of the Bushveld Golf Festival, which it has been doing since 1968. The brainchild of J.J. Van Rensburg and Rip Riphagen, the first “Jock” was played from Thursday to Sunday. As the festival grew in popularity, Wednesday was included in 1969, followed by them including Tuesday in 1977 and then Monday 1981. This festival is considered the largest amateur golf tournament in the world, which today draws 800 amateurs from all over the country and more than 2000 rounds of golf gets played in this single week in May.If you are looking for the ultimate “bushveld” golfing experience, this is the course to be on. And after an enjoyable round of golf on the 18 hole course, you can retire to the clubhouse, have a shower and hit the bar for something long and cold to drink. The clubhouse is spacious and you can get a stunning view of Mbombela from the veranda. In addition to the veranda, there is a super lapa and a large deck area that can be used for functions. It is equipped with a kitchen and has a catering service.
On site there is a Pro-Shop, so should you have any golfing needs, be it golf clothing or golf equipment, the Pro-Shop will sort you out, at very competitive prices.
Make sure you take full advantage of these two golf courses when staying at our accommodation in Nelspruit!
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