The Spinney

The Spinney is a cosy self-catering, stone cottage situated in the little-known Lower Loteni area in the southern part of the Central Drakensberg. If you are dreaming of a mountain getaway where you can fall asleep under big starry skies, wake up to crisp mornings and a long lazy breakfast on a sunlit veranda, then dream no further than a weekend breakaway at The Spinney.

The cottage, converted from an old sandstone trading store, circa 1950, nestles in the remote Inzinga Valley, on the less-travelled road that runs between the picturesque villages of Nottingham Road and Underberg. Set on the only smallholding in the area, the cottage is surrounded by large, red-grassed ranchlands, and lies right in the middle of spectacular mountains that abut the Maloti Drakensberg Park World Heritage Site.

The cottage can accommodate up to a maximum of six guests, and consists of an open-plan kitchen and living area, all warmed by a wood-burning fireplace. The only dedicated bedroom is a loft room, with a double bed, accessed via an upright staircase. Meals, breakfast and dinner, are available on request, and firewood can be purchased on-site during the colder months.

If you have had enough chill-out time, there are plenty of activities in the surrounding area to keep you busy including hiking, swimming in pristine streams and birding. There are three nature reserves, namely Umkhomasi, Loteni and Kamberg, within easy distance, that offer beautiful scenery and hikes to suit all levels of fitness. Trout fishing, both river and dam, is available at Loteni and Kamberg Reserves. Kamberg also has some of the country's most spectacular rock art in Game Pass Cave. For mountain bikers, the district roads offer some challenging cycling.