From Mac Mac to the “Big Swing"

I’ve told you about my daily trips to 'the brink’ and ‘the core’. My other favourite place to travel to is the Lowveld in Mpumalanga province. This will be the first post I share on my visit. There is just so much to see and do in the Lowveld. Weather is perfect all year round. Winters are warm and pleasant and summers are hot and humid.

Mac Mac
Let’s start at Mac Mac pools. Many Scottish miners flocked to the area in the 1870s to find their fortune in gold panning. Hence – Mac Mac. Ice cold mountain water in the most inviting pools. Pack a picnic basket and swimsuit for a day of fun in the sun, take a hike on the trail, or just a quick, refreshing dip in the pools before you’re on your way to the next.

Taking a dip at Mac Mac

Mac Mac Pools

From Mac Mac pools it’s a skip and a jump to Mac Mac falls. The view is spectacular! A 70m double drop waterfall. There are a number of waterfalls in the area – well worth a visit.

Mac Mac Falls

Pilgrim’s Rest
Near Graskop you can always try your luck on the ‘Big Swing’. We made a quick stop in Pilgrim’s Rest at Johnny’s Pub (an absolute MUST) – completely lost the rest of the day (twice) and forgot about the swing! You HAVE to visit Johnny’s – it’s a blast. Order a ‘melktertjie’ or a ‘jagsdop’ – it’s your right of passage. If, like us, the visit at Johnny’s run into the night – you might as well have dinner and stay over at the Royal Hotel. Make sure to visit the local curios and art gallery. A Visit to Pilgrim’s Rest is not complete without having ‘old’ photos taken at the curios shop.
The town of Pilgrims Rest is a ‘living museum’ and was declared a national monument in the 1980s.

Hazyview
We never made it to the ‘Big Swing’, but did stop at Induna Adventures just outside Hazyview. They have a horde of activities. White river rafting, quad, horse and mountain bike trails and zip-line to name a few. We opted for zip-line. What a trip!! 450m long, 77m high going at 100km/h. (for the non-metrics 1476 ft long, 253 ft high at 62 mph). It’s a must and definitely something I’ll do again – next time after the white water rafting!

Getting ready for the deed.

If you want to see more of the Lowveld keep an eye out for my next post @naomi-louise