Just east of Pietermaritzburg along The Amble is the Cumberland Nature Reserve. A natural heritage site, the 400-hectare private reserve offers pristine veld, a wooded gorge, a wide range of game and wildlife, and spectacular views from the top of the gorge looking down to where the Rietspruit stream meets up with the Umgeni River.
To reach the reserve, you turn down a dirt road past orange orchards and sugarcane fields. The reserve itself is mostly plateau savannah, the beautiful tall grass studded with intermittent flat crowns and cacti. The Rietspruit stream flows through a gorge in the middle of the reserve, with one small and one large waterfall offering delightful views, meeting up with the Umgeni to form a T.
There are marked trails, ranging from 30-minute meanders to three-hour hikes. I particularly enjoyed my amble in the sun along the cliff's edge, which was a flat easy route, offering essentially one continuous lookout point.
Across the gorge, the woodland reaches up toward the craggy rock face of the other side, while a few tenacious trees grow in the cracks.
I began by the footbridge just above the little waterfall. This section can be reached by car and I saw children wetting their feet in the pools just above the waterfall, and two mothers with their children enjoying a picnic in the shade nearby on the edge of the camping site.
The trail takes you over the flat rocks along the edge of the gorge towards the viewing site, the Point. The stream below is hidden beneath trees. Eventually the gorge widens, and the trees part as the stream meets up with the noisy and rocky Umgeni.
I enjoyed watching all the birds fly about in the treetops down below. Cumberland has more than 200 recorded bird species, including savannah, forest, wetland and rocky outcrop species.
I was fortunate to have visited on National Butterfly Day or so it seemed. I later learned that the Butterflies for Africa farm is close by, thus accounting for the number, colour and variety I saw.
The reserve stocks a variety of antelope, as well as jackal, lynx, bush pig, ant bear and porcupine. On this trip, I didn't see any game, save for the lesser-spotted cyclist. There is a 16km circuit for cyclists, taking in great views, with a grading of intermediate to difficult.
A short trip across the headland from the point and you find a steep, tree-covered path down to the Umgeni, which forms the northern border of the reserve.
Aside from offering camping facilities and picnic sites, Cumberland also provides braai facilities, drinkable water and ablutions. There are dormitories and self-catering chalets available and the reserve, with its own obstacle course, is a great choice for team-building, environmental or adventure camps.
For those wishing to visit, the reserve is open from sunrise to sunset. The road in is dirt, so a 4x4 is preferable, though not essential. Safe parking is provided. There is a R5 entrance fee that is to be paid into the Honesty Box by the gate.
Directions: Coming from Durban, travel up the N3 and then take the Ohrtman Road off-ramp. Cross over the bridge and follow Ohrtman Road. Pass through the first intersection, then turn right on to the M30 towards Table Mountain. After 800 metres turn left on to the M30 and travel for a further 3.3km, then turn right along the Table Mountain Road. Travel for 1.8km until the turn-off on to the D408 to your left. The reserve is 6.5km along this road.
For further details, contact the owners, John and Stella Behn, on 033 390 3088 or 082 337 1056.