Hogsback

One of our more delightful finds during our travels across South Africa was the tiny eco-destination of Hogsback. Intrigued by the description in Lonely Planet --- which marketed it as the place where J.R. Tolkein was inspired --- we had to check it out for ourselves. It took a long 12 hour day to get from Durban to Hogsback, but we finally made it.

We quickly learned while driving in South Africa to never drive when it was dark. The roads are hazardous enough in the daylight. Despite all warnings, we found ourselves driving along a bumpy dirt road to find our mountain top accommodations at "The Edge" in the dark! We quickly forgot our driving woes when we saw our lovely forest cabin complete with an indoor wood fire place.

The next morning we explored the Rose Garden, lovely even in the winter.

I love making connections between places and different parts of my life. The Edge at Hogsback reminded me of a cross between Sleeping Lady in Leavenworth and Iona. The mountains, eco-sensibility, British hospitality, and air of spirituality was a great respite from our long days of driving.

From Drop Box

View of outdoor labyrinth and valley. The labyrinth was a good chance for us to process all that we had experienced during our travels and all that we were looking forward to in the next season of our lives. After so much traveling and transition, it was nice to pause for a morning and rest.