Weenen, KwaZulu-Natal

Weenen (Dutch for "to weep") is the second oldest European settlement in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. It is situated on the banks of the Bushman River. The farms around the town grow vegetables, lucerne, groundnuts, and citrus fruit. The town was laid out in 1838 at the site of a massacre by the Zulu's following Voortrekker settlements in the area near the royal kraal of Dingane. A now-closed narrow gauge railway was built in 1907 to connect the town to Estcourt, 47 kilometres to the west.

Weenen Nature reserve

Weenen Game Reserve is administered by KwaZulu Wildlife and covers an area of typical inland KwaZulu-Natal acacia grassland with occasional thickets. There are extensive game viewing facilities, guided walks and environmental education in the Weenen Game Reserve. More than 230 species of birds have been recorded (there are two hides overlooking a dam) and the park is an excellent example of how a severely degraded habitat can be successfully rehabilitated. There are three picnic sites. Mammals in the reserve include rhino, giraffe, hyaena, jackal, bushbuck, reedbuck, steenbok and porcupine. The Weenen nature reserve has a small two-bedroomed cottage with BBQ facilities and its own trail and waterhole. There are 12 caravan and camping sites and a picnic site. There is a guided walk of 8 km and three self-guided trails which pass dams.

White water rafting

The major summer activity is white-water rafting, and the most exciting time to do this is between November and May. The 30 km stretch of river known as the canyon provides some of the most thrilling white water in the country. The South African leg of the Camel White-Water Challenge took place at Zingela in Weenen.

Weenen Museum

The museum (also from 1838) houses a collection of Voortrekker artifacts and was constructed by Voortrekker leader Andries Pretorius whose waterwheel is one of the exhibits. It has previously done service as a magistrate's office, post office and a prison. Between 1907 and 1983 a narrow gauge railway connected Weenen with Estcourt and provided an outlet for its produce and was thus called the "Cabbage Express'.

PO Box 13, Weenen, 3325 Times: 10.00 - 12.00 & 14.00 - 16.00 Tel: [phone] 41901

Thukela Biosphere Reserve

Thirty-one private landowners have combined to establish this biosphere reserve which integrates both conservation and farming. It encompasses the Tugela, Bushmans and Bloukrans River valleys and incorporates the Weenen Nature Reserve. There are horse trails through the biosphere, game viewing and bird watching - especially the thousands of white storks that inhabit the reserve.

Fishing is popular in the rivers, and for the hunter there is a variety of both buck and birds. The area of the reserve covers grasslands, steep forested valleys and riverine vegetation. One can see Buffalo, kudu, leopard, giraffe, hyena, elephant, rhino, zebra, wildebeest and many others. There are also crocodiles, pythons and monitor lizards.

ee also

*Weenen massacre