go! YOUR JOURNEY STARTS HERE

The Louis Changuion Hiking Trail, a 10 km trail that begins and ends in Haenerts­burg, was laid out by Prof Changuion himself. The start is near The Penne­father in Rissik Street, but you can join the trail anywhere.
The path takes you through the village, past the arboretum and then to the much-talked-about cemetery.
Enjoying a picnic in a place like this may sound macabre to some, but it’s actually a beauti­ful, tran­quil spot with lots of stories to figure out by reading the grave­stones, although some of them are so old that the lettering has worn off.
Then the trail meanders between a vlei and a pine plantation. It’s very quiet – the only sound is the buzzing of insects, like a dragonfly hovering around my leg.
About 10 minutes’ walk from the cemetery is the Vodacom tower. It’s a good vantage point from which to admire the Ebenezer Dam. A riverboat glides across the dam.
On the right is the Wolkberg and to the left the village, enfolded in a riot of green, with cars scooting past on the R71, probably on the way to Tzaneen. I’d swear it’s so fertile here you could plant a pair of PT shorts and a rugby lock would grow.

Cost: Free. Buy a map of the trail at The Pennefather for R20 – the money goes towards maintaining the trail.
Contact: The Pennefather 015 276 4885

At Wegraak­bosch they make cheese by hand with­out using any chemicals.
Dorah Mashaba, my tour guide, explains the cheese-making process. Cow’s milk is heated in a copper pot, and then a culture and rennet are added. The milk separates into a liquid (whey) and a solid substance (curds).
The curds are cut up, stirred and heated again, before being drained in cheesecloth. It’s pressed into a wooden mould, where it stays for a few days. Then it’s dipped into a salt bath and left to age. And there you have it: a soft white cheese!
When you’ve satisfied your curiosity, you can sample Wegraakbosch’s yoghurt, cottage cheese, feta, ricotta and other hard and soft cheeses.
I love the ricot­ta and Parmesan cheeses, as well as the straw­berry yoghurt. Wegraak­bosch products are sold at the Foodzone in Rissik Street.

Cost: R50 per adult and R30 per child for an hour-long tour.
How to get there: Take the R71 heading towards Tzaneen. After 3 km turn left at the Cheerio off-ramp. Keep right on the gravel road and after 2 km you’ll see the turn-off to Wegraakbosch. Drive carefully on the gravel when it’s wet – my Toyota Corolla got stuck.
Contact: 015 276 1811

Haenertsburg has lots to offer the keen shopper. The Golden Nugget – one of two trading stores in The Penne­father complex – stocks furniture and collect­ables, such as a beautiful yellowwood chest for R1 380 and a print of Whistler’s Mother, a well-known oil painting by the American artist James Whistler, for R320.
You’ll find local art, crafts and beautiful Venda drums (R850 for a small drum and R1 800 for a large one) at the Re­flexions Shop and Stu­dio.
At The Elms I admire a Pinoc­chio puppet (R375) and locally made treats and condi­ments, such as chilli paste (R25).
You’ll find Linda and Cliff Bosman’s Tourism Magoebas­kloof, Sticky Fingers and Feathers & Fish just around the corner. They stock goodies such as jams (kiwi fruit for R30), jellies (sour plum and chilli for R10) and sweets, as well as fly-fishing equipment. Cliff offers fly-fishing lessons, or you could spare yourself the trouble and buy fresh trout from him.

Contact: Golden Nugget  015 276 4885;
Reflexions Shop and Studio 082 883 4449;
The Elms 015 276 4905;
Tourism Magoebaskloof 015 276 4880

It’s a grey and misty morning – so much so that you can barely see more than a few metres ahead of you. But here I am at Thaba-Metsi Ad­ven­tures’ Magoebaskloof Canopy Tours.
This system, I’m told by Attie and Sly while they strap me into the harness, was invented by South Afri­can engi­neer Mark Brown as a way of help­ing scien­tists to study the forest canopy in Costa Rica. “We’re the fourth Canopy Tour in the country.”
It’s a bit like going down on a giant foefie slide, high above the Letaba River, down the George’s Valley, from one plat­form to another. The 13 plat­forms all have names, like Soul Searcher, Dragon’s Den and Butterfly Step.
The two cables attached to your har­ness are always at­tached at two points, and the cables and pulleys can bear a weight of 2 tons. Attie and Sly assure me that it’s very safe.
You brake by gripping the cable – you’re supplied with robust gloves.
I’m scared of heights, so I’m feeling a bit anxious as we set off. I can feel the heat from the friction as my gloved hand slides along the cable. The pulley makes a “wwwrrrrrr” noise and my hair blows in the breeze. The Letaba River roars below me.
After each stage be­tween two platforms, I start to feel more relaxed and be­gin to notice my surroundings.
Attie and Sly are know­ledge­able about the local fauna and flora, pointing out things of interest, such as cat’s tails (a type of reed mace), which were dipped in oil and used as torches in the old days.
All too soon, the two-hour adventure is over and we have to walk back.

Cost: R395 per person, including a light lunch.
Contact: Thaba-Metsi Adventures 083 866 1546

Go! says It may seem pricey, but it’s a really special outing, and it’s still cheaper than a Lions’ test ticket.

During the Anglo-Boer War, the Boers destroyed two 155 mm Creusot cannons (the so-called Long Toms) in the vicinity of Haenertsburg. They didn’t want them to fall into enemy hands. One was thrown into the Letaba River and the other was blown up at Rondebult.
Prof Louis Changuion has put up a monument to the Long Toms in Haenerts­burg. He says he found the muzzle of the Long Tom that was destroyed at Rondebult in London, and it served as the inspiration for the monument.
The Boers gave the cannon the bawdy nick­name “The Jew” after they had to saw off the tip of its muzzle, damaged in a sabotage attempt.
The monument forms part of a war memorial, which commemmorates South Africans who’ve died in various wars.

Cost: Free.

go! says: There is another small Long Tom monument at Ronde­bult, about 1 km from Wegraakbosch farm.

Where can I eat?
• The Red Plate Restaurant has a great atmosphere and an unpretentious menu. 083 305 2851
• The Glenshiel Hotel is the place for a special dinner. It’s on the R71, about 2 km from Haenerts­burg. 015 276 4335/6/7

Where can I stay?
• Kaya Khutso offers B&B accommodation for R300 per adult and R180 per child under 18. 015 276 4822; 082 462 7938; 072 693 5452
• The Pennefather’s rate for self-catering accommodation in a cottage starts at R200 per person. 015 276 4885

How do I get there?
Haenerts­burg is 58 km from Polokwane, heading east on the R71

(Note: Prices accurate in May 2010)

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